On My Mind

Holy hell, it's SUNNY today in Seattle! Surely, the world has been plunged into the depths of madness. I'm excited.

It's hard to be a Californian in this town for many reasons. One: Your skepticism of others/new people is seen as douchey or cold (even though native Seattleites can be some of the nicest or some of the cruelest people I've ever met, and I grew up in the Pasadena area). Two: The sunshine is ridiculously elusive. Three: You're torn because you know that L.A. is hella liberal, but it's the old folks at the traditional Catholics that make the state sway to the Red every time there's a vote. /rant

The point is, I'm stoked that it's sunny!!!!

I just finished reading Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly's graphic novel 'Local' for the third time. I bought the hardcover collection for myself for my birthday. It was a steal at $30 at this little place on 45th in the U-District.



It continues to inspire me to write about it, confound me, move me to almost tears, make me smile, and make me both love and hate the protagonist every time I read it. And every time I read it I get something new out of it. For example in the beginning I never really understood how "Two Brothers" was a necessary part of breaking Megan apart and helping her realize that she needs to start being decent to people. Sure she goes on a self-destructive, self-loathing bender of emotional breakups with peers for 3 years after, but that's called figuring it out and realizing that you really don't have all the answers. I hated Megan for what she does to Gloria and to her various suitors at first, but then I came to understand that it's all part of her larger growth as a person. Especially since I'm not the same person at 23 as I am now at 25.

Then there's chapter 3, "Theories and Defenses."



I almost always skimmed this chapter and never understood how it remotely relates to Megan's journey, seeing it as merely an indulgent chapter for the writer to get his thoughts about music and being in a band and being an outsider on to paper and not having an appropriate way to do it. But once I forced myself to read it, and to find a voice for the characters in my head, I came to realize that their struggle as a band and as people foreshadows Megan's struggle at the end of the book. Plus, is there a better metaphor for feeling like you're getting too old than being in a band that everyone loves yet nobody gives a damn about? You can't come home again; or maybe home was never meant to be your home in the first place?

P.S., if Theories and Defenses were a real band, I bet they'd sound like Thrushes.



Yaaaaay Baltimore. I love this band right now.

Josh and I saw The Raveonettes the other night. Yeah. It happened. I'll blog about it soooooon. Right now I need to go be out in that sunshine.


"I'm a dead man walking here,
But that's least of all my fears.
Ooh underneath the water.
It's not Alabama clay,
Gives my trembling hands away.
Ooh Please forgive me, father."

Quick Hits

A few things I'm really digging right now:

1) My new gray cotton pullover hoody from H&M. It's simple, it's comfy, and it's become a staple layering piece.

2) The Raveonettes' cover of "I Wanna Be Adored." Yes yes, I know that it's been out since August-ish, but I've just now had a chance to formally add it to my collection of their music. Sharon's voice is haunting and seductive, as always.

3) This lovely blog called It's My Darlin, which is the home of Ms. Dana London's inspiring street fashion, musings, and bitchin' recipes. If you're into all things Seattle, this is a great place to start! Plus she updates often, which is nice (and something I should aspire to a bit more).

4) This posting on blog Squarehippies, which made me die inside out of sheer joy. NSFW, but it's got disturbingly sexy, scruffy Australian dudes. And sheep! How could you not take a peak?

Review of Oriya's new album is on the way!

Do you dare believe your eyes?!

Yeah, so I went ahead and changed a few things on the blog. The main one was the template. I'm going to play around a bit until I find something that suits the tone of what I have to say. Right now I like the blue bits, but we'll see.

Some secondary things include the ability to share my words on Facebook and Twitter, an Adult Content warning (which yes, narrows my readership but also warns the children that there will be times when I gush over David Beckham and post pictures or links to pictures that back up said gushing, like this little number), and some tweaked functions like what I feel is an easier archiving system.

So if you fear change, best to turn back now and quit following my corner of the universe.

But if you're unafraid or mostly cautious until you see how it pans out of change, read on!

More of being inspired...

Here are some more inspirational images that will (hopefully) lend to the re-design of my corner of the internets. My very talented boyfriend is hard at work trying to form a cohesive design based on my tastes, the images I've collected, and the fact that I have ideas but do not know how to express them in a designer's verbiage.

Lately I'm pathetically obsessed with pop-culture from the years 1968-1980. Is it a phase all twentysomethings must go through? Are our interests and likes a product of our own cultural zeitgeist? But then again I've always loved Warhol (had a print of his when I was 12) and the first pin I ever purchased for my backpack way back in high school (I had a Dickies brand messenger back in 10th grade that ended up covered in pins and patches--so rebellious and outspoken was I at the age of 15!) was the image of Debbie Harry seen above. I wonder wonder wonder why the past appeals ot me so much when I'm trying to cement myself in the future?

"Bat your eyes girls,

be otherworldly,

count your blessings,

seduce a stranger."

Inspired

I'm thinking of re-designing this blog. It needs some overhaul. And I have friends who do this shit for a living. Why not give them dollars to make it look pretty in here? Or at least, more like me.

Here are the photo refs I'm working with (MORE to come):







Your thoughts?


"I think I'll go home and mull this over
Before I cram it down my throat."