8.27.2006
what a difference a day makes
Remember when I asked you to say a little prayer? Could you maybe say another one and be a bit more specific this time? I didn't mean to send it here.
8.26.2006
Big E creeps toward Big Easy
Although this looks better than it did earlier today, it's still way too close for comfort. My parents, family and friends are living in a city that has not even marked one year since Hurricane Katrina -- that anniversary will be on Tuesday, Aug. 29. Ernesto is just adding to the anxieties. Say a prayer, OK?
8.23.2006
12 steps begin with one leap
As reported by Rolling Stone Daily ...
KEANE SINGER IN DRUG REHAB, TOUR PUT ON HOLD
Just days after PETE DOHERTY and DARKNESS singer JUSTIN HAWKINS checked into drug rehab, KEANE frontman TOM CHAPLIN has done the same. Due to this development, the band has postponed a North American tour, set to start next month. In a statement on Keane's Web site, the twenty-seven-year-old said, "I've been having to deal with an increasing problem with drink and drugs, and the time has come to get the professional help I need to sort myself out. I feel desperately disappointed to be
letting down our fans, but I want to get myself right now so that I can be back on the road for the rest of the year." The group cancelled gigs in Edinburgh, Dublin and Ibiza earlier this month, saying Chaplin was suffering from exhaustion. Refunds are now available at the point of purchase. Keane's latest album, "Under the Iron Sea," debuted at Number One on the U.K. chart in June.
KEANE SINGER IN DRUG REHAB, TOUR PUT ON HOLD
Just days after PETE DOHERTY and DARKNESS singer JUSTIN HAWKINS checked into drug rehab, KEANE frontman TOM CHAPLIN has done the same. Due to this development, the band has postponed a North American tour, set to start next month. In a statement on Keane's Web site, the twenty-seven-year-old said, "I've been having to deal with an increasing problem with drink and drugs, and the time has come to get the professional help I need to sort myself out. I feel desperately disappointed to be letting down our fans, but I want to get myself right now so that I can be back on the road for the rest of the year." The group cancelled gigs in Edinburgh, Dublin and Ibiza earlier this month, saying Chaplin was suffering from exhaustion. Refunds are now available at the point of purchase. Keane's latest album, "Under the Iron Sea," debuted at Number One on the U.K. chart in June.
8.20.2006
little miss sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine is a movie you must see. Right now. Get off your sarcastic butt and go pay a few dollars for one of the best movies you will see … ever. In the words of every cast member in Grey’s Anatomy, “Seriously.” (Seriously, every one on that show says it. If you haven’t noticed, you will now. Apparently, Shonda Rhimes, the series creator, uses the word all the time, too.)
Each character in this film is fantastic, and each gets the best lines and the biggest laughs. I started to write a one-line description of each character, but really, that gives too much away, and the best way to see a great movie is to know as little as possible about it. Just take my word for it.
I can tell you this … each character is trying so hard to get by and trying so hard not to fail, that they are failing miserably. But in their failings, they kind of find each other. I laughed hysterically during the movie – even doing that thing where my head flies back and I start clapping. (Why in the world do I do that?) I also did the “Awwwwww …” thing in unison with other moviegoers, and I even did the thing where I kind of let out a scream as I laugh.
You will walk out of the theater with a smile on your face, and you'll love with Abigail Breslin, who's absolutely adorable in the flick. And Steve Carrell is genius as usual. This may be my favorite movie of the year... Seriously.
8.14.2006
bringing out the kid in you
Are you as smart as the kids in the eighth grade? AOL has posted a quiz titled "Are you smart enough to pass eighth grade?" I got six out of eight questions right. Is that a C-?? Take the test. Devan, I'm waiting to hear your grade! :)You may or not be able to pass the eighth grade, but you still have the maturity level of a kid in junior high, and we all know it. So, indulge in your zaniness.
In another chapter of "How Much I Love Photojojo.com," you must check out the latest installment: Long Awkward Pose. It's hilarious, and I could kick myself for not thinking of it first. Actually, this might have been what my mom was really doing while taking ridiculous amounts of time to take a picture of my brother and me in front of those Kodak Photo Spots in Walt Disney World when we were wee little kids.
Then again, those were print cameras...These two "examples" had me laughing out loud. There's profanity, so be warned. If I can pull this prank on my dad and make him drop the f-bomb, I may just crap my pants. -- some guy named John and someone's dad.
8.13.2006
is it just me or ...
OK, in all seriousness, Baby Shook is upside down, and those things that look like Mickey Mouse ears, Princess Leia hair or Bjork's hairstyle in the picture above, are really the baby's legs. And if Baby Shook comes out wearing a swan dress, I'm going to love him/her just the same.
8.12.2006
live music is so sauce
I was a downloading fool this morning, and I’m going to save you the trouble of searching for all this great stuff by conveniently providing you all the links on a silver platter. Sometimes, I’m nice. Enjoy it now because the bitch will be back soon. Thanks to the amazing bloggers who somehow find this amazing stuff and spread the love.
The Raconteurs’ recent Lollapalooza live set (including a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s ubiquitous “Crazy”)
(Culture Bully)
Imogen Heap on the World Café
(The Late Greats)
Jamie Lidell on the World Café
(The Late Greats)
Sigur Rós on the World Café (a show on WXPN in Philly)
(The Late Greats)
Mates of State on KEXP
(The Late Greats)
Madeleine Peyroux on KEXP (including an amazing version of Elliott Smith's "Behind the Bars")
(The Late Greats)
Iron & Wine on KEXP
(The Late Greats)
Sigur Rós on the World Café (a show on WXPN in Philly)
(The Late Greats)
Snow Patrol on KEXP
(The Late Greats)
The Walkmen on KEXP
Part 1
Part 2
(The Late Greats)
Ani DiFranco on KEXP
(The Late Greats)
R.E.M. and Radiohead at the National Bowl on July 19, 2005 (I caught this tour in Baton Rouge. It was an incredible show -- Radiohead circa The Bends, which sorry to be uncool, but is my favorite Radiohead album)
R.E.M. Part 1
R.E.M. Part 2
Radiohead
(rbally)
The Raconteurs’ recent Lollapalooza live set (including a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s ubiquitous “Crazy”)
(Culture Bully)
Imogen Heap on the World Café (The Late Greats)
Jamie Lidell on the World Café
(The Late Greats)
Sigur Rós on the World Café (a show on WXPN in Philly)
(The Late Greats)
Mates of State on KEXP
(The Late Greats)
Madeleine Peyroux on KEXP (including an amazing version of Elliott Smith's "Behind the Bars")(The Late Greats)
Iron & Wine on KEXP
(The Late Greats)
Sigur Rós on the World Café (a show on WXPN in Philly)(The Late Greats)
Snow Patrol on KEXP
(The Late Greats)
The Walkmen on KEXP
Part 1
Part 2
(The Late Greats)
Ani DiFranco on KEXP(The Late Greats)
R.E.M. and Radiohead at the National Bowl on July 19, 2005 (I caught this tour in Baton Rouge. It was an incredible show -- Radiohead circa The Bends, which sorry to be uncool, but is my favorite Radiohead album)
R.E.M. Part 1
R.E.M. Part 2
Radiohead
(rbally)
8.10.2006
i heart photojojo!
The DIY craze continues to reach new heights, and I’m as happy as crafty is cool. Although I don’t actually make many of the projects featured, I am a subscriber and huge fan of “ReadyMade” magazine. It’s a hip collection of do-it-yourself project that range in cost and difficulty. Even if you don’t actually sit down and make your own pre-fab sunroom for the backyard, it’s still a fun ride.
My latest DIY obsession is photojojo.com. I think I first read about it on Yahoo! Picks. One click, and I was hooked.
The Web site is one big depository of tutorials and simple instructions for making cool photo projects that don’t seem overwhelming or impossible. Here are some of the super-cool projects I can’t wait to try.
Photojojo's Stop-Motion Animation Tutorial
With this easy-to-follow tutorial, a digital camera and iMovie, I’m ready to become the next Richard Linklater. There are sample movies you can watch to spark your creativity – and you will be inspired to create something, too. Maybe a short film about your dog trying to find her favorite toy, or perhaps an afternoon at Lake Eola, with guest appearances by whoever happens to walk by.
If you’re feeling a bit more daring and want to up the ante, you MUST check out this amazing YouTube video that’s a re-enactment of Space Invaders in a movie theater. Oh yes, it is that cool!
Space Invaders Re-enactment in stop motion
Make Your Own Photo Mosaic with LEGOs
Get one of your favorite portraits, a few gazillion of the single LEGO blocks and Photoshop, and you got yourself a cool-ass conversation piece. For inspiration, someone even put together LEGOs to recreate Van Gogh’s A Starry Night. This would really step up the “cul-chah” of your dorm room.
Making Photo Transfers with a Blender Pen
When I started my internship in the NewsRoom way back in 1997, I worked for one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. Kerry was a twenty-something who was the epitome of everything I wanted to be. She was the editor of the publication where I was working, she was an incredible photographer, she knew all the cool restaurants and theaters in Orlando, and she had the ovaries to pick up and move to France to study photography on a full Rotary scholarship. She continually inspired me.
She introduced me to photo transfers. I read about using Poloroids and freezing them, and even scratching them with coins for effect. I had no instant camera, so I had no photo transfers. But then I check out Photojojo, and whadd’ya know? There’s something called a blender pen that will work just fine.
According to the tutorial, all you need for “quick-and-dirty photo transfers is a photocopy of your image and a $4 blender pen… The blender pen transfer works on fabrics, tile, paper, wood, copper, linoleum, and a variety of other materials. And it won’t leave that plastic texture that old inkjet transfers sometimes did.”
How to Make Panographies
One of my old friends Rochelle made “panographies” of some of the international pavilions at Epcot. It looked awesome! Rochelle took more than a dozen photos of a pavilion and the surrounding scene. Then, she put together all of the photos almost like a puzzle so that the scene was somewhat jagged and more artistic than your average panoramic photo.
DIY Wide-Angle Lens
For $11, you can use a peephole as a wide-angle lens and turn your pocket-sized digital camera into a fish-eye camera – I know!! It sounds awesome!
According to Photojojo.com, you can pick up one for about $11 at Home Depot instead of spending hundreds of dollars at your local camera store for a new lens – if one even exists for your miniature secret camera.
There are many other cool tutorials – from how to cut your own matting for a frame to making photo blocks. Each article makes my heart beat a little faster when I think of all the cool things I could do with all these great new tips.
My latest DIY obsession is photojojo.com. I think I first read about it on Yahoo! Picks. One click, and I was hooked.
The Web site is one big depository of tutorials and simple instructions for making cool photo projects that don’t seem overwhelming or impossible. Here are some of the super-cool projects I can’t wait to try.
Photojojo's Stop-Motion Animation Tutorial
With this easy-to-follow tutorial, a digital camera and iMovie, I’m ready to become the next Richard Linklater. There are sample movies you can watch to spark your creativity – and you will be inspired to create something, too. Maybe a short film about your dog trying to find her favorite toy, or perhaps an afternoon at Lake Eola, with guest appearances by whoever happens to walk by. If you’re feeling a bit more daring and want to up the ante, you MUST check out this amazing YouTube video that’s a re-enactment of Space Invaders in a movie theater. Oh yes, it is that cool!
Space Invaders Re-enactment in stop motion
Make Your Own Photo Mosaic with LEGOs
Get one of your favorite portraits, a few gazillion of the single LEGO blocks and Photoshop, and you got yourself a cool-ass conversation piece. For inspiration, someone even put together LEGOs to recreate Van Gogh’s A Starry Night. This would really step up the “cul-chah” of your dorm room.
Making Photo Transfers with a Blender Pen
When I started my internship in the NewsRoom way back in 1997, I worked for one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. Kerry was a twenty-something who was the epitome of everything I wanted to be. She was the editor of the publication where I was working, she was an incredible photographer, she knew all the cool restaurants and theaters in Orlando, and she had the ovaries to pick up and move to France to study photography on a full Rotary scholarship. She continually inspired me. She introduced me to photo transfers. I read about using Poloroids and freezing them, and even scratching them with coins for effect. I had no instant camera, so I had no photo transfers. But then I check out Photojojo, and whadd’ya know? There’s something called a blender pen that will work just fine.
According to the tutorial, all you need for “quick-and-dirty photo transfers is a photocopy of your image and a $4 blender pen… The blender pen transfer works on fabrics, tile, paper, wood, copper, linoleum, and a variety of other materials. And it won’t leave that plastic texture that old inkjet transfers sometimes did.”
How to Make Panographies
One of my old friends Rochelle made “panographies” of some of the international pavilions at Epcot. It looked awesome! Rochelle took more than a dozen photos of a pavilion and the surrounding scene. Then, she put together all of the photos almost like a puzzle so that the scene was somewhat jagged and more artistic than your average panoramic photo.DIY Wide-Angle Lens
For $11, you can use a peephole as a wide-angle lens and turn your pocket-sized digital camera into a fish-eye camera – I know!! It sounds awesome!According to Photojojo.com, you can pick up one for about $11 at Home Depot instead of spending hundreds of dollars at your local camera store for a new lens – if one even exists for your miniature secret camera.
There are many other cool tutorials – from how to cut your own matting for a frame to making photo blocks. Each article makes my heart beat a little faster when I think of all the cool things I could do with all these great new tips.
8.08.2006
the storks are circling
I’ve had a not-so secret for the last three months, and I’ve finally been given the all clear to share it on a larger scale. Of course, I realize that everyone who reads this blog probably already knows, but even if you already do, I have something cool to share that's new.
When I said that the whole world has gone baby crazy, I guess I should have been a bit clearer. I’ve gone baby crazy because my best friend Christy is pregnant and … drum roll please … my brother and sister-in-law are expecting, too! I'm going to be the "crazy aunt"!
And here’s the cool part; Christy and Mandie are due within just days of each other. Because their dates are so close, they’re going through a lot of the same things at the same time. Just as Christy is starting to show and wearing copious amounts of elastic in the waist area (I may borrow those for Thanksgiving like Joey in “Friends.”), I assume that Mandie is breaking out the maternity apparel, too.
Although Mandie and Stephen live four states away, I feel closer to them because of my experiences with Christy. I even went with Christy to the doctor’s appointment where she first heard her baby’s heartbeat and saw her baby clapping in the womb. It was amazing! Earlier that week, Mandie and Stephen saw their baby kicking like a Rockette in utero. My family and friends are so talented, even as mere zygotes. (OK, I know they’re no longer zygotes, but I love that word!)
Anyway, the appointment with Christy was life-changing. I actually started crying when I saw the baby moving. I was overwhelmed with excitement for Christy and her family, and also for my family and me.
Here are two all-too brief videos from Mandie and Stephen’s last doctor visit. In the first one, you can hear the heartbeat, or possibly a cool new beat track for Daft Punk. Under that, you’ll see a restless Baby Shook moving around just trying to get comfy. Enjoy. Coo coo.
When I said that the whole world has gone baby crazy, I guess I should have been a bit clearer. I’ve gone baby crazy because my best friend Christy is pregnant and … drum roll please … my brother and sister-in-law are expecting, too! I'm going to be the "crazy aunt"!
And here’s the cool part; Christy and Mandie are due within just days of each other. Because their dates are so close, they’re going through a lot of the same things at the same time. Just as Christy is starting to show and wearing copious amounts of elastic in the waist area (I may borrow those for Thanksgiving like Joey in “Friends.”), I assume that Mandie is breaking out the maternity apparel, too.
Although Mandie and Stephen live four states away, I feel closer to them because of my experiences with Christy. I even went with Christy to the doctor’s appointment where she first heard her baby’s heartbeat and saw her baby clapping in the womb. It was amazing! Earlier that week, Mandie and Stephen saw their baby kicking like a Rockette in utero. My family and friends are so talented, even as mere zygotes. (OK, I know they’re no longer zygotes, but I love that word!)
Anyway, the appointment with Christy was life-changing. I actually started crying when I saw the baby moving. I was overwhelmed with excitement for Christy and her family, and also for my family and me.
Here are two all-too brief videos from Mandie and Stephen’s last doctor visit. In the first one, you can hear the heartbeat, or possibly a cool new beat track for Daft Punk. Under that, you’ll see a restless Baby Shook moving around just trying to get comfy. Enjoy. Coo coo.
8.05.2006
lollapalloser
If you're like me, sitting in an air-conditioned room thinking what it would be like to in Grant Park right now waiting for Day 2 of Lollapallooza to begin, then here's something to make you smile.AT&T is once again bringing the show to you live through a Webcast at its Blue Room.
Here's the schedule (All times Central):
Friday August 4th Lineup*
12:30 PM Subways
01:30 PM Cursive
02:30 PM Panic! At the Disco
03:30 PM Editors
04:30 PM Umphrey's McGee
05:30 PM Secret Machines
06:30 PM The Raconteurs
07:30 PM Deadboy and the Elephantmen
08:00 PM Ryan Adams
09:00 PM Sleater-Kinney
Saturday August 5th, Lineup*
12:30 PM Living Things
01:30 PM Iron and Wine
02:30 PM Coheed and Cambria
03:30 PM Wolfmother
04:30 PM Nada Surf
05:30 PM The Smoking Popes
06:30 PM Common
07:30 PM Dresden Dolls
08:30 PM 5 Songs from Kanye West's Performance
09:00 PM Thievery Corporation
Sunday August 6th Lineup*
12:30 PM Sparta
01:30 PM Stars
02:00 PM Matt Costa
02:30 PM Ben Kweller
03:30 PM The Frames
04:30 PM The Redwalls
05:30 PM She Wants Revenge
06:30 PM Andrew Bird
07:30 PM Poi Dog Pondering
08:30 PM Wilco
09:30 PM Blues Traveler
Now I can enjoy the music AND hang out with Kristen during her visit from Cincy AND attend the long-awaited Labyrinth party. Aww yeah.
God bless the kids at NPR's All Songs Considered -- not only do they Webcast amazing shows from the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., from time to time, they also allow us the pleasure of downloading this music and keeping it forever.
Thank God, they decided to make this week's Sleater-Kinney show available to all of their fans who are mourning their announced split. This is one of their final shows -- only Lollapallooza and one in their hometown will follow. It's the whole freakin' show! Ow! Ow! Ow!Seriously, this makes me so happy -- a much-needed shot in the arm! Now, go support public radio.
7.30.2006
holy typo, batman!
Christy and I stumbled on to this mortifying display of America's lack of concern in appearing intelligent during a weekend trip to a flea market on International Drive.
Misused punctuation is so sad.
7.29.2006
7.24.2006
lost in the excitement!
Comic-con, the largest orgy of comic book fans in the nation, attracted about a gazillion fans and reporters to San Diego last week, and all were treated to a bunch of things no one I know would call geeky.
From a special rough preview of Spiderman 3 (which includes Topher Grace and Dallas Bryce Howard) to panel discussions about some of the biggest pop culture juggernauts.
USA Today Pop Candy blogger Wendy Matheson actually blogged from the conference on her blackberry. Talk about getting the scoop! The pressure is so intense to be the first to break a story, and with crackberries, cell-phone cameras and the like, you have got to be on top of your game to win the crown.
Matheson's coverage of "The Lost Panel at Comic-con" is oddly exciting for rabid fans of the hit ABC show. Be sure to check out the whole article, and in the meantime, here are a few of my favorite tidbits ... (I'm all about 11:28 a.m. What if they all got the rage???)
10:57 a.m.: Did (co-creator, producer and head writer Damon) Lindelof just slip? He tells a fan it may be wrong to assume the castaways have “been there as long as they think they've been there.” The crowd gasps and applauds. Lindelof says no more.
11:28 a.m.: Lindelof says the show has no plans for how many seasons it will last. “Zombies (in) season seven!” a fan shouts.
11:33 a.m.: A 'Lost' video game is being developed right now, (executive producer and writer Carlton) Cuse says. He adds that Kate will “get with” someone on the island “very soon.”
11:37 a.m.: Lindelof says we will learn more about Libby “next season and beyond.”
11:47 a.m.: Lindelof says the third season will feature more adventure, more info about those who captured Jack, Kate and Sawyer and a “vastly different feeling” than the first two seasons. He adds that something will happen halfway through that “will effectively fry everybody's brains.” He jokes that it will also feature “naked Hurley and Jin.” The first ep is titled “A Tale of Two Cities.”
After that, the blogstress covers a panel discussion on Snakes on a Plane. My favorite part of her article is her coverage of the Q&A session ...
How hard was it working with CGI snakes? "It was about as hard as working with nothing in Star Wars," (Samuel) Jackson deadpanned.
Do those poor snakes on the plane really deserve to die? "Yes, they do deserve to die, and I hope they burn in hell!" Jackson exclaimed.
How exactly did snakes get on the plane in the first place? Jackson's reply: "Spend your money, (four-syllable expletive), and come see it."I'm not just giving that up."
From a special rough preview of Spiderman 3 (which includes Topher Grace and Dallas Bryce Howard) to panel discussions about some of the biggest pop culture juggernauts.
USA Today Pop Candy blogger Wendy Matheson actually blogged from the conference on her blackberry. Talk about getting the scoop! The pressure is so intense to be the first to break a story, and with crackberries, cell-phone cameras and the like, you have got to be on top of your game to win the crown.
Matheson's coverage of "The Lost Panel at Comic-con" is oddly exciting for rabid fans of the hit ABC show. Be sure to check out the whole article, and in the meantime, here are a few of my favorite tidbits ... (I'm all about 11:28 a.m. What if they all got the rage???)10:57 a.m.: Did (co-creator, producer and head writer Damon) Lindelof just slip? He tells a fan it may be wrong to assume the castaways have “been there as long as they think they've been there.” The crowd gasps and applauds. Lindelof says no more.
11:28 a.m.: Lindelof says the show has no plans for how many seasons it will last. “Zombies (in) season seven!” a fan shouts.
11:33 a.m.: A 'Lost' video game is being developed right now, (executive producer and writer Carlton) Cuse says. He adds that Kate will “get with” someone on the island “very soon.”
11:37 a.m.: Lindelof says we will learn more about Libby “next season and beyond.”
11:47 a.m.: Lindelof says the third season will feature more adventure, more info about those who captured Jack, Kate and Sawyer and a “vastly different feeling” than the first two seasons. He adds that something will happen halfway through that “will effectively fry everybody's brains.” He jokes that it will also feature “naked Hurley and Jin.” The first ep is titled “A Tale of Two Cities.”
After that, the blogstress covers a panel discussion on Snakes on a Plane. My favorite part of her article is her coverage of the Q&A session ...
How hard was it working with CGI snakes? "It was about as hard as working with nothing in Star Wars," (Samuel) Jackson deadpanned.Do those poor snakes on the plane really deserve to die? "Yes, they do deserve to die, and I hope they burn in hell!" Jackson exclaimed.
How exactly did snakes get on the plane in the first place? Jackson's reply: "Spend your money, (four-syllable expletive), and come see it."I'm not just giving that up."
7.23.2006
Tilly & the Thor
I got a fortune cookie a few weeks ago, and the paper said something about the best thing in life being to love and be loved.
That unconditional love is something everyone strives for – don’t even get me started on how much the search for love has turned in to a multibillion-dollar industry that feeds off of people’s insecurities and fears of being alone. I’ll save that for another blog, because this one has a happy ending.
Like most great relationships, my latest one started when I least expected it.
I went on a road trip with Tom & Christy to Tallahassee to get Franklin, a Boston Terrier puppy that would be the newest addition to their growing family. When we arrived, I snapped three rolls of film in mere minutes – Franklin was so cute, and the emotion Christy expressed upon meeting him was priceless.
Franklin’s mom Shug Shug was in a huge outdoor dog mansion. We walked over to see her, and that’s when I saw this sad-eyed puppy who I immediately fell in love with. She was the last one in the litter – the only one that wasn’t sold yet. She reminded me of Felicity, one of my favorite TV characters -- maybe because she looked so thoughtful and sensitive.
Although I went through the motions of “thinking it over,” I knew from the very first moment I saw her that I wanted to bring her home with me. So I did. This little unnamed puppy slept in my lap the entire ride home. I decided to call her Tilly after one of my favorite bands with performers who are as nice as they are talented. (See Betamike’s recent concert review.)
Tilly already knows her name, although sometimes she chooses not to listen. She and Thor are still getting used to each other. Blood has been shed, and feelings have been hurt. But last night, they curled up together for the first time in the middle of Thor’s bed, and it was one of the most proud moments I’ve had as a mom to my doggies. Today, as I was washing dishes, I caught them kissing each other. To love and to be loved is definitely what it’s all about.
Tilly is asleep on my lap right now as I type this, and all is right with the world.
Here are some of my favorite pictures, so far, of Tilly, her brother Franklin and Thor.
That unconditional love is something everyone strives for – don’t even get me started on how much the search for love has turned in to a multibillion-dollar industry that feeds off of people’s insecurities and fears of being alone. I’ll save that for another blog, because this one has a happy ending.
Like most great relationships, my latest one started when I least expected it.
I went on a road trip with Tom & Christy to Tallahassee to get Franklin, a Boston Terrier puppy that would be the newest addition to their growing family. When we arrived, I snapped three rolls of film in mere minutes – Franklin was so cute, and the emotion Christy expressed upon meeting him was priceless. Franklin’s mom Shug Shug was in a huge outdoor dog mansion. We walked over to see her, and that’s when I saw this sad-eyed puppy who I immediately fell in love with. She was the last one in the litter – the only one that wasn’t sold yet. She reminded me of Felicity, one of my favorite TV characters -- maybe because she looked so thoughtful and sensitive.
Although I went through the motions of “thinking it over,” I knew from the very first moment I saw her that I wanted to bring her home with me. So I did. This little unnamed puppy slept in my lap the entire ride home. I decided to call her Tilly after one of my favorite bands with performers who are as nice as they are talented. (See Betamike’s recent concert review.) Tilly already knows her name, although sometimes she chooses not to listen. She and Thor are still getting used to each other. Blood has been shed, and feelings have been hurt. But last night, they curled up together for the first time in the middle of Thor’s bed, and it was one of the most proud moments I’ve had as a mom to my doggies. Today, as I was washing dishes, I caught them kissing each other. To love and to be loved is definitely what it’s all about.
Tilly is asleep on my lap right now as I type this, and all is right with the world.
Here are some of my favorite pictures, so far, of Tilly, her brother Franklin and Thor.
7.22.2006
the world's gone baby crazy!
Oh my goodness, what is in the water?? Guess who else is pregnant??
No, silly. Not me.
My favorite little folk songstress - Ani Difranco!!! She's due in February, and that's one lucky little burper, squirmer who enters the world and without any work, has one of the coolest, most talented and most open-minded moms in the world!
Congratulations, Ani! And congrats on being honored with the National Organization for Women's Woman of Courage award. According to news reports, Latifa Lyles, NOW's vice president of membership, presented the award to Ani and called her an inspiration, not only for her music but for her independent ideals. Yep, that's why we love her!
Ani is scheduled to deliver her new album Reprieve in August. Mike Napolitano (Any relation to Johnette?) produced the album with Ani, and hey, he's also the daddy of Ani's little zygote. (OK, at 12 weeks, the little one is more than a zygote, but whenever I can use that word, I'm going for it.)
No, silly. Not me. My favorite little folk songstress - Ani Difranco!!! She's due in February, and that's one lucky little burper, squirmer who enters the world and without any work, has one of the coolest, most talented and most open-minded moms in the world!
Congratulations, Ani! And congrats on being honored with the National Organization for Women's Woman of Courage award. According to news reports, Latifa Lyles, NOW's vice president of membership, presented the award to Ani and called her an inspiration, not only for her music but for her independent ideals. Yep, that's why we love her!
Ani is scheduled to deliver her new album Reprieve in August. Mike Napolitano (Any relation to Johnette?) produced the album with Ani, and hey, he's also the daddy of Ani's little zygote. (OK, at 12 weeks, the little one is more than a zygote, but whenever I can use that word, I'm going for it.)
6.27.2006
this silence is going to hurt
I'm speechless.
From sleater-kinney.com ...
After eleven years as a band, Sleater-Kinney have decided to go on indefinite hiatus. The upcoming summer shows will be our last. As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings.
We feel lucky to have had the support of many wonderful people over the years. We want to thank everyone who has worked with us, written kind words about us, performed with us, and inspired us.
But mostly we want to extend our gratitude to our amazing fans. You have been a part of our story from the beginning. We could not have made our music without your enthusiasm, passion, and loyalty. It is you who have made the entire journey worthwhile.
With love and thanks,
Sleater-Kinney
I can't believe it. Sleater-Kinney is one of my all-time favorite bands, and I'm devastated that they're breaking up and so confused. Their last album was extremely well received critically, and they have the fan base to fill venues across the country.
They were the highlight of my Coachella, and thank God I had the chance to see them that one last time. I saw them open for Pearl Jam a couple of years ago in West Palm Beach and Tampa. I believe that those two shows were the only ones they ever played in Florida. I was so excited about the possibility of seeing them in a small venue where they would headline. But it looks like I have missed that chance.
I "discovered" Sleater-Kinney not long after I moved to Florida. It was 1997, and I bought Dig Me Out. It rocked my world, and they have kept it up, album after album. Janet Weiss inspired me to want to learn to play drums. I am so going to miss you, ladies. Thanks for making me stronger.
From sleater-kinney.com ...
After eleven years as a band, Sleater-Kinney have decided to go on indefinite hiatus. The upcoming summer shows will be our last. As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings.
We feel lucky to have had the support of many wonderful people over the years. We want to thank everyone who has worked with us, written kind words about us, performed with us, and inspired us.
But mostly we want to extend our gratitude to our amazing fans. You have been a part of our story from the beginning. We could not have made our music without your enthusiasm, passion, and loyalty. It is you who have made the entire journey worthwhile.
With love and thanks,
Sleater-Kinney
I can't believe it. Sleater-Kinney is one of my all-time favorite bands, and I'm devastated that they're breaking up and so confused. Their last album was extremely well received critically, and they have the fan base to fill venues across the country. 
They were the highlight of my Coachella, and thank God I had the chance to see them that one last time. I saw them open for Pearl Jam a couple of years ago in West Palm Beach and Tampa. I believe that those two shows were the only ones they ever played in Florida. I was so excited about the possibility of seeing them in a small venue where they would headline. But it looks like I have missed that chance.I "discovered" Sleater-Kinney not long after I moved to Florida. It was 1997, and I bought Dig Me Out. It rocked my world, and they have kept it up, album after album. Janet Weiss inspired me to want to learn to play drums. I am so going to miss you, ladies. Thanks for making me stronger.
6.26.2006
s is for silence
A silent weekend. No talking. Serenity. Peace. A place to hide.When I first heard about the Silent Weekend in my Sign Language class, I thought it sounded like an amazing opportunity to experience something very unique. I would practice this new language I'm learning in a safe environment where people knew I was a beginner and wouldn’t judge or ridicule me. Just the opposite, they would respect me for trying.
The idea of silence was so inviting. I’ve been stressed with working a series of 15-hour days, and I thought this weekend would be my opportunity to kind of retreat within myself. There would be no pressure to talk to people, because I couldn’t. In fact, I could get kicked out of the conference if I was caught talking. I could be somewhat anonymous and just soak up the lessons from the back row of the classroom.
I’m such an idiot. Lucky for me, I was so, so wrong. The weekend was simply amazing. I spent the weekend with Christy and Terri, who's also in our class. It was an experience I never dreamed I would have. I learned so much, and I had my own share of personal epiphanies.
We arrived on Thursday night, attended an orientation and turned off our voices. (The sign for that looks like you’re turning a key on your vocal cords.) Instead of withdrawing into myself, I was forced to come out of my shell and communicate in a wholly different and somewhat more intense way. At lunch on our first full day, Christy, never a shy one, walked right up to a group of cool kids from the University of Florida and, with her hands full, asked with her eyes and a tilt of her head if we could sit with them.
When you first meet people, you are a little on edge, or at least I am. I don’t want to say something stupid, talk too much, talk too little or in any way offend someone. That’s not easy when you’re self-conscious and silent. In communicating with someone by signing, you are forced to really concentrate on what people are saying, and you have to maintain eye contact. So, if you’d normally look away to hide a slight blush, you’re lost because you just missed half the story. And you look really rude and inconsiderate, too.
We wound up meeting Scott and Allyson. They were so fun, and we wound up hanging out with them all weekend. Because of the silent rule, it was way more interesting getting to know each other and a lot more challenging, too. It was also more rewarding.
Scott is a musician, and he shared some of his music with me. It’s personal, beautiful and reminds me of Incubus. Check out his MySpace page. Both Scott and Allyson were the kinds of people you want to learn about because they have cool interests, and I know they have good stories to share.
On the second day of classes, a guy came in late to the first class and sat next to me. He was sniffling loudly – you know that sound you make when you’re sick and swallowing snot? It was gross. People were even turning around to look at him. He was oblivious to our disgust, and continued to shift loudly in his chair, shuffle his papers, grunt and act somewhat indifferent to the fact that he was making all this noise.
It took me longer than it should to realize that he was deaf. Of course! He had no idea of the sounds he was making. He could have let out a sonic fart loud enough to make you think the shuttle crew was re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, and he would have had no idea he broke the sound barrier.
I was not used to being around people who were deaf. It was a new experience to sit in a classroom and have someone’s cell phone go off or a dog growl without the presenter so much as blinking. And I guess I never really thought about how much hearing people consume themselves in making as little noise as possible. People get embarrassed when their chair squeaks or they burp out loud unexpectedly. I know it sounds silly, but it was eye-opening for me. For someone who’s all about communication and expressing herself, this was a weekend that changed my outlook and gave me a deeper perspective on the subject.
By the way, the staff at the Marriott in Tampa was exceptional. They all tried so hard to support everyone, and instead of getting exasperated, they seemed energized by the challenge of assisting 350 guests who wouldn't talk. I was impressed.
6.22.2006
6.20.2006
rather rockin'!!
I am loving the new CD from Sonic Youth, Rather Ripped. Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, otherwise known as the only parents incapable of embarrassing their child in front of her friends, are so amazing. The whole band is incredible, of course, but Thurston and Kim's voices are still as fresh and indie-sounding as ever.
This album feels a bit more accessible than some of their others, which may attract some new fans. If you've been a fan for more than a decade or if you're just checking them out for the first time, I highly recommend picking up their new album.
I can remember being in high school or right before going into college maybe, and I was shopping on Decatur, this awesome street in New Orleans with funky shops and cool bars. It's the street where the Crystal used to be (or still is? I'm not sure.). That's where I danced next to Brad Pitt, and it's also where Eddie Vedder was arrested after the show I saw at the UNO Lakefront Arena. I would have been at the club, but we had to drive back to college the next morning for an early class. "I am the messiah!!" -- That was for April & Darren. :)
Anyway, I was shopping on Decatur, and I was feverishly searching for x-girl clothes, which was a line created by Kim Gordon. I found some cool stuff, but of course, everything was for waifs, so I didn't fit into a damn thing.
Thanks to YouTube, here's their recent performance on the "Late Show with David Letterman."
6.19.2006
what's making me smile today ...
Isn't this awesome? These guys posted their rasterbator handiwork on the door of their dorm room, which is closed in this photo, if you're still trying to figure it out. I tried to use the program to print a huge picture of my dog, and it turned out with dots the size of dimes. It looked more like an ink blot from a Gnarls Barkley video than my doggie. I'll have to try that one again!You have to try Podbop. It's a Web site that allows users to type in a city and get a quick list of all the concerts going on there during a specified timeframe. AND, you can get a little taste of the artist with downloadable mp3s! You can also look up festivals, museum exhibitions and other cultural offerings.
So, when you're traveling home for a wedding or on a business trip, and you'd like to mix in a fun night at a show you'd otherwise miss, this site can help. And it couldn't come at a better time. Why are so many bands skipping Florida on their big tours? Pearl Jam, Muse, Beck, Zero 7, M Ward -- come on! Why stop in Atlanta when you can come on down to Orlando, Tampa and Miami??!!?
Epitonic is back! After about an 18-month hiatus, this music site is back online with a new look and the same dedication to introduing your ears to new music. I'm still getting used to the architecture of the new site. I was a bit lost at first, but once I found my way, I was downloading free music and creating radio playlists.
Check it out and sign up for their newsletter. I used to love getting their messages because I always found that the music featured was a gratifying mix of stuff I was already listening to (Thank you for validating my street-cred card.) and an eclectic variety of new stuff I'd never heard but was glad I did. Some of it was brand-spanking new, and some if it was music I missed because my Bright Eyes CD was in heavy rotation. Welcome back, epitonic.
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