WeirdCurves

2006-06-27T14:38:00.000-04:00

2006-05-02T16:35:00.000-04:00

FYI--I didn't fall off the face of the Earth. I will post pics again one day. Here's the thing, I moved back to DC last month into a temporary apartment. I put all of my stuff in my storage unit (including my computer) and have been living out of a suitcase. I started a new job and thought about uploading pictures to my work computer. However, I'm glad I didn't because the hard drive on the brand new lap top that was issued to me crashed during week two. I have a new hard drive, but I don't trust it. I shall retrieve my trusty old iMac from the storage unit early next month at which point I will add content to this here blog. In the mean time, check me out over at the Blade. I'm doing restaurant reviews every once in a while.

2006-03-25T21:35:00.000-05:00

March 22, 2006 Focal Length:5.41mm, Aperture: f2.8, Speed: 1/8

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones at Tampa Theatre.

2006-03-17T16:29:00.000-05:00

March 15, 2006 Focal Length:5.41mm, Aperture: f2.8, Speed: 1/40
My good-bye cake from the kids and lead teacher at the tutoring center where I worked. The cake fell victim to centrifugal force when my boss (who was kind enough to get it for me) took a corner a little fast.

Speaking of good-byes, I will be heading out of Florida pretty soon. Thanks to my BFF, I got a job! I will be back in the DC area on April 3. Looking forward to catching up with all my buddies.

2006-03-04T17:39:00.000-05:00

March 4, 2006 Focal Length:5.41mm, Aperture: f5.0, Speed: 1/1250

Spring is unofficially here. Yankees versus Reds at Legends Field in Tampa. Perfect weather for a spring training game--82 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Ahhhhh.

Bonus pic:

March 4, 2006 Focal Length:16.22mm, Aperture: f4.5, Speed: 1/1250, converted to B&W

2006-02-23T20:54:00.000-05:00

Feb. 20, 2006 Focal Length:16.22mm, Aperture: f4.8, Speed: 1/8

Who is this Mr. Oak? Well, I can tell you this much. He sells wallbeds. Awesome.

Photo taken on I-275 North in Pinellas County.

2006-02-20T22:38:00.000-05:00

Feb. 17, 2006 Focal Length:5.41mm, Aperture: f7.1, Speed: 1/1000
My view as I layed on Indian Rocks Beach last Friday afternoon.

2006-02-14T08:08:00.000-05:00

Feb. 14, 2006 Focal Length:5.41mm, Aperture: f2.8, Speed: 1/40

Valentine's Day roses from my sweetie. Awwwwww.

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

2006-02-12T16:01:00.000-05:00

Feb. 10, 2006 Focal Length:11.31mm, Aperture: f4.0, Speed: 1/8

One of the working acts (learn more carny lingo here) in the freak show at the Florida State Fair. The sideshow was worth every penny of the extra $2.00 I shelled out to get in. There was a blockhead, a fire-eating little person, a two-headed woman and a four-legged woman. Totally awesome.

2006-02-08T08:21:00.000-05:00

July 27, 2005 E-6 slide shot with Canon Sure Shot 90

A view of Tallinn, Estonia, taken from the top of Oleviste Church.

2006-02-06T08:15:00.000-05:00

Apr. 8, 2005 Focal Length:9.41mm, Aperture: f5.0, Speed: 1/1000

Spring at the National Cathedral.

2006-02-02T20:55:00.000-05:00

Feb. 2, 2006 Focal Length:16.22mm, Aperture: f5.6, Speed: 1/160 Sepia Effect

An egret fishes for lunch at Lake Seminole Park, near St. Petersburg, Florida.

2006-02-01T21:03:00.000-05:00

November 11, 2005 Focal Length:5.41mm, Aperture: f2.8, Speed: 1/20

Jellyfish in tank at SeaWorld Orlando.

2006-01-31T18:53:00.000-05:00

Jan. 30, 2006 Focal Length:5.41mm, Aperture: f4.0, Speed: 1/40

The tower my students created while playing a Jenga-like game during reward time after our tutoring session. I'm very lucky to have the chance to hang out with those kids during my afternoons. They renew my faith in humanity.

2006-01-30T19:03:00.000-05:00

Jan. 28, 2006 Focal Length:5.41mm, Aperture: f4.0, Speed: 1/1600

The crowd at Gasparilla--the annual Tampa celebration where pirates invade the city, throw beads to onlookers and encourage all to drink mass quantities of alcohol. Arrrrggggh!

2006-01-29T13:10:00.000-05:00

Oct. 20, 2005 Focal Length:16.22mm, Aperture: f5.6, Speed: 1/1600

Welcome to WeirdCurves, a photoblog! It was time for a change. As my daily life evolved from structured to random, finding time to keep up my blog became very difficult. In addition, while I became a lot more introspective and a lot less social, my well of content resources dried up. Yes, I find the process of strengthening my relationships with my family very interesting, but no one else really wants to read about that. So, my solution for maintaining a blog while having little time to spend in front of a computer and little content to share is to transform this blog into a photoblog. I'll snap a picture or pull one out of my archives, upload it, write a couple of sentences about it and I'm done. Easy. I hope you enjoy the new content.

The photo featured in this post was taken during a flight from DC to Tampa.

Under Construction

2006-01-17T12:47:00.000-05:00

Check back soon for new content with a new focus.

Merry Mixmas Contest

2005-12-08T19:53:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know. I've been a very bad blogger lately. Santa is so giving me a lump of coal. In an attempt to obtain your forgiveness, I'm offering up a giveaway of Capitol's Merry Mixmas, Christmas Classics Remixed CD. As always, it's easy to enter. Just send an e-mail to weirdcurves at gmail dot com with "Merry Mixmas" in the subject line by midnight on Wednesday, December 14, 2005. I'll select the winner at random. Good luck!

Here's the full track listing:

1) Winter Wonderland (Bing Crosby) remixed by Bent

2) Baby It’s Cold Outside (Dean Martin) remixed by Mark Rae

3) Let It Snow(Lena Horne) remixed by Marcus Enochson

4) Have Yourself A Merry Little (Lou Rawls) remixed by awayTEAM

5) All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) (Nat King Cole Trio) remixed by MJ Cole

6) I Want You For Christmas (Julie London) remixed by Ursula 1000

7) Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Mambo Mix) (Billy May Orchestra) remixed by Roger Manning

8) Everybody’s Waiting For The Man With The Bag (Kay Starr) remixed by Thunderball

9) I’ve Got Love To Keep Me Warm (Les Brown) remixed by Psapp

10) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Johnny Mercer) remixed by Q-Burns

11) The Christmas Waltz (Nancy Wilson) remixed by awayTEAM

12) Christmas Time Is Here (Vince Guaraldi) remixed by Marcos Enochson

13) Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt) remixed by Alex Kidd

14) Sleigh Ride (Ella Fitzgerald) remixed by The Latin Project

15) The Merriest (June Christy) remixed by Thunderball

Yankee for a week

2005-11-15T20:24:00.000-05:00

I am so exhausted right now from working the Yankee Fantasy Camp photo shoot today. I have never been called "little lady" and "cute girl" so many times in one day in my entire life. Especially on a day when I am performing in a professional capacity. Those Yankee legends must have missed the feminist movement while they were playing ball. One entertaining part of the day was seeing the "stars" get pissed off when I asked them who they were and to spell their names. "Okay, so Tommy is your first name and John is your last? Got it. Tommy John. And are you a camper or one of the coaches?" I wasn't trying to be rude. I just needed to get their names and I really couldn't tell the difference between the real Yankees and the fantasy campers. Tommy John was actually pretty nice. He started calling me "rookie" after he learned that I was shooting a live sports event for the first time. BTW, shooting a baseball game is really hard. I prefer the rock shows.

Don't forget to enter the Shopgirl contest. Get your entry in by Thursday!

Gilmore Images at Cafe Press!

2005-11-08T21:40:00.000-05:00

While my other site is in progress, you can buy some products with the images I've created over at Cafe Press. I'm working on getting a greater selection of items up there, but I'm slow. I'll get 'em up there eventually.

B-I-N-G-O!

2005-11-07T10:51:00.000-05:00

When presented with an opportunity to do something that I would normally not do, I usually take it. I was faced with such an activity on Saturday night while I was in Marianna, Florida, with my mom and brother. My mom's birthday was yesterday and for her present, she wanted to go the Florida Caverns. The three of us arrived at the Best Western near the caverns at about 6pm on Saturday night. We decided to drive around the town of Marianna to see what was going on. After ruling out the local bowling alley on account of being crowded with PBA seniors, we looked for something else. We saw a large neon sign in a strip center on top of a hill and thought that might be something interesting. From far away, we couldn't tell if it was another bowling alley or maybe a pool hall. Upon closer inspection, we learned that it was a bingo hall! My brother moaned, my mom laughed and I let out a loud "cool!" I parked and went inside to find out the details while my brother repeated to my mom, "is she serious?" The nice woman at the bingo counter gave be the basics about prices and hours for the evening. I got back in the car and announced that we were definitely playing bingo. But first, we needed to eat dinner. That gave my mom and I some time to convince my brother that bingo would be fun. I don't think we ever persuaded him to that opinion, but we at least got him to agree to go to Mr. Bingo with us. We bought our cards and stamping markers, then looked for seats. The hall was quite crowded with a variety of patrons. We sat in the last three seats available together. The man seated at our table kindly removed his cane from the table top as we settled in. The three of us looked around the room trying to acclimate ourselves to this very foreign context. There were television monitors, boards with numbers, some kind of grid with flashing lights and official looking bingo people going to the tables collecting money. An announcer repeated "last chance to get your Treasure Hunt and U-Pick-Em cards." I had no idea what the hell was going on, but completely enjoyed every minute of it. The nice man at our table noted that we were clueless and began teaching us the ways of bingo. He explained how we had to fill out our "U-Pick-Em" cards and told us to look at the number on the back of our chairs to prepare for the prize drawing that would happen just before the game would start. As the first game started, I totally concentrated on my six cards like I was filling in the bubbles on my GRE score sheet. One card was getting a lot of action and I saw that I nearly had a vertical line. Then, "G-57" was announced. Woo hoo! Bingo! I looked to our bingo friend and asked if I just yell out "Bingo!" He looked at my card and said, "you don't have anything there. We're playin' square right now, not lines." I looked at him with a very sad and confused expression. He explained that each game was different and you hardly ever played where just one line would give you a bingo. Tricky. We played five more games with the understanding that we had to figure out what kind of game we were playing before we started dabbing our markers. My mom and I had a great time while my brother played in silence and gave us dirty looks between games. The games got more and more complicated with patterns we had to match, then they did something where the caller would announce the number drawn, plus the inverse of that number (B-14 and N-41). We didn't win any money, but were quite entertained for about an hour. I'm not quite ready to be a regular bingo player, but I'm keeping my pink stamper just in case the opportunity presents itself again.

Shopgirl Contest!

2005-11-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

Shopgirl, the film based on Steve Martin's book of the same title, opens this Friday in Tampa. Before you head out to see it, drop me an e-mail to enter the WeirdCurves Shopgirl contest sponsored by Filter. The prize pack includes a copy of Steve Martin's Shopgirl book, a Shopgirl totebag and a Shopgirl movie poster autographed by Steve Martin, Claire Danes and Jason Schwartzman. I really wish I could enter my own contest. Entering is easy for the rest of you. Just send an e-mail to weirdcurves at gmail.com with "Shopgirl Contest" in the subject line by Thursday, November 17, 2005. I'll notify the winner by e-mail. Good luck!

No more scary me

2005-11-01T19:15:00.000-05:00

After 16 nights of staring into this casket while posing as a mannequin in "The Mortuary," I am done with my stint as an amusement park employee. With my quick pose changes and swipes at the (mostly drunk) guests, I made hundreds of people scream, jump and grab their loved ones (or the person who happened to be walking in front of them). I even made a few dozen people fall to the ground. Those were good times. It was a ridiculous way to make a buck, but I had fun. However, I certainly won't miss driving home at 2:30 in the morning or being forced to listen to drama queens squeal at each other in the break room.

The next fun job I look forward to is shooting the Yankee Fantasy Camp in a couple of weeks. Let's hope I don't force anyone to ground at that gig.

Listen: Johnny Cash

2005-10-31T15:58:00.000-05:00

Album: The Complete Sun Recordings 1955-1958
Releases: November 8, 2005

I’m usually not big on Time Life box sets, but this one has been getting a lot of play on my stereo. The three-disc set from the Man in Black includes 61 tracks, including my favs “Wide Open Road,” Goodnight Irene” and “”Hey, Good Lookin’.” The release is timed to coincide with the new biopic, Walk the Line. If you’re looking for a holiday gift for that Cash fan in your life, this is a good one.

Cone of Not Really a Big Deal

2005-10-24T00:36:00.000-04:00

I kinda wish that I were in the Wilma "cone of uncertainty," but I'm north of it. That phrase really amuses me. I've incorporated it into my everyday dialogues. "I may pick up all of those dirty clothes off my bedroom floor, but that decision is still in the cone of uncertainty." So, the hurricane is not expected to hit near me, but Tampa will get tropical storm winds and rain. Amazing Kingdom of Thrills shut down for the night, so I didn't have to go to work. Yay. (BTW, the proper Floridian pronunciation of hurricane is hur-e-kin). The weather has been quite anti-climatic so far. The bath tub is filled with water and the hurricane lamps are ready to go, but nothing more than a drizzle outside. Yeah, yeah I know. Calm before the storm and all that. We'll see. I might go into the office in the morning to do some work on my development gig, but that's still in the cone of uncertainty. Sleeping late and reading in my PJs might be a better idea.

Urban Legend or Tampa Reality?

2005-10-21T11:15:00.000-04:00

Living in Tampa, you hear people talking about local stories from time to time. More often than not, I have no idea if I'm hearing an urban legend or something that actually happened. While on break last night at Amazing Kingdom of Thrills, I overheard a story of a man who struck a pedestrian, continued driving--with the corpse sticking out of the windshield--until he stopped at a toll booth where he was detained. The man told the police, "I thought bodies were falling out of the sky." Since the man was 93 and obviously suffering from dementia, the officer made no charges and the man retains his license. Urban legend, right? Wrong. Tampa reality. From TBO.com:

About 8:25 p.m. Wednesday, a motorist saw his father's 2002 Chevrolet Malibu weaving between lanes on 34th Street South. Then, Jockers [traffic homicide investigator] said, Julie Zumpf, 44, a Clearwater saleswoman on her way to Fort Myers, saw a human leg tossed into the air.

Parker had just struck a 53-year-old transient who was crossing the street just south of 46th Avenue, from the Crystal Inn to a McDonald's restaurant, Jockers said. But Parker didn't realize he had struck the man -- or that the rest of his body had crashed through his windshield on the passenger side.

He kept driving south -- away from his Pinellas Park home -- for more than 3 miles, to a Sunshine Skyway toll booth, where a toll-taker saw the corpse, detained Parker, and called police, Jockers said.

"He [said he] felt the person fell out of the sky," Jockers said.

The truly frightening part of this story is the reality that the man was not charged with any traffic violation and still has his license--valid until 2010.

Workin' it

2005-10-10T18:20:00.000-04:00

Now that I work a night shift, I feel like I live in a different world. I wake up at noon, eat dinner at 11pm, go to sleep at 4am. Weird. Working at the "Amazing Kingdom of Thrills" Halloween event has also provided me with the opportunity to be physically abused while on a job. See, my job requires me to scare drunk people. Sometimes those drunk people enter my haunted house thinking that they are operating outside of the social contract and can do as they please. On Saturday night, one such person decided to smack me in the face with his plastic beer yard. Others have decided that it's okay to touch me and/or grab my boobs (and, for some reason, they like to poke me in the stomach). I have unofficially been given permission to slap these people. That's kind of fun. It was also fun to jump off my podium, rip off my mask and chase the guy who smacked me in the face. I never got to do that while working desk jobs.

Other than my job as a "scare," I recently started a part-time photography job shooting portraits of kids, continue working with my BFF from high school as her assistant at photo shoots and will start a short-term contract tomorrow doing development for a local non-profit. So, my plan to support myself without having a 9to5 job is coming together. Yay.

Don't forget to enter my Multi-CD Contest tonight. I will notify the winner tomorrow.

These magnets rock!

2005-10-05T19:19:00.000-04:00

Due to popular demand, I'm putting my fun music-themed magnets up for sale. The magnets will be customized to fit your scene. They're about 2cm in diameter and made with strong magnets so that they won't fall off your fridge or filing cabinet. If you want 'em, just send an e-mail to weirdcurves@gmail.com with a list of your eight favorite bands/pop stars/singers/MCs. A set of eight magnets will cost you $10 (including shipping).

Multi-CD Contest!

2005-10-03T20:36:00.000-04:00

So I write blurbs about the new music that I'm digging and occasionally post a few mp3s. Well, today is different. Thanks to Filter, I have an awesome prize pack to give away. Enter the WeirdCurves CD Giveaway Contest and albums from the following artists could be yours: Tarantula A.D., Dungen, Diamond Nights, Abandoned Pools and The Sun. All five items go to one lucky winner. Just send an e-mail to weirdcurves@gmail.com with "Multi-CD Contest" in the subject line by Monday, October 10, 2005. I'll notify the winner by e-mail. More info about the CDs below. Good luck!

Tarantula A.D.
Book of Sand
Releases: November 1
Who Took Berlin? (Part I) [mp3]

Dungen
Ta Det Lugnt
Available now

Diamond Nights
Popsicle
Available now
The Girl's Attractive [mp3]
Destination Diamonds [mp3]

Abandoned Pools
Armed To The Teeth
Available now

The Sun
Blame It On The Youth
Available now
Romantic Death [watch video]
Stream all 14 videos

I want more props at hipster shows

2005-09-30T13:39:00.000-04:00

The Alice Cooper show at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater was so much fun. I never would have gone had my dad not invited me. The theatrics were predictable, but entertaining. After all these years of performing, Alice still has the energy and showmanship to make the get-out-of-the-straight-jacket schtick look like he hasn't done it 10,000 times already. He made at least three major costume changes and incorporated I don't know how many props--including strings of faux pearls, bright green money, a Frankenstein creature, a guillotine, giant balloons and a live albino boa constrictor. Also in the show is Alice's daughter, Calico Cooper, who dances around during about a third of the songs dressed as a whip girl, demented nurse or Paris Hilton. Of course, half the fun of going to the show was getting a look at the audience. There were a few teenagers, but the audience mostly included white couples in their 40s and 50s. Big Surprise. A lot of those couples also brought their kids; some of whom wore thick black eyeliner and were dressed all in black. That was cute in a weird sort of way. My dad was very pleased with the show. He's been a fan of Alice's since he was in high school. When "I'm Eighteen" started last night, my dad leaned over and yelled, "This came out when I was 18. It was so cool." Then he sang with the rest of the audience, "I'm eighteen and I don't know what I want."

Listen: Def Harmonic

2005-09-30T11:04:00.000-04:00

Album: All These Worldz
Available now
So Emotional [stream]

This is an accessible hip hop album for those of us who aren’t into that scene. I’m curious about the choice of “So Emotional” as the single. I would have chosen the catchier “Spaced Out.”

Greed=Ladner

2005-09-29T16:52:00.000-04:00

My friend just sent this link to me. It's an eBay listing for Ladner Greed T-shirts. Clever. Can I buy one of those instead of writing the check for my student loan next month? You know, the loan I got to pay for Ladner's personal chef to travel to London, Paris and Rome. At least the jerk didn't get the additional 5 million bucks he requested.

He welcomes me to his nightmare

2005-09-29T15:59:00.000-04:00

I'm going to see Alice Cooper with my dad tonight. For real.

Check out this fun cover of "School's Out (feat. Alice Cooper)" by Swedish pop group A*Teens.

Heck yes I can be silly!

2005-09-28T20:44:00.000-04:00

A potentional employer asked the following during a telephone interview yesterday: "You'll have to act a little silly sometimes--can you be silly?" Duh. I'm super at being silly. The job is a part-time photographer working with children. I think that would be a pretty rotten full-time job. But as a part-time gig, I would get paid a decent amount and have the opportunity to work on my technical skills. The in-person interview is tomorrow. Now, what do I wear do convey my silliness?

I stumbled upon this call for artists today while researching a project. Looks like a cool opportunity for my crafty compatriots (like the super cool Ms. Remain Fabulous). Speaking of crafters, I'm very sad that I'll miss Crafty Bastards this year. I had so much fun last year. Everyone in DC should head to Adams Morgan this Saturday to support those wacky people.

Listen: The Go! Team

2005-09-27T08:40:00.000-04:00

Album: Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Releases: October 4
Huddle Formation [mp3]

This album got a lot of hipster buzz last year when it was released in the U.K. Hard to tell if the excitement will still be there when it comes out here next week on Columbia. The rock/soul layers of samples and instruments make this CD an interesting listen—good thing as it’s dominated by instrumental tracks. The retro feel is fun. We all love the 80s pop music, but The Go! Team stand apart from the 10,000 New Order-Police-Duran Duran-inspired bands releasing albums this week in that they seem to be influenced by 80s TV theme music. There’s something just a little bit cheesy about the music, but I can’t help dancing in my chair as I listen to it. The band will tour the U.S. next month in support of the release.

Tampa bloggers

2005-09-26T13:58:00.000-04:00

My new Tampa blogger buddy, Rachel*, has gotten some good press lately as the local tabloids have discovered these blog things. And she's not popular just because she posts pics of herself in her underwear. Her writing is actually quite entertaining. Sharing the press is Tommy from Sticks of Fire--another one of my daily reads. If there's ever a Tampa Bayist, Tommy should be the editor.

Listen: Venue

2005-09-22T11:33:00.000-04:00

Album: One Without A Second
Releases: September 27
Contempt [stream]

I like the concept of Venue--a group of visual artists and musicians playing in an electronic playground to create something fun and unconventional. However, the product of their experimentation is not easy to enjoy. The first time I listened to the CD at my desk, the disharmonious chords made me really nervous and distracted me from a project I was working on. There were a few choruses that I liked here and there, but I had to stop the CD half-way through because it annoyed me too much. I tried a second listen in my car and had a much better experience. Maybe the noise from the road muffled some of the tones to balance the harmonies. I don't know, but the CD just sounded better in the car. I want to see them live before I decide what I really think about Venue.

Curb Your Marching

2005-09-14T17:42:00.000-04:00

Hey, students! You can win Larry David's Prius by signing up for the Stop Global Warming Virtual March on Washington. The rest of us can sign up for the virtual march, but no chance at the car. Rats. So, a virtual march? Doesn't seem to be able to make as powerful of a statement as an actual march. However, my back does hurt at the end of the day at those real marches, so maybe I'd like the virtual ones better.

I Love You, Skyr

2005-09-14T15:08:00.000-04:00

Distribution deals are in the works for Whole Foods to begin selling a dozen new Icelandic food products--including the WeirdCurves' favorite, Skyr! Hooray! I wish I could be in DC this week as the Icelandic chefs test their recipes at restaurants and Whole Foods stores. (Thanks to Ms. Seeking Irony for the tip.)

Listen: The Exit

2005-09-13T08:36:00.000-04:00

Album: Home For An Island
Releases: October 11
Don’t Push [mp3]

The Exit’s tracks remind me a lot of The Police’s Zenyatta Mondatta album--reggae beat with subtle 80s guitar riffs. It also has a cinematic feel to it. Definitely can imagine “Don’t Push” in an O.C. episode. Like, during a scene where Kirsten struggles with maintaining her sobriety while facing the challenges of mending her relationship with Sandy.

Hello? Job, are you out there?

2005-09-12T20:56:00.000-04:00

Okay, so, I’m ready for a job now. Well, I actually don’t want a job. I want financing for my lifestyle. And since I’m not an heiress or willing to get myself a sugar daddy, getting a job seems to be my best option. So, I want one of those now so that I can buy CDs and travel some more and stuff. It’s not just the money I want. I also want to interact with some new people. And interacting with work people is fun. I love the ritual of finding out who is who and which person holds the key to the institutional knowledge and gossip. You get to play the game of getting a nugget of a story from that person, then sharing some of your own work stories to gain trust so that you can get the full story. You then learn about the social hierarchy of the work environment, the major characters and the history of the organization. Next, manipulate that information to your advantage and for entertainment. Oh yeah, I do miss work.

Picture of Bradenton Beach from bestbeaches.org
My excitement lately consisted of getting my library card and driving my grandma and granddaddy for a day trip to De Soto National Memorial and Venice. The beaches between the De Soto Memorial and Sarasota are very, very pretty. Lots of sea oats, white sand and the water is emerald green. The views along Gulf of Mexico Drive actually look like the pictures in Florida tourism brochures. I get to drive down there tomorrow as I’m delivering someone to his uncle’s condo as a favor. That’s probably better than going to a job tomorrow.

Know When to Blow Your Whistle

2005-09-09T11:51:00.000-04:00

I went to the orientation last night for my gig at Amazing Kingdom of Thrills. They showed a video explaining the sexual harassment policy. It was narrated by animated lizards. Really. They also talked a lot about safety. I learned that I will be equipped with a whistle for emergencies. Emergencies, like, guests hitting the performers. Since this is an alcohol-driven event in Tampa, there's a decent chance that drunk rednecks will punch people in the haunted houses. Oh good.

I haven't found any local music that I'm crazy about yet. Here are a few bands here that are fine (or amusing):

Goth band, Diamond Star Halo, covers The Rolling Stones' "Gimmie Shelter" (mp3)

Johnny Zoom Cheerleader Squad (several mp3s on the site)

Flat Stanley (listen to tracks on the site)

Halcyon (samples on site)

Oh Lord.

2005-09-09T00:35:00.000-04:00

I am so living in a red state right now.

Car Crashing and Free Swimming

2005-09-07T21:02:00.000-04:00

I really have no excuse now for not updating my blog. I finally have a decent Internet connection and am in front of my computer pretty frequently now. The thing is, I feel kind of guilty about goofing off with blogging since I should focus all of my attention on finding a job and working on other projects. I guess I should just get over that.

I witnessed (or at least heard) one of my brother's friends crash his car through a baracade and into a tree just outside my mom's house yesterday. My brother is always involved in some sort of drama like this, but this was the first time I was a witness to the drama. I feel like I'm part of the family again. The kids weren't hurt. They seemed to learn the very important lesson that going 60 mph down a dead end residential street is a bad idea. Stupid boys.

After driving to Clearwater Beach to submit my prints to an arts and crafts festival jury, I drove to the other side of Tampa to hang out with my mom. We went to the nearly deserted Hillsborough River State Park and did a little hiking. Since there were only two people in the huge swimming pool, we decided to pay the $2 entry fee and take a dip. The woman in charge of the pool let us in for free since it was only open for another hour. Awesome! Free swimming. See . . . I don't need a job.

Oh wait, but I do need a job because I just bought a new car. Who quits her job, travels around Europe and buys a brand new car? I'm ridiculous. I don't care, though, 'cause I'm happy and finding ways to make my situation work. And I totally heart my car. I bought an electric blue PT Cruiser. It's bright and silly--just like me. Right after buying it on Friday, I drove it to St. Augustine for the weekend. I stayed in the Pirate Haus Inn & Hostel. The proprietor, Captain Conrad, is super cool and makes awesome pancakes with little pirate faces on them. Lots of fun.

Music I'm digging right now:

Nightmare of You

Acid House Kings (download "This and That" here)

Space Mtn

Something I've been meaning to link to for a long time, but keep forgetting . . . if you're a basketball fan, you should check out Fantasy Basketblog. Two guys go into great detail about all things basketball. Not exactly my thing, but good writing.

Here I am!

2005-08-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

After 48 days of travelling, I am now settling in Tampa for the next few months. Since June 30, the longest I've slept in one place is five nights (Oslo). Perhaps when that record gets broken tomorrow night I'll feel a little less disconnected from the world. I haven't decided whether or not that's a good thing.

My trips to Maine and Scandinavia were everything I'd hope them to be. I definitely want to go back to Tallinn (pictured below) and Norway.

My focus now is on getting my Polaroid image transfer site live, finding temporary work, getting some writing done and spending time with the family. I did find one temporary job already. I have been hired by the entertainment department of a theme park that I will refer to as the "Amazing Kingdom of Thrills" as part of their month-long Halloween extravaganza. I expect this experience to provide me with some good material for the Hiaasen-esque novel that I will write some day.

My brother introduced me to the very cool Sacred Grounds Coffee House last night. As this appears to be one of the very few cool places in Tampa, I expect to be hanging out there quite frequently.

In music news, I'm digging Hail Social's debut self-titled full length. It's a lot poppier than I expected it to be when I saw the scary album cover. Download "Hands Are Tied" mp3 here.

Bergen and Oslo, Norway

2005-08-06T06:20:00.000-04:00

Norway is overwhelmingly beautiful and painfully expensive. Ben and I took a sleeper train to Bergen, stayed there a day and did the "Norway in a Nutshell" tour back to Oslo. We saw lots of pretty waterfalls and fjords and lakes. We even saw a porpoise during our boat cruise. I definitely want to go back to the western part of Norway one day to camp and hike. During July, of course.

Oslo is very cool. Much more diverse and technologically advanced than the other Scan capitals. After my sad good-bye to Ben yesterday morning, I went to the National Gallery and did lots of walking around the city. I'm heading to Bygdøy once I'm done here at the library. I'll see some Viking ships and stuff. Then back to the hostel to catch up on some sleep.

Luleå and Göteborg, Sweden

2005-08-02T10:17:00.000-04:00

Ben and I expected to be in Norway by now, but ran into some transportation challenges in Luleå, Sweden. As in, there were no trains out of there when we wanted to leave. We made do and changed our plans, but were a little frustrated. Luleå is a little town in the north that completely shuts down on the weekends (and we arrived on a Saturday). Our guidebook described Luleå as a major transportation hub, but when we got there learned that Connex no longer operates a ticket office at the train station. We spent most of one day on the phone trying to arrange travel and cursing Luleå for being closed and having no self-service laundry facilites. On the bright side, we stayed in a hotel that had cable TV and a jacuzzi. We discovered a new (to us) MTV cartoon, Wobbl and Bob. It's pretty hilarious if you're stuck in northern Sweden with nothing to do.

We got to spend a couple of hours in Göteborg this afternoon. We'll get on a train for Oslo in about an hour, then head west to Bergen.

Rovaniemi, Finland

2005-07-30T04:22:00.000-04:00

Hei hei from Finland. I'm in Rovaniemi, Finland, this morning. Ben and I arrived here yesterday morning after taking an overnight train from Helsinki. BTW, the Helstinky Train Station is not terribly accommodating to travellers. There's no place to sit down while waiting for your train. No place at all. And you have to pay one euro to use the bathroom. Boo. However, the train was great. We splurged a little and got a sleeper car--definitely worth the extra 22 euros each. It was a lovely way to spend my birthday eve. When we arrived in Rovaniemi, it was my birthday! To celebrate, Ben and I had a traditional Lappish lunch (my dish had something with fish heads in it, Ben's was something like potatoes, sausage and tomatoes), then we went to Arctic Circle to meet Santa Claus.

Off to Sweden today to make our way down the country and over to Norway. It should be a little warmer down there. It's pretty chilly where we are now--a high of around 60 degrees.

Tallinn, Estonia

2005-07-27T08:17:00.000-04:00

Ben and I arrived in Tallinn yesterday afternoon via the ferry from Helsinki. We were pleased to encounter locals who were a bit more chatty than the reserved Finns. However, we were a bit put off by the pro-Hitler T-shirts and Nazi items for sale in several places around town. Oh well, when we see those, we know that's a good sign for us to turn around and leave that store.

The old part of Tallinn definitely lives up to the hype. The curving cobblestone streets and medieval buildings look like illustrations from a fairy tale. We found a very reasonable hostel just off the town square. It's a little noisy, but at least not as bad as the hostel that is located beneath a strip club. Everything is very cheap here, so we're happy to take relax our budgets a little bit. Plus, Ben won 200 crowns in video poker last night! We're gonna eat in style tonight

Uppsala, Stockholm, Helsinki

2005-07-24T15:21:00.000-04:00

I wrote a nice post about Uppsala, Sweden, a couple of days ago, but stupid Blogger couldn't load it at the time. The short of it was that Uppsala was a lovely alternative to Stockholm. A nice university town instead of a major busy city. We stayed in a great hostel that was converted from a manor house in the 1960s. Toured the cathedral and castle there, then headed to Stockholm. We spent just a couple of hours in Stockholm (mainly browsing the various H&Ms). After shopping and eating lunch we walked a very long mile and a half to the ferry terminal. I had no idea what to expect from the ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki. It turned out to be very similar to what I imagine a cruise ship to be like (never been on one). There were bars and restaurants and a disco club. Definitely an interesting ride. We got to Helsinki this morning and spent the day lazing in the esplanade and walking around the city. Most places were closed since it was Sunday, but we certainly enjoyed what we were able to see. We'll be here two nights, then off to Estonia.

Mainely Fun

2005-07-17T14:05:00.000-04:00

I lost track of all the stores I saw in Maine using the cutesy "Mainely" in their titles (i.e., Mainely Clothes, Mainely Auto Parts, Mainely Hypnotherapy). That was pretty much the only thing I found annoying about the state. The points and harbors are lovely and the people are friendly and easy-going. I see why artists and writers flock to the state for inspiration and to get some work done. There are few distractions in Maine.

Working on the farm was lots of fun. Our hosts were lovely people who shared lots of stories from their interesting lives. One is a professional flutist who has lived in several countries. Her daughter is the lead singer of The Charms. Our other host (and the flutist's husband) is a Danish retired chemical engineer. He's 83 and in far better shape than me. I learned lots about how to start an organic garden and realized how wasteful I am in my daily life in regards to my food consumption. I'm not ready to go totally organic, but I am making more of an effort to eat healthier and waste less.

After a very brief rest in Rockville, Md., I'm heading for Denmark tonight. In a departure from my normal personality, I have done very little planning for this trip. I know where I will start and where my trip will end, but am leaving the middle to do whatever I want to do each day. That strategy worked quite well in Maine, so I'm sticking with it.

For those in the DC area this week, check out bluestate on Tuesday at Cafe Saint-Ex for Battle Royale 2005.

Pixies Pix

2005-06-15T10:01:00.000-04:00

I got a bit nostalgic during the Pixies concert on Monday night. My best friend, Ami, and I listened to them almost constantly during high school. It's funny how songs can transport you back in time. Anywho, here are a couple of pix from the show.

NM has a review of the entire show.

I'm off to Great Falls for some hiking this afternoon and heading to the beach this evening. Catch y'all later.

Tempin' Ain't Easy

2005-06-13T09:37:00.000-04:00

My first temp assignment last week was an interesting and exhausting experience. I worked for an event management company that organized the registration table and some other logistics for the DaimlerChrysler propaganda event at the Convention Center. It was fun for the most part because there were eight or nine other temps there each day. I got to hang out with them and learn about their experiences with temping and what they did when they had permanent jobs. The women running the event management company frustrated me during all three days. They were really mean and unprofessional--not just to the temps, but to everyone. I was surprised that they could maintain a business the way they ran it. Then I learned that they only do a big event like this one once every three years or so. The practice I got in ignoring their inefficient methods was good for me. In work situations (and I guess life situations, too), I tend to tell people better ways of solving a problem or jumping in and doing it myself. For some reason, people find that annoying. If they don't find it annoying, they foist the problem into my lap and then I'm the one annoyed. At the Convention Center event, I knew that no one was interested in listening to what a temp had to say about anything, so I kept my mouth shut. That strategy made the three days quite tolerable. I wasn't there for any kind of professional or personal fulfillment. I was there for the specific purpose of earning enough money to buy a new backpack, hiking boots and sandals. When I felt myself caring about what other people at the event thought about me or my skills, I quickly reminded myself that I was there only to put in my time to buy my travel gear and that I would never see any of these people again. I really enjoyed my perspective on work for those three days.

I had a lovely visit with my brother last week. We made it to Glover Park Day, the Futureheads show, iPod Jukebox and Alchemy. We also did a few touristy things. The best parts of the visit were when we chatted during walks to the store or to a restaurant. Neither of us likes to talk on the phone for long periods of time, so this was a good opportunity to get caught up on life stuff.

Tonight is the Bloc Party/Pixies show at Merriweather. I haven't seen the Pixies since I was in high school. I expect the show to be a lot of fun. Oktbrwrld perform at Carter Barron this Friday and the Cause will be at DC9 on Saturday.

Oh yeah . . .

2005-06-01T15:48:00.000-04:00

. . . go enter the bluestate contest for the Culture Club Prize Pack.

Didn't fall off the face of the Earth

2005-06-01T15:18:00.000-04:00

However, stupid Earthlink did shut off my DSL at home a month earlier than I requested. And now that I have no desk job, I'm limited to friends' homes and the public library for my connection to the Internet. My timer here at the Cleveland Park Library tells me that I only have 38 minutes left before I log off, so this post is going to be short. I wanted to share with you all the knowledge I gained about farm animal jobs while interviewing for an internship at an organic farm outside of Baltimore. That will have to wait. Well, here's one. Know what job a goose has? Weeding. The geese won't eat certain kinds of crops, so you can put them with those crops and they'll eat everything else. Clever, huh?

Don't forget to put the Washington Social Club show this Friday on your agenda. They always put on a good show. I'm also looking forward to checking out one of their openers, Exit Clov.

bluestate Highlights

2005-05-25T10:30:00.000-04:00

As usual, I was all nervous before bluestate, but ended up having a lot of fun. Here are the highlights:

1. During our joint set, NM and I played Spandau Ballet's "True."
2. NM accidently turned the sound system off with her boob while in the middle of her set.
3. A bar brawl resulted from a heated discussion about the proper use of apostrophes between Fletcher from DCaffeinated and half of bluestate.

And while I was chatting with DCist Rob, I learned about the D1/D2 Hotties buzz I missed earlier this month. Fascinating. I hope people think I'm one of the D1/D2 Hotties.

Three More Days

2005-05-24T17:00:00.000-04:00

The anxiety about not having a full-time income has started to wane and is being replaced by happiness and excitement about what will happen over the next few months. Now that I only have three days left of work, the reality of my decision to leave has sunk in. I'm starting to do the things you do when you leave a job--say good-bye to people who are taking off early for a Memorial Day vacation, clean, train the new person, etc. I'm really leaving. And I'm very happy.

My focus has now switched from work and grant deadlines to trip research and figuring out what to do with my stuff while I'm gone. AG's posts about his trip has helped to get me in the traveling state of mind. As has the Washington Post's Finland Blog. I've also been revisiting a couple of chapters from Peat O'Neil's Travel Writing book. It was the course I took from her that pushed me into taking some concrete steps toward writing about travel. She provides some great advice about writing in her book. And she's a totally cool lady. I want to be her when I grow up.

Trying to catch up

2005-05-21T11:13:00.000-04:00

My second-to-last week of work has not been the celebratory goof-off fest that I’d hope it to be. Unfortunately, I had a federal grant proposal due on Friday, so spent most of the week dealing with that. One more deadline next week, then I’m free. Hooray!

Now that I’m a week away from having lots of time on my hands, I’m starting to pay attention to what’s going on in the city again. Here are a couple of suggestions for the near future:

Saturday
ArtDC group show—opens tonight at 7981 Eastern Ave in Silver Spring. Runs through June 17
Fake Accents at Warehouse Next Door
(and don’t forget to set your DVR for SNL—skeletal Lohan hosts)

Tuesday
bluestate at Café Saint-Ex

Friday
Oktbrwrld at Yuca

Here’s a quick overview of last week:

Saturday: Eastern Market to sell my prints
Sunday: Nats game at RFK (the most exciting part was when BV said “okay, this next hit is going to be a home run.” And then it was the only home run of the game. BV is, like, scary psychic or something.)
Monday: work late
Tuesday: patio party at Helix with free mango margaritas and snacky things
Wednesday: work late
Thursday: work late
Friday: collapse in front of the TV

The Next bluestate

2005-05-17T12:03:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to stop by Cafe Saint-Ex on Tuesday, May 24, for bluestate. We're hosting not one, but two record releases.

33Hz and the Information

2005-05-13T15:13:00.000-04:00

As Ms. Seeking Irony said what I would have said about the show last night, I’ll just quote her so that I can save my time for more important activities (like eating free Frostys).

“33Hz were not at all what I expected. Their nouveau-disco sound reminds me of the Scissor Sisters, so I was expecting the band to be, well, gayer. While I can't vouch for the sexuality of any of the four guys in the band, I can say that they didn't seem at all image-conscious, dressed in fairly plain jeans and T-shirts sort of outfits. The lead singer was even wearing a puffy vest, which I associate with A&F frat-boy types, although I know hipsters wear them too. So it was quite a disconnect between image and sound when they started performing, because they sound just as slick and glam as they do on the tracks I’d heard. Lots of falsettos, lots of funky bass, all sorts of fun synth effects. I hadn't heard more than a few songs, so it was really a treat to get to hear a lot of their material – the stuff that isn't straight-up disco is very sexy, "lay your woman down by the fire and make sweet, sweet love" stuff. And the band knows it, introducing their slower songs as "for the ladies." Oh, and there was a keytar involved.”

Here are more of my pics:

The 33Hz keytar player

The Information

More Information

Free Frosty Weekend!

2005-05-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

Wendy's is giving away free delicious Frostys all weekend. You know what's yummy? Dipping Wendy's fries into a Frosty. Mmmmm. I wonder how many free Frostys I can consume this weekend? I bet six. When I was eight or nine, there was some random restaurant that had free sundaes all day one day. I had five. Then I got rather sick. But it was totally worth it.

Catching Up on My Blog Reading

2005-05-11T15:52:00.000-04:00

Seeking Irony's post about the new single from Gorillaz, "Feel Good Inc.," reminded me that I've been meaning to post a link to that video. I watch it at least twice a day. I got all disappointed one morning last week when I was flipping through my various MTV channels hoping to see the video, but when I stumbled upon it, the video was ending. Luckily, I was able to assuage my disappointment by heading to my computer and quickly finding a link on the Internet. Here it is: Gorillaz, "Feel Good Inc." Video.

I can't wait to start documenting my days of unemployment as DCSOB has started doing this week. However, I hope that I don't run into quite as much trouble as he has over his first three days of a life without a job.

Don't forget to enter this week's bluestate contest.

Tunes This Week

2005-05-10T14:46:00.000-04:00

I'm going to do my best to make it to iPod Jukebox at Cafe Saint-Ex on Wednesday night--let's hope my deadlines don't get out of control. Thursday night is 33Hz at DC9. Check out their new Web site. They have a couple more tracks from their new album available as streams.

Hippie Weekend

2005-05-04T16:11:00.000-04:00

I'm very sorry that I will miss hanging out with all my bluestate and DCist buddies tomorrow night at the big Cinco de Mayo happy hour. You should definitely go in my place. Instead of dancing and drinking margaritas, I'll be frantically finishing matting prints and packing camping gear for my weekend at the Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival. I'm hoping for good weather and lots of people who want buy limited-edition Polaroid image transfer prints. Should be fun checking out the other vendors and music acts--Dar Williams, Kate McDonnell and Michael McNevin to name a few. Yeah, that's right. I'm hanging out with the folk music-lovin' hippies this weekend.

As I was spacing out on the D1 this morning and thinking about my upcoming trips, I wondered if there were any good choices out there on the Internet for mp3 city audio tours. I thought it would be cool to download a bunch of tours for a particular area that one planned on travelling to and have them easily available on one's iPod. Then I thought that it would be an excellent idea for DCist and all the other -ists blogs to create audio tours for the cool neighborhoods in each blog's city and post them as free mp3s. They could include tours that focus on music, politics, the arts, etc. and include interesting tidbits that the -ist writers would know and that probably would not be included in most mainstream tours. So, that was my idea. Doesn't actually help me out out since there's no Middle-of-Nowhere-Maineist or Fjordlandist. Anyone know of good sources for free or cheap mp3 audio tours of places in the U.S. and/or Europe to download?

Smell Ya Later, Job

2005-04-29T13:15:00.000-04:00

You know what's awesome? Quitting one's job. And what's more awesome than that? Not having another job to start. That's right. I gave my notice yesterday. In just a few short weeks, I shall be unemployed. I realized awhile ago that a 9 to 5 job was not for me. At least, not the 9 to 5 work I had been doing. About a year or so ago I decided that I wanted to seriously persue my dream job of being a travel writer. I published a couple of articles, but wasn't really going anywhere with that goal. I decided that I needed to quit my job and get out there and travel for a couple of months to jumpstart my travel writing career. So, that's what I'm doing this summer. I saved my money and am now planning two trips--one to New England and Nova Scotia and the other to Scandinavia. After that, I'll hang with the family in Florida and will decide what my next step will be. It took me a long time and a lot of fretting to get to this point. But now that I've given notice and am making real plans to move on, I am so happy and excited about my decision. I know that it won't be easy, but I know that it's the right thing for me to do.

So, anyone have recommendations for must-sees or must-dos in the land of the Vikings?

Cinco de Mayo

2005-04-28T13:02:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the next bluestate party, but y'all should definitely go. Drink a margarita for me.

2005-04-22T10:15:00.000-04:00

Garbage put on a fantastic show at 9:30 last night. Check out NM's pics here. There was a bit of drama as the band finished the third song in their encore, "Sex is not the Enemy," and Shirley Manson pulled down her shirt to flash the audience her chest that was covered in a flesh-covered wrap. Three uniformed police officers walked on stage, pulled her off and announced that the show was over. Most of the audience (inlcuding myself) stood staring at the stage for a few moments all seeming to wonder "WTF? Was that real?" Seeing how there was a video production crew there, I figured that it was part of whatever they were filming. NM told me later on that they were there to shoot a video for "Sex is not the Enemy." I knew those cops were too hot to be part of DC's finest.

2005-04-19T08:20:00.000-04:00

Hooray! The Washington National mascot was revealed at RFK on Sunday afternoon. I’m not sure about the name “Screech.” I had so much fun at the game. Everyone was really into the team. I can’t wait to go again next month.

After the game, I headed to the Mall. I knew that there was an exhibit I wanted to see at the National Gallery, but couldn’t remember which one. I started in the West Gallery and wandered into the Rembrandt exhibit. I do like the Dutch art, but once I got in there, I was pretty sure that I hadn’t made a mental note to check out the religious portraits. I walked over to the East Gallery and saw signs for the Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre exhibit—“Yes! That’s what I wanted to see.” As it was almost 5pm on a Sunday (and probably the fact that tourists are not all that into an exhibit about decadence, Absinthe and sex workers), there was no line. I decided to get an audio tour, something that I normally don’t do, but figured that I would probably really like this exhibit and would appreciate the extra tidbits I’d learn from the tour. I highly recommend this exhibit for anyone who is interested in marketing and, obviously, the bohemian scene in late 19th-century Paris. Get the audio tour, as well. There are some extras, including a recording of one of Yvette Guilbert’s performances as you walk around the gallery displaying various posters advertising her shows.

Thanks to everyone who came out to bluestate on Saturday night. The crowd was great—I enjoyed hanging out with my friends and meeting new ones. My set sorta turned into 80s night by the end. The kids on the dance floor were really digging the Duran Duran and Depeche Mode songs I had planned to play, so I figured that I would throw in some more dance goodies, like Joy Division and Iggy Pop, to keep them moving. I was happy to see that people were also enjoying some of the new-ish tunes I played, like 33Hz, Maximo Park and Of Montreal. You can check out bluestate next month at Chief Ike’s and Café Saint-Ex.

2005-04-15T10:42:00.000-04:00

This is the post where I hype all the bluestate stuff going on. Ready? Here we go . . .

--Totally awesome contest: grand prize is a weekend trip to NYC to see Brazilian Girls, first prize is an iPod Shuffle and the first 5,000 entrants get a sample CD (yeah, I can't believe we're giving this stuff away either--I wish I could enter).

--Enter to win the Sights' self-titled CD in the bluestate weekly contest.

--bluestate is on for Saturday night at Black Cat backstage! Hope to see all y'all there. Check out the love we're getting from City Paper and Express.

2005-04-13T11:36:00.000-04:00

For those who missed Bloc Party last weekend at Black Cat, you'll get another chance to catch the band at 9:30 Club on June 16.

Yes, it's sad that the Delgados are no more. If you're really longing for them, check out former Delgados drummer Paul Savage's new album with Malcolm Middleton, Into the Woods. Here's an mp3 from the album: "A Happy Medium".

Don't forget to stop by Saint-Ex tonight to celebrate iPod Jukebox's first birthday--they promise treats.

Today is your last day to enter bluestate's contest for Dizzie Rascal's Showtime CD and T-shirt. You can get more free stuff from bluestate by swinging by Black Cat this Saturday from 9:30 - 2:00.

Washington's Most Loathsome

2005-04-11T17:43:00.000-04:00

Who are the most loathsome people in our nation's capital? Check out DCSOB for the complete list.

While you're clickin' around, don't forget to go on over to bluestate to see what we're giving away this week.

My Mood=Blah

2005-04-08T12:09:00.000-04:00

Sorry for being a bad blogger and not posting frequently. My ennui flared up last week and doesn't show signs of going away any time soon. I thought the nice weather on Wednesday would scare it away, but that didn't happen. I don't like to post when I'm having the ennui because, you know, I don't really care about anything at the time, so that doesn't make for interesting reading. I hope to shake it soon.

If you don't have tix to bloc party, you should check out Jinxed at Twelve this Saturday. I hear good stuff about them.

Here are a couple of shots from my West Virginia trip last weekend. The first is a window display from The R.A.G. Shop, one of the few stores open after 5pm in Berkeley Springs. The next is the local Food Lion's impressive display of chewing tobacco and snuff. The last is George Washington's bath tub at Berkeley Springs State Park.

Dig It

2005-04-06T15:57:00.000-04:00

Are You Feeling My Disco?

2005-03-30T16:07:00.000-05:00

I'm really digging 33Hz this week. They're very disco-meets-Brooklyn-hipster. You can listen to the four songs from their EP on Myspace (my fav is "Digital Lover"). They'll be at DC9 on May 12th to support the release of their debut full-length CD that comes out at the end of April.

Happy Stuff

2005-03-24T13:10:00.001-05:00

If you haven't read the new issue of Bust, go get it now. I thoughly enjoyed reading it during my commute yesterday. There's an interview with Amy Sedaris by Maya Rudolph that made me love Sedaris even more than I did before I picked up the magazine. I also got some good reminders about finding time to pursue my creative interests while holding down a day job in the article, "Wage Slave." Reading Bust makes me so happy.

Speaking of being happy, I've been listening to these two singer/songwriters to perk me up during D.C.'s recent gloomy days:
Luke Temple--"Someone, Somewhere" mp3
Andrew Morgan--"Supine on the Covers" mp3

Joy Zipper

2005-03-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

In an effort to make the content here on WeirdCurves a bit more interesting, I’m adding interviews to the regular posts about my stories of going to shows, shopping and being tired most of the time. The first interview, with Tabitha Tindale of Joy Zipper, follows. Enjoy!

I caught up with Tindale on Wednesday afternoon just after she and Vinny Cafiso (the other half of Joy Zipper) landed in Austin for SXSW. My time slot with her got bumped by Rolling Stone, but Tindale was kind enough to call me back after that interview ended. She was perky and bubbly throughout our conversation—although, she was certainly eager to get off the phone and get involved in the SXSW action. “I’ve been giving interviews since I got off the plane. I keep forgetting that I’m in Austin.” When asked about what she expects at SXSW, she responded with, “We’ve never been here before. Our friends have always done it. We’re interested in seeing what it’s all about.”

The New Yorkers are touring the U.S. and Canada now promoting their second album, American Whip. There was a delay in releasing their second album after some problems with their original label. It’s been out in the U.K. since March 2004, allowing them to build a large fan base across the pond over the last year. They’re already releasing their next album there in June.

I’ve read a few articles that compare Joy Zipper to Meg and Jack White; however, I find that association rather erroneous. Yes, the band is composed of a man and a woman who make great rock music, but the styles of the two bands are notably different. Mates of State come closer to the sound of Joy Zipper in my opinion. Tindale describes Joy Zipper’s music as having a “dreamy quality, but also some darkness and nostalgia.” With their sophomore album, Tindale says that she and Cafiso are “more focused and evolved as writers and producers.” Their debut album was composed of demos and 4-tracks that they cobbled together. As they worked on American Whip, they were “more aware of making a full album.”

Even though the release of their CD was delayed in the U.S., Tindale is optimistic about the timing. “This is the right time for American Whip to come out in the U.S.” She goes on to observe that “people are open to listening to positive music right now.”

When asked about her own listening habits, Tindale admits that she and Cafiso are not up-to-date on the latest music. “We haven’t listened to any new music lately. The last CD we bought was Granddaddy and that was, what, two years ago.” While Tindale does have an iPod (a birthday gift from her mother and loaded up with tunes by a friend), she uses it for convenience on the road, rather than downloading the newest tracks. “The iPod is a convenient way to listen to classic favorites while on the road. We usually listen to CDs at home. Jimmy Cliff, Beatles, Pixies. Whatever is on top of the pile.”

Interested in what Joy Zipper sound like? Download "Out of the Sun" from American Whip here. No D.C.-area dates are scheduled for the current Joy Zipper tour, but be on the lookout for them coming here soon.

Hot Hot Sex Workers

2005-03-15T18:42:00.000-05:00

Hot Hot Heat did not disappoint last Friday night at 9:30. Steve Bays bolted from one side of the stage to the other for the entire set--with a couple of stops at the keyboard. I don't remember seeing a crowd so energetic since the Killers show a few months ago. I'm not the biggest HHH fan, but still had a really good time. Louis XIV were fine, but didn't blow me away. (pics of HHH and Louis XIV below)

The Sex Workers' Art Show was as entertaining as I anticipated and even more interesting. What I didn't expect was the crowd. Black Cat backstage was totally packed with a much more diverse group of people than you'll find there most of the time. The artists were raw and genuine. It was obvious that each knew how to be a great performer, but didn't care about breaking the fourth wall or other stage rules. As Chelsea Starr read one of her stories, she stopped suddenly to say "hi" to someone in the audience she recognized. After the quick greeting, she resumed her story. She noted how unprofessional that was, but just giggled that apology away. For all of the artists, it seemed as if they were really trying to communicate with the audience instead of putting on a show. Their industry demands that they perform and create a fantasy all the time, so it makes sense that they would want to performing while participating in this show. If any group of people understand how phoney performing is, it would be them. I got the sense that they wanted a break from being performers and enjoyed showing the audience how they really feel about topics like race relations, pop culture images of women, gay marriage and corporate workers.

My favorite artists of the evening were Chelsea Starr and Nomy Lamm. Starr told stories about her work in a peep show and as a dancer. Her attention to detail, while a bit gross at times, gave her stories a depth that most people outside of the sex industry would never understand. Lamm played the accordian and sang songs between telling stories of her experience as a phone sex worker.

Louis XIV

Louis XIV

Hot Hot Heat

Hot Hot Heat

Hot Hot Heat

The Week Ahead

2005-03-11T16:05:00.000-05:00

After this week of going out every evening, I'm taking it down a notch next week. A girl's gotta sleep and that TV ain't gonna watch itself. Tonight's DCist happy hour, a birthday party and the HHH, LXIV and WSC show will end my five-day run of late nights. The highlights of next week include the Sex Workers' Art Show at Black Cat (I really have no idea what to expect with that, but I'm anticipating being entertained) and bluestate at Cafe Saint-Ex.

Speaking of bluestate, it's that time of the week when you find out about the latest contest.

NM and I are Famous in Germany

2005-03-10T06:16:00.000-05:00

That's right. NM and I are really popular in Germany. Or, at least we will be when our segment about iPod culture airs on ARD (the German equivalent to BBC) on Friday morning. Okay, so, maybe the segment wasn't exactly about us, but we were interviewed on camera a couple of times when we went to Cricklewood Massive's iPod Jukebox last night at Cafe Saint-Ex. We enjoyed talking to the Germans, who were very cool, about what iPods mean to us. BTW, iPod Jukebox is still a lot of fun, despite the recent hype. You should check it out next month.

Free Wilco EP

2005-03-09T13:51:00.000-05:00

Did you purchase Wilco's A Ghost is Born CD? If so, you can get five new tracks for free by clicking here, inserting your CD and following the instructions. The CD is being re-released in Europe with five new songs. Since Wilco are so nice, they're not making US folks buy a whole new CD to get the tracks.

Beauty Deluxe

2005-03-08T18:05:00.000-05:00

Rachel Flotard was looking a lot more glam last night at Black Cat than when I saw Visqueen at Velvet Lounge a few months ago. However, she still rocks as hard as ever. The band's set list was heavy with tracks from Sunset on Dateland, but balanced with older material to satisfy their dedicated fans who crowded the stage. Flotard and guest bassist, Ronnie Barnett (current Muffs bassist), punked up the pop tracks with screaming riffs and lots of head banging. I was afraid that there may be no in between song chatter as the band seemlessly ended one song and went right into the next. They did take a couple of pauses eventually--long enough for Flotard to share her story about getting into a fight at Velvet Lounge with a jam band that was on the bill with Visqueen. She also gushed about her favorite movie ever, Welcome to the Doll House, and the headliners of the evening, Shonen Knife.

You can buy Sunset on Dateland here, which I highly recommend that you do. Definitely catch this band the next time they're in town.

More Fun with Doves

2005-03-08T07:47:00.000-05:00

In addition to having a chance to win an awesome Doves prize pack from the bluestate Web site, you can stop by Cafe Saint-Ex next Wednesday night for Doves giveaways all evening. Plus, you can have fun hanging out with your bluestate buddies.

Visqueen Tonight!

2005-03-07T07:53:00.000-05:00

Don't miss Visqueen at Black Cat tonight. I saw them at Velvet Lounge a few months ago and they were great. Download "Blue" here.

Secret Machines w/Autolux and Moving Units

2005-03-05T10:31:00.000-05:00

The Autolux/Moving Units/Secret Machines show at 9:30 last night was all about the lights. Autolux had these cool square light panels on stage during their set. Moving Units made an attempt with a nice light show, but fell short (as did their performance). Secret Machines went all out by painting the smoke-filled venue with a rainbow of lights throughout their set. That definitely worked well with their hypnotic, at times trance-like, beats. That was the first time I had seen them live and was not at all disappointed. Pics of Autolux and Secret Machines below.

Awesome bluestate Prize

2005-03-04T14:50:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out the super Doves prize pack over at bluestate. The prize pack includes a hat, Some Cities 7", poster and digi CD with a documentary, video and photo gallery. Enter by Wednesday.

The Bravery

2005-03-03T22:20:00.000-05:00

I'm really looking forward to the Bravery show at Black Cat on the 10th. Check out their new video for "An Honest Mistake" here. Their debut, self-titled album will be in stores on March 29th.

More iPod Jukebox Press

2005-03-03T12:29:00.000-05:00

Fox 5 Morning News did a piece on the monthly iPod Jukebox night at Saint-Ex this morning. I'm happy that the night has gotten so much recognition in the press lately, but I hope that it doesn't get too packed on those nights now. The iPod nights are a lot of fun and I really like the crowd they've drawn in the past. I'll check it out on the 9th to see what impact the stories have had.

SXSW Downloads

2005-03-01T13:41:00.000-05:00

Not heading to the biggest red state of them all for the SXSW festivals and conferences? Well, you can still take a listen to the music you'll miss by downloading mp3s from the 700+ bands here. (Beware: some of the links didn't work for me, but most seem to be okay).

Wilco @ 9:30

2005-02-25T19:12:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I know. I should have been into Wilco a really long time ago. However, I just never took the time to listen to their music and develop an appreciation for what they do. I finally got the chance to do so last night (after Ben told me a couple of weeks ago, "you're going to the Wilco concert!"). Even though I was still sick and tired and it was snowing out, I managed to make my way to 9:30 just in time for Wilco's opening song. I was blown away by their performance and energy. And I really liked the projected images on the screen behind them. Quite nice to look at during the extended guitar riffs. My Dayquil haze prevented me from remembering to grab my camera on the way out of my apartment. Oh well. There are plenty of nice pics of the show out there. See a couple here and here on Harmany Music. If you missed the concert, or want to listen to it again, you can stream it on NPR's All Songs Considered until March 24th.

Because I'm Addicted to Cheese

2005-02-25T08:21:00.000-05:00

The WaPo takes a look at iPod culture in today's paper. NM and I are caught drinking greyhounds and talking about music and our iPods. You can download the song I reference, "(I Gotta Disease) I'm Addicted to Cheese" by the Evaporators, from Alternative Tenancles.

bluestate @ Cafe Saint-Ex

2005-02-24T13:16:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who came out to bluestate last night. I had a lot of fun--despite my cold. Here's my set list (with a couple of mp3s).

Super Cat, "My Girl Josephine"
Raveonettes, “Heartbreak Stroll”
Jason Falkner, "Photograph"
The Dandy Warhols, "We Used to Be Friends"
The Fiery Furnaces, "Tropical Ice-land"
Visqueen, "Look Alive"
Metric, "Combat Baby"
The Killers, "Mr. Brightside"
Joy Zipper, "Out of the Sun" (download)
Of Montreal, "So Begins Our Alabee"
Clinic, "T.K."
United States Of Electronica, "Climb The Walls (Umbrella Of Love)"
Kanda, “Arctic” (download)

No DJ Duff for Me

2005-02-22T20:19:00.000-05:00

Yeah, so, Hilary Duff totally out-hipstered me this weekend. I was in NYC for part of the long weekend, but was too sick to party like a teen popstar. Instead, I partied like the old lady I am: one night, two clubs, three bands and back at my friend's apartment drinking hot chocolate at a decent hour. That was just fine with me (and my runny nose). I really enjoyed Baker, The Bristol Fashion and The Cause at the Continental on Sunday night. And the Continental happy hour is pretty darn good--vodka cocktails for $2.25 until 8pm. The pics below are of Baker and the Cause. I wish that I could find a Web site for Baker. There isn't one listed on the Contintental's site. If anyone knows more info about this band, please send an e-mail to me at weirdcurves [at] gmail [dot] com.

Baker

Baker

The Cause

It's almost time to buy those espadrilles

2005-02-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday's near-60 degree weather made me very happy and inspired me to start thinking about shopping for spring clothes. In just a few weeks, I'll start filling my bags with cute sandals, brightly-colored tanks and floral-printed sun dresses. In my effort to support independent business owners and artists, I'll head to the online stores below to update my wardrobe.

Hannah really does add love to the adorable skirts and tops she makes for lady folk over at Made with Love by Hannah. Her styles are pretty and easy to wear.

Jill Licata created Ravinstyle.com to provide the Tribeca boutique shopping experience to women around the world. The site includes pieces from more than 35 designers from New York, L.A., Boston and Miami. Three shopping assistants are available as guides through the hundreds of designs. Take a quiz when you log on and find out your best match—Lela (party girl), Jackie (urban minimalist) or Ravin (romantic bohemian with a funky edge).

The designs of Amet and Sasha are clean and simple with complementing elements thrown in to make the pieces unique. Skirts and tops available on the site for women will go from that class or day job to your favorite concert with no problem.

Load up on hipster wear for guys and gals at Cut + Paste. Lots of silk-screened T-shirts and fun tops. However, be prepared to see "sold out" next to many items. The unique DIY styles go fast and are not restocked all that quickly (if at all).

So Charmed offers jewelry made from vintage charms, buttons and beads. Influenced by her love of music, Jodi Bloom creates hand-crafted charm bracelets out of her Takoma Park, Md., workshop. Her vivid pieces are divided into categories with names including pop, rock, soul, swing and electronica. In addition to her variety of charm bracelets, Jodi also offers earrings, handbags (inspired by classic cars) and manly versions of her bracelets.

Gauchita and 31 Corn Lane offer bags to suit those who want something pretty and functional that will last through many nights of dance parties.

Jukin' on a Wednesday night

2005-02-10T13:30:00.000-05:00

iPod Jukebox at Saint-Ex last night was a lot fun, as usual. NM, DC tastemaker, provides a complete recap here. I chose an electronica set for my turn:

United States of Electronica, "Emerald City"
Of Montreal, "So Begins Our Alabee"
New Sense, "Outside Chance" (download mp3 here)

There's something about electronic music that I associate with summer. I guess I was inspired by the recent warmer weather to get a jumpstart on the music that will dominate my iPod in the next few months. BTW, I predict that you'll hear a lot of United States of Electronica this summer. Their lyrics are light and positive ("I got more love than anyone could ever wish for" and "Who doesn't want to feel happy under the umbrella of love?") and the synthy vocals are very retro.

Art stuff

2005-02-08T17:46:00.000-05:00

WVSA's ARTiculate Gallery hosts the opening of "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay" this Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30. The opening reception is FREE and open to the public. If you're feeling generous, $10 will get you access to the super cool VIP happy hour where Marshall Plan will play and you'll have access to a beer/wine/soda open bar. The gallery is conveniently located (for you downtown worker bees at least) at 16th and L Streets, NW. You'll have plenty of time to stop by on your way home from work, have a glass of wine, listen to some live music and make it home in time for The O.C.

Speaking of art, I highly recommend the Andre Kertesz exhibit at the National Gallery. The retrospective includes simple snapshots, elegant urban landscapes and interesting Dali-esque manipulations.

Fivefour @ DC9

2005-02-01T22:06:00.000-05:00

Even though it was cold and a Sunday night, I managed to drag my butt out to see Fivefour at DC9. NM turned me onto them when she played them at bluestate last month. I really enjoyed their set and will definitely check them out again. They remind me a little of 10,000 Maniacs, but more fun.

"SG" mp3
"Eurotrash" mp3

Pluggin'

2005-02-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

And don't forget to enter this week's bluestate contest for Love of Everything's Total Eclipse of the Heart. Entries must be sent by 11:59 p.m. tomorrow.

The Cause in New York

2005-01-31T11:54:00.000-05:00

I went to NYC on Saturday to see the Cause's first Village performance at Lion's Den. The band didn't let a couple of sound glitches and a broken guitar string stop them from putting on a great show. They have another NYC on February 20 at the Continental, in addition to several upcoming D.C. area gigs.

I enjoyed the quick trip to New York. Luckily for me, the club is just a couple of doors down from Peanut Butter & Co. and a short walk to Girl Props. I managed to find a couple of minutes to munch on a Nutella and crunchy peanut butter sandwich and buy some obnoxious plastic earrings. That's what I call a successful trip.

Photos from the show:

PostSecret

2005-01-28T17:33:00.000-05:00

Check out PostSecret. 3,000 blank postcards were mailed to DC residents who were invited to share a secret and return the card to the sender. The blog includes several of the replies and an address where you can mail your own secret.

Yessssssss

2005-01-26T16:45:00.000-05:00

I heart Black Cat's March line up. Highlights are:

Ambulance LTD on March 5

Visqueen on March 7

French Kicks on March 26