Apr 20, 2005

Mini-hiatus

Hi readers. Sorry for the lag in updates. I'm looking for some blogspiration. I've got a lot on the brain, but it's not bloggy stuff. Hard to explain, I know. I think maybe I've just been enjoying the weather and having some good conversations with people. Sometimes it's nice to bounce things off of people and not the blogosphere, I guess. I'll get back to you soon, though. You know I can't stay away for long...


Current Music: The District Sleeps Alone Tonight, by The Postal Service
Current Mood: pensive


Apr 14, 2005

Dave Matthews on Radiohead

So I just got my latest Rolling Stone issue in the mail the other day, and it was the second part of their 100 Immortals special. The cool thing was, they had other musicians write about the ones who made the list. Radiohead ranked #73, and this is what good ol' Mr. Matthews had to say about them:

Every time I buy a Radiohead album, I have a moment where I say to myself, "Maybe this is the one that will suck." But it never does. I wonder if it's even possible for them to be bad on record.

It belittles Radiohead to describe their music as having "hooks." Their music talks to you, in a real way. It can take you down a quiet street before it drops a beautiful musical bomb on you. It can build to where you think the whole thing will crumble beneath its own weight - and then Thom Yorke will sing some melody that just cuts your heart out of your chest.
There's a point on the album Kid A where I start feeling claustrophobic, stuck in a barbed-wire jungle - and then I suddenly fall out and I'm sitting by a pool with birds singing. Radiohead can do all of these things in a moment, and it drives me fucking crazy.

My reaction to Radiohead isn't as simple as jealousy. Jealousy just burns; Radiohead infuriate me. But if it were only that, I wouldn't go back and listen to those records again and again. Listening to Radiohead makes me fell like I'm a Salieri to their Mozart. Yorke's lyrics make me want to give up. I could never in my wildest dreams find something as beautiful as they find for a single song - let alone album after album. And every time, they raise their finger to the press and the critics and say, "Nothing we do is for you!". They followed their most critically acclaimed record, OK Computer, with their most radical change, Kid A. It's not that they're indifferent: It's just that the strength of character in their music is beyond their control.

Seeing them perform makes me even angrier. No matter how much they let go in their shows, they never lose their clarity. There's no point where Jonny Greewood or Ed O'Brien will suddenly look up and say "Where the fuck are we?" There are no train wrecks in Radiohead; every album and performance is wretching. God, these guys have suffered, or they can fake it like nobody else.

Well put, Dave. I'd have to agree.


Current Music: Forever my Friend, by Ray LaMontagne
Current Mood: very good (it's the weather)

Apr 11, 2005

Oh, Google, you've done it again

The latest ingenious thing to come out of those folks in Mountain View, CA is Google Maps. I approached my computer and saw an aerial view of my house after my dad typed in our home address. My first thought was-- freaky!! But then I thought-- wow, that's pretty amazing. (But still a little freaky, yes.) Seriously, what was life like before google (B.G.)? Can you even remember? Oh, it was a different time, kiddies, and some day we'll bounce our grandkids on our laps and tell them all about it.

If you want more info, here's a brief Washington Post blurb about Google Maps.


Current Music: Movies of Myself, by Rufus Wainwright
Current Mood: v. tired...(food coma)

Apr 10, 2005

"Time has told me not to ask for more. Someday our ocean will find its shore." -Nick Drake

I just had the most wonderful Sunday afternoon. After missing Laura out at bars last night (11 missed calls from Lo within an hour or so, to be specific), I decided to drive out to Chevy Chase today to hang out with her. She suggested that instead of the ol' played out cherry blossoms downtown, we head to Kenwood, a beautiful residential neighborhood in Chevy Chase that apparently is much less crowded and far more breathtaking than the touristy Tidal Basin.

Well, after all the talk and hype, she was right. It was incredible. The trees lined every street in the neighborhood and created this canopy effect, which is how I imagine the entrance to heaven might appear. I know, cheesy, but there's really no other way for me to convey the overwhelming sense of peace and nature that I felt while walking the streets. And the abundance of blossoms were like big snowy bushes that every now and then littered petals like flurries onto the streets below. (Never fear, photos to come as soon as Laura sends them to me...although I should say this was definitely one of those times when a photo could not do the experience justice). After each street turn I would say "Oh my god, look down this one," or "This is unbelievable!" As I passed by beautiful home upon beautiful home, each distinct in its style-- my favorite was a yellow-painted brick Victorian style with wrap-around porch-- it was like I was in a fantasy neighborhood. It had all the trappings of Wisteria Lane, but was actually more amazing for its full-blooming trees and kids with lemonade and cookie stands. (After passing by countless vendors, we finally gave in to some adorable girls whose food & beverage proceeds were going to Children's Hospital.)

Anyway, it was the perfect way to spend a surprisingly summer-like April Sunday: strolling through the streets with friends, enjoying Chocolate Eclairs and Strawberry Shortcake bars from the ice cream man, and picking out our dream homes.

Then, to top off the day, I came home to enjoy another wonderfully landscaped piece of nature-- Augusta National. Let's tip our hat to Tiger for putting together another brilliant performance. Seriously now, that chip at 16 was ridiculous. Golf is so funny. Such a wide open space, such a small ball, and for all the places for it to go, it wanders into the tiny hole. Gotta love the seeming impossibility of it. Oh, The Masters...truly a tradition unlike any other. And that, my friends, is what I consider a near-perfect Sunday.


Current Music: Time has told me, by Nick Drake
Current Mood: content

Apr 8, 2005

Flashback to 1993

Since I'm currently not feeling inspired to do a "real" post, here's a tribute to my lil' sis, Auddie. I thought this could serve to remind everyone that although she is growing past me day by day--she's now taller than I am with longer legs (grr!) and bigger feet-- there was once a time when we could take advantage of her and stick small balloons on her head purely for our own amusement. Now let's take a moment and reflect on those times, shall we?...


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Current Music: Daysleeper, by REM
Current Mood: positive

Apr 3, 2005

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler!

Ah, after months of training and all that psychotic gym time, today was the big race day. I spent last week tapering my runs and the weekend just relaxing and fueling up on my carbs so I would be ready for today. Luckily, yesterday's torrential rains provided a nice excuse to sit around and be lazy. Unfortunately, the bad weather carried over and what we once expected to be a springy and clear Sunday turned out to be quite chilly and very windy. Once we got going, though, it wasn't a factor at all, and in fact I'm pretty sure all the wonderful fans and spectators (Thanks Dad, Auddie & Molly!) were more uncomfortable than we were-- at least when it came to the weather.

I started off the race rather conservatively-- after all, I had never actually achieved the ten mile mark in my training.. eight might have been my max up til today, so I wanted to be sure I didn't go out too strong. The first three miles or so didn't allow for much aggressive running anyway, as I felt like a sheep traveling in one huge flock, and it was difficult to find my pace. After the congestion let up, all that remained was a straight shot down Rock Creek Parkway and back. Things started to smooth out, and after I reached the halfway mark I knew I could turn it up a bit and push myself harder. I guess this mentality paid off because surprisingly, each of my ten individual mile times improved as the race wore on, capped off by my final mile time of 8:04! I had to pat myself on the back for this, as my usual target pace is around 9:30 and I had started off much slower than that in the crowded pack.

The good news is that I never felt any pain throughout the race and there was never a moment of misery or any sense that I could not make the distance. It was a great accomplishment to run my first 10 mile race, especially for someone who always seemed the ardent anti-runner. (There was a time when I would see people running and ask myself "Why and how do they do that? Why would you be running when you could just move slower and walk?? I just don't understand.") I was also very pleased to see the result and outcome of the training and discipline I put forth to prepare for this event.

That said, I will not be running my first marathon any time soon... at least not in the foreseeable future. I've just decided that it's not for me; the desire's not quite there. And until it is, I'm not setting my sights on 26.2 miles. When it comes to that, I'm definitely still in the "Why and how do they do that?" mindset. I think ten miles will suffice for now. Next stop: Army Ten Miler in October! But for now, a bit of rest and laziness. Off to the couch I go.

Sibs post-race:

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Auddie (Yes, she is officially taller than I am now. And no, I am not over it. It's weird!), me, Huan, and Molly (Molaramy):

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Current Music: Let it Ride, by Ryan Adams
Current Mood: pooped.

Apr 1, 2005

Google Gulp!

The folks at Google, while certainly some of the smartest people alive, definitely have too much time on their hands. Their latest big idea is Google Gulp! and I'm jealous of the well-paid, jean-clad people who got to sit around and think that one up... ;)


Current Music: Come Downstairs and Say Hello, by Guster
Current Mood: great!

Mr. Ryan Adams

Ok, so he's kind of crazy and unpredictable and just plain weird, but the man is also a musical genius. And he has no qualms about releasing a ton of music at once, so much that you're completely overwhelmed, but really-- who will complain about that?

I've already posted my excitement over his three CD releases this calendar year, but I thought I'd devote another post to him because I'm currently listening to "Let it Ride" on repeat. It's the first single from Cold Roses, which will be the double album he releases in May.

If you visit the Ryan Adams website and click on the album cover to enter the site, "Let it Ride" will start playing automatically. All you have to do is just keep clicking refresh to repeat it :) Enjoy.


Let it ride
Let it ride, easy down the road
Let it ride
Let it take away all of the darkness
Let it ride
Let it rock me in the arms of strangers, angels until it brings me home
Let it ride, let it roll, let it go...
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