It's official: I defend my thesis one week from tomorrow at 1:00 pm. I'll then have to make final revisions, get it printed, pay for the binding, and get it over to the graduate school office by Monday afternoon. After that, I'M FREAKING DONE. This week is going to be hell, by I couldn't care less. I'm going to get to walk at graduation AND I won't have this hanging over my head during the Seattle trip in May. After May 4, all I have to worry about is giving a final exam to my General Psychology class and finishing up a profile for my Personality Assessment class... very small tasks in comparison to collecting data for and writing a thesis in about 3 weeks worth of time. I can't wait to be done with Arkansas Tech University.
I think the night after my defense, I'm going to have a few (and by a few, I mean QUITE a few) drinks, smoke me a couple of cloves, and listen to some really loud music. Then, I'll just chill and wait for graduation to get here. After May 16, all I have to worry about is packing for the move, spending time with friends and family, and having a really great time enjoying this experience and process of moving. Words can't express how excited I am that in two months, I'll be a resident of Seattle, WA. I feel like I'm finally getting to do what I want to do with my life after 7 years of compromises and doing the responsible things I'm supposed to do, I'm actually getting to reap the rewards. I know it's going to be a challenge, but it's one I take on happily.
28 days until the house hunting trip to Seattle... 64 days until the move.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, back to writing a thesis. I have a ton of data that needs my attention.
Peace.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Life's Simple Pleasures: AMAZING Live Performances by OUTSTANDING Musicians
So I went to Memphis on Saturday, where I had the wonderful pleasure of hearing Ra Ra Riot and Death Cab for Cutie play at the Orpheum Theater. Ra Ra Riot's performance was more than I could have ever expected. They were absolutely spectacular and also kind enough to hang out at the merchandise stand to chat with their fans. REALLY cool group of folks. I got to meet four of their members and they all seemed like incredibly normal, laid back people who were just as thrilled to meet their fans as their fans were to meet them.
Death Cab for Cutie didn't let me down either. They never have... this was my third time to see them and this live performance was no less powerful than the previous two I've had the privilege of attending. All the passion and energy was still there. Chris Walla played so hard he broke a string and, unfortunately, hurt his hand. Jason McGerr seemed like he was in his own world as he drummed away like a mad man. Gibbard did his usual sort of back and forth swaying dance as he rocked out on his guitar. His performance of "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" was just as moving this time as it was in St. Louis in October. I love the sound of his voice with an acoustic guitar (as I've mentioned in previous posts... I just feel like his vocals were made to be combined with those softer acoustic sounds). Nick Harmer drives that band with his outstanding bass lines like a freaking machine. I love singling out those lines and focusing my attention on the way they move the music. So good. So good....
I'm counting down the days until the house hunting trip to Seattle. We leave on May 22 for a 10 day stay in that gorgeous city. Hopefully, by the time we come back to Arkansas, we will have a new address in Washington to move our belongings into when return at the end of June to stay for good. I'm also looking for jobs as I didn't get accepted to the University of Washington's Social Psychology Ph.D. program. I think my prospects are pretty decent. I'm hoping that I may be able to line up an interview or two on the May trip as well. Fingers crossed... but regardless of what happens, I couldn't be more excited about getting the hell out of Arkansas and back to the Northwest. I miss it so much I ache. I truly believe that is where I was meant to be.
I also purchased tickets this evening for two shows in Redmond, WA, the weekend of July 17. The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, and Blind Pilot are playing that Friday night and Death Cab for Cutie, the New Pornographers, and Ra Ra Riot are playing Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday show had already sold out, so I had to go with tickets for the Sunday performance. I can't believe my luck at having the opportunity to experience so much good music in a single weekend, though. I love the music of every one of those groups. I've been dying to see the Decemberists for a LONG time, but they never come anywhere near here. I can't wait to hear Colin Meloy sing live!
Tons of stuff I should be doing instead of blogging. Perhaps I should attend to some of that now. Here's to a productive week!
Peace.
Death Cab for Cutie didn't let me down either. They never have... this was my third time to see them and this live performance was no less powerful than the previous two I've had the privilege of attending. All the passion and energy was still there. Chris Walla played so hard he broke a string and, unfortunately, hurt his hand. Jason McGerr seemed like he was in his own world as he drummed away like a mad man. Gibbard did his usual sort of back and forth swaying dance as he rocked out on his guitar. His performance of "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" was just as moving this time as it was in St. Louis in October. I love the sound of his voice with an acoustic guitar (as I've mentioned in previous posts... I just feel like his vocals were made to be combined with those softer acoustic sounds). Nick Harmer drives that band with his outstanding bass lines like a freaking machine. I love singling out those lines and focusing my attention on the way they move the music. So good. So good....
I'm counting down the days until the house hunting trip to Seattle. We leave on May 22 for a 10 day stay in that gorgeous city. Hopefully, by the time we come back to Arkansas, we will have a new address in Washington to move our belongings into when return at the end of June to stay for good. I'm also looking for jobs as I didn't get accepted to the University of Washington's Social Psychology Ph.D. program. I think my prospects are pretty decent. I'm hoping that I may be able to line up an interview or two on the May trip as well. Fingers crossed... but regardless of what happens, I couldn't be more excited about getting the hell out of Arkansas and back to the Northwest. I miss it so much I ache. I truly believe that is where I was meant to be.
I also purchased tickets this evening for two shows in Redmond, WA, the weekend of July 17. The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, and Blind Pilot are playing that Friday night and Death Cab for Cutie, the New Pornographers, and Ra Ra Riot are playing Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday show had already sold out, so I had to go with tickets for the Sunday performance. I can't believe my luck at having the opportunity to experience so much good music in a single weekend, though. I love the music of every one of those groups. I've been dying to see the Decemberists for a LONG time, but they never come anywhere near here. I can't wait to hear Colin Meloy sing live!
Tons of stuff I should be doing instead of blogging. Perhaps I should attend to some of that now. Here's to a productive week!
Peace.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Feeling Human...
Even though I'm currently working on my master's degree in psychology, I find that music is the central and driving force in my life. I guess it's always been like that, though. At one point, I thought I wanted to play music always. I loved it like nothing else. But then it became a chore and wasn't fun anymore. When that happened, I knew I had to walk away from it. Playing an instrument should always be enjoyable on some level. Opening the case should never make you cringe or want to storm away in frustration. When it comes to that, it's gone too far.
While I stopped playing, I never stopped listening. In fact, I feel as though I developed those parts of my musical talents in place of my performance abilities. I began putting effort in to truly hearing music. All of the instruments. All of the voices. All of the movement. All of the change and variation. All of the diversity of sound and tonality and quality. All of the thought and emotion struggling to be conveyed. It's amazing what you can hear when you make these things the centerpieces of your listening experience. I can do it now without trying. I just close my eyes and it flows. I can almost see it. I've heard of people who can see sound and, particularly, music. I often envy those individuals.
Obviously, hearing plays the key role in experiencing music; however, I find it relatively easy to feel music as well. The pulse of the beat can be felt in the very pit of my stomach. Certain combinations of notes or the utterance of a certain combination of words may raise the hair on my arms or the back of my neck. I sometimes find myself struggling to breathe as I enjoy a live performance or fully immerse myself in a good album through a pair of high quality headphones. The smells and tastes I sense in the air at live shows are unique to such situations. I always drive home afterward, wondering how it is that I've come to have the scent of hundreds of different people I've never met upon me... some sort of collective aroma consisting of colognes and aftershaves and perfumes and clove cigarettes and marijuana and a dozen different kinds of beer and wine and other assorted alcohols. It's the smell of an evening shared between strangers that are somehow friends simultaneously. Drawn together from all over by a mutual love of a band and their music. I just wish that the sight of a band upon a stage as they perform, as I become excited by the movement of the individuals before me, as they rock and sway and pull forth pure art from their instruments... I wish that affected me as much as all of these other things. But I can close my eyes, leave the work to all of my other senses, and have the most enjoyable experiences of my life. People always ask that question "If you HAD to choose, would you rather go blind or deaf?" For me, it's never been any sort of contest.
While I stopped playing, I never stopped listening. In fact, I feel as though I developed those parts of my musical talents in place of my performance abilities. I began putting effort in to truly hearing music. All of the instruments. All of the voices. All of the movement. All of the change and variation. All of the diversity of sound and tonality and quality. All of the thought and emotion struggling to be conveyed. It's amazing what you can hear when you make these things the centerpieces of your listening experience. I can do it now without trying. I just close my eyes and it flows. I can almost see it. I've heard of people who can see sound and, particularly, music. I often envy those individuals.
Obviously, hearing plays the key role in experiencing music; however, I find it relatively easy to feel music as well. The pulse of the beat can be felt in the very pit of my stomach. Certain combinations of notes or the utterance of a certain combination of words may raise the hair on my arms or the back of my neck. I sometimes find myself struggling to breathe as I enjoy a live performance or fully immerse myself in a good album through a pair of high quality headphones. The smells and tastes I sense in the air at live shows are unique to such situations. I always drive home afterward, wondering how it is that I've come to have the scent of hundreds of different people I've never met upon me... some sort of collective aroma consisting of colognes and aftershaves and perfumes and clove cigarettes and marijuana and a dozen different kinds of beer and wine and other assorted alcohols. It's the smell of an evening shared between strangers that are somehow friends simultaneously. Drawn together from all over by a mutual love of a band and their music. I just wish that the sight of a band upon a stage as they perform, as I become excited by the movement of the individuals before me, as they rock and sway and pull forth pure art from their instruments... I wish that affected me as much as all of these other things. But I can close my eyes, leave the work to all of my other senses, and have the most enjoyable experiences of my life. People always ask that question "If you HAD to choose, would you rather go blind or deaf?" For me, it's never been any sort of contest.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Music Does It Again
Composed on 2-25-2009:
Today was one of those days... one of those days where something that shouldn't have been THAT big of a deal turned into a catastrophe within my mind, bringing all of the other stresses and strains in my life that I had been keeping in check so nicely tumbling down upon me in one giant heap. I had to go to the doctor... the doctor had no answers, causing me great frustration where it really shouldn't have. But after leaving his office, I found myself sobbing on the phone to my mother... not about my specific health problem... but about things so far removed from this particular issue that I later had trouble figuring out how I got to them. I felt weak. I felt vulnerable. I felt like I was failing on every level. I still felt motivated but could find absolutely no meaning in anything I was attempting to accomplish. I felt sure to my core that I was on my way to disappointing every person that had ever known me. I felt guilty for hating this place so much, the place where I was born and raised and spent the wonderful years of my childhood, and for wanting desperately to get away. I felt like a bitch for being so willing to walk off and leave my family and friends that I love so dearly and that have contributed so much to making me the person that I am. I felt selfish. I felt like a bad daughter and sister because in approximately 4 months, I will be living almost 2,300 miles away from my mother and siblings. I felt heartless. I felt cold. I felt hopeless. I felt buried beneath the weight of my life. I felt lost. All at the same time. And it was simply too much to feel and process and make sense of. I wanted to lay down and quit.
I know it was absurd. I know it was unreasonable and that all of these feelings weren't grounded in reality. I worked hard to access my store of psychological methods and techniques to calm myself. But no matter how well educated I may be in the workings of the human mind, every great once in a while, I find that I have very little to absolutely no control over the thoughts that flood my head.
My mom tried her best to work her mom magic and make me feel better through the phone. I could hear the desperate tone in her voice, the tone that says "I'm so helpless, sitting here 200 miles away from you on the other end of a phone connection...What am I supposed to do when my child is sobbing so far away from me?" After a while, I managed to reassure her that I would be fine. I collected myself, told her I was okay, asked her not to worry, convinced her that I would make it through the rest of my day, told her I loved her, and hung up. I still felt like shit, though. Like I said, it was one of those days. And I truly know that it's one of those days when my mom can't fix the problem with her encouragement and kind words and witty jokes.
So, I did the only other thing I ever know to do: I turned up my car stereo, begging the inevitable to occur. Within seconds, I was being soothed by the sounds of bass lines and guitar riffs and the sweeter than honey, smoother than silk voice of my eyeglasses and plaid wearing hero from the Northwest. The music flows through me. Not around me. Not near me. But absolutely within me. I feel it in my heart as it pounds in my chest, in the blood pumping through my veins. It creates an electric current in my skin, causing the hair to raise on my neck and arms. And I slowly begin to feel whole again, healed by the melodies and words and understanding I find only in music. I begin to sing along, screaming to be heard over the volume of my own thoughts and the speakers that vibrate viciously within the frame of my car, fighting with every fiber of my being against all of the feelings that are threatening to rip me apart piece by piece. By the time I reach my destination, I can smile once again.
Every time this happens, I always wonder why it is that someone I've never met, that knows absolutely nothing about me, who doesn't even know I exist, can give me more comfort and aid me in finding more meaning that those that know me best. Why can I be soothed by the words of a stranger when my own mother's words fail? How can a song help me retrieve my sanity and sense of self from some far away dark place when the things and people most important in my life can't pull me back to reason and reality? I'll probably never know the answer, but I have to say, once again, how incredibly thankful I am for music and the fact that I have somehow been enabled to experience it the way I do. Without it, I'd hate to think of how incredibly empty my life would frequently feel. That being said, I don't ever want anyone to think I don't appreciate the people in my life, my friends and family, my friends that ARE my family. They all mean the world to me and I don't know what I would do without them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Continued, 2-27-2009:
Stuff I'm currently listening to and LOVING:
*Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago - An album of 10 songs, each of them sad and lovely and beautiful in the best ways possible. Justin Vernon's voice is a little different, higher pitched and a bit unpolished, but suits the music wonderfully and is able to convey emotion very well. He gets his point across: Old love dies hard.
*The "Dark Was the Night" compilation - If you like indie bands, this is the collection for you. You can get it on Amazon for $9.99, all 31 tracks. Artists include Ben Gibbard, Feist, Grizzly Bear, Sufjan Stevens, Cat Powers, The Decemberists, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird, Beirut, The New Pornographers, Conor Oberst, and My Morning Jacket, to name a few. "Train Song," performed by Ben Gibbard + Feist, is one of my favorite tracks, as well as "Sleepless," by the Decemberists. Both Gibbard's and Meloy's voices give me chills in these particular songs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm going to dinner at Star of India tonight. Should be tasty.
I'm also wearing my wonderful blue and gray plaid, incredibly soft and comfortable button-up shirt today. It truly is near the top of the list of my current favorite things.
My thesis proposal is happening on Wednesday. I feel ready. A little nervous, but ready. I want this thing done.
All in all, the week is ending much better than it started. Wednesday was a particular bitch that I hope I've learned from. Moving on...
I need food. I'm starving. Off to get my paycheck and take care of that problem.
I leave you with a thought from a guy I admire:
"An ex-girlfriend once got upset when I told her that music is the most important thing in my life. It’s more important than anyone else could ever be. I don’t want to be overly dramatic and say it’s the only thing that gets me up and keeps me going. But people in your life come and go. As you go through your life, you make friendships, you break friendships, you have relationships. Music is the one thing I’ve always been able to rely on. So why wouldn’t it be the most important thing in my life?"
--Ben Gibbard, from "The Meaning of Life," PASTE Magazine, April 2008
Peace.
Today was one of those days... one of those days where something that shouldn't have been THAT big of a deal turned into a catastrophe within my mind, bringing all of the other stresses and strains in my life that I had been keeping in check so nicely tumbling down upon me in one giant heap. I had to go to the doctor... the doctor had no answers, causing me great frustration where it really shouldn't have. But after leaving his office, I found myself sobbing on the phone to my mother... not about my specific health problem... but about things so far removed from this particular issue that I later had trouble figuring out how I got to them. I felt weak. I felt vulnerable. I felt like I was failing on every level. I still felt motivated but could find absolutely no meaning in anything I was attempting to accomplish. I felt sure to my core that I was on my way to disappointing every person that had ever known me. I felt guilty for hating this place so much, the place where I was born and raised and spent the wonderful years of my childhood, and for wanting desperately to get away. I felt like a bitch for being so willing to walk off and leave my family and friends that I love so dearly and that have contributed so much to making me the person that I am. I felt selfish. I felt like a bad daughter and sister because in approximately 4 months, I will be living almost 2,300 miles away from my mother and siblings. I felt heartless. I felt cold. I felt hopeless. I felt buried beneath the weight of my life. I felt lost. All at the same time. And it was simply too much to feel and process and make sense of. I wanted to lay down and quit.
I know it was absurd. I know it was unreasonable and that all of these feelings weren't grounded in reality. I worked hard to access my store of psychological methods and techniques to calm myself. But no matter how well educated I may be in the workings of the human mind, every great once in a while, I find that I have very little to absolutely no control over the thoughts that flood my head.
My mom tried her best to work her mom magic and make me feel better through the phone. I could hear the desperate tone in her voice, the tone that says "I'm so helpless, sitting here 200 miles away from you on the other end of a phone connection...What am I supposed to do when my child is sobbing so far away from me?" After a while, I managed to reassure her that I would be fine. I collected myself, told her I was okay, asked her not to worry, convinced her that I would make it through the rest of my day, told her I loved her, and hung up. I still felt like shit, though. Like I said, it was one of those days. And I truly know that it's one of those days when my mom can't fix the problem with her encouragement and kind words and witty jokes.
So, I did the only other thing I ever know to do: I turned up my car stereo, begging the inevitable to occur. Within seconds, I was being soothed by the sounds of bass lines and guitar riffs and the sweeter than honey, smoother than silk voice of my eyeglasses and plaid wearing hero from the Northwest. The music flows through me. Not around me. Not near me. But absolutely within me. I feel it in my heart as it pounds in my chest, in the blood pumping through my veins. It creates an electric current in my skin, causing the hair to raise on my neck and arms. And I slowly begin to feel whole again, healed by the melodies and words and understanding I find only in music. I begin to sing along, screaming to be heard over the volume of my own thoughts and the speakers that vibrate viciously within the frame of my car, fighting with every fiber of my being against all of the feelings that are threatening to rip me apart piece by piece. By the time I reach my destination, I can smile once again.
Every time this happens, I always wonder why it is that someone I've never met, that knows absolutely nothing about me, who doesn't even know I exist, can give me more comfort and aid me in finding more meaning that those that know me best. Why can I be soothed by the words of a stranger when my own mother's words fail? How can a song help me retrieve my sanity and sense of self from some far away dark place when the things and people most important in my life can't pull me back to reason and reality? I'll probably never know the answer, but I have to say, once again, how incredibly thankful I am for music and the fact that I have somehow been enabled to experience it the way I do. Without it, I'd hate to think of how incredibly empty my life would frequently feel. That being said, I don't ever want anyone to think I don't appreciate the people in my life, my friends and family, my friends that ARE my family. They all mean the world to me and I don't know what I would do without them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Continued, 2-27-2009:
Stuff I'm currently listening to and LOVING:
*Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago - An album of 10 songs, each of them sad and lovely and beautiful in the best ways possible. Justin Vernon's voice is a little different, higher pitched and a bit unpolished, but suits the music wonderfully and is able to convey emotion very well. He gets his point across: Old love dies hard.
*The "Dark Was the Night" compilation - If you like indie bands, this is the collection for you. You can get it on Amazon for $9.99, all 31 tracks. Artists include Ben Gibbard, Feist, Grizzly Bear, Sufjan Stevens, Cat Powers, The Decemberists, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird, Beirut, The New Pornographers, Conor Oberst, and My Morning Jacket, to name a few. "Train Song," performed by Ben Gibbard + Feist, is one of my favorite tracks, as well as "Sleepless," by the Decemberists. Both Gibbard's and Meloy's voices give me chills in these particular songs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm going to dinner at Star of India tonight. Should be tasty.
I'm also wearing my wonderful blue and gray plaid, incredibly soft and comfortable button-up shirt today. It truly is near the top of the list of my current favorite things.
My thesis proposal is happening on Wednesday. I feel ready. A little nervous, but ready. I want this thing done.
All in all, the week is ending much better than it started. Wednesday was a particular bitch that I hope I've learned from. Moving on...
I need food. I'm starving. Off to get my paycheck and take care of that problem.
I leave you with a thought from a guy I admire:
"An ex-girlfriend once got upset when I told her that music is the most important thing in my life. It’s more important than anyone else could ever be. I don’t want to be overly dramatic and say it’s the only thing that gets me up and keeps me going. But people in your life come and go. As you go through your life, you make friendships, you break friendships, you have relationships. Music is the one thing I’ve always been able to rely on. So why wouldn’t it be the most important thing in my life?"
--Ben Gibbard, from "The Meaning of Life," PASTE Magazine, April 2008
Peace.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
And Things Keep Going....
I've finished the first draft of my thesis proposal. I'm doing some final proofreading and changes and will send it to my adviser tomorrow. It feels really good to at least have a completed draft to work with, even though I know it's not perfect and I'm sure many changes will be added before I actually propose. I just don't feel like as much of a bum anymore, having a 25-page document in my hand to show the work I've actually been doing.
On Tuesday, I'm leaving for New Orleans for a conference with a professor and an undergraduate student from the Behavioral Sciences Department here at Tech. It's the week before Mardi Gras, so it should be a pretty entertaining trip. I went down there for a different conference around this time last year. My mom went with me then and we had a blast. I look forward to getting out of town for a while, even if it is only to go to Louisiana. It will be cool to hang out with people from the department for a few days and have some fun in a place that isn't Russellville, AR. A change of scenery is all I need every once in a while.
I think the excitement/stress I've begun to associate with getting ready to move is actually starting to catch up with me. I had a dream the other night... a very vivid dream... in which Kris and I flew to Seattle to find a place to live. Upon leaving the airport, which, strangely enough was located RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of downtown Seattle, I looked around and realized that the city was NOTHING like I remembered it and was, in fact, identical to Chinatown in San Francisco. As we wandered through shops and chatted with locals, I also noticed that Kris was toting a suitcase and a messenger bag in addition to her purse; I, however, had only a bag full of books. I had completely forgotten to pack any clothes at all for the trip. As I searched for garments to wear during my stay, I couldn't find anything, not even a t-shirt, for under $100. I ended up having to spend ALL of my travel money on clothing, leaving me with nothing for food or lodging or deposits on a place to live. I was panicked and depressed and felt completely hopeless. But I guess it all worked out.... because later, in a different dream (or a continuation of this first one... I'm really not sure...), I was walking through the Pike Place Market, looking through the shops and admiring the fresh produce and crafts made by the locals, when I ran into Robin Pecknold (lead singer for Fleet Foxes who happens to be from Seattle... in case you're not familiar with the name). I knew who he was in my dream, but didn't let him know I knew. I just approached him like he was a normal, every day guy that I just wanted to chat with. We quickly fell into easy conversation and started walking together through the market. He later informed me that he had to meet some friends back at his place and asked if I would like to come along and meet them. Of course I accepted. When we arrived at his apartment, I was absolutely thrilled when he opened the door and there sat the other members of Fleet Foxes. I was introduced and took a place on the couch, where I remained for the rest of the dream, chatting with this group of amazing musicians and in complete awe of my luck. Needless to say, I woke up with a combination of feelings. Worried about all of the things that I could forget or mess up if I don't plan well... but totally excited about the idea of meeting new people in a big, new place (now, don't think that I expect to meet Robin Pecknold walking through the market or anything like that... although, I wouldn't object to it. I just don't think the odds are in my favor on that one). It's so rare that I remember dreams. I just thought those were kind of interesting.
I graduate on May 16. Kris and I fly to Seattle on May 22. We plan on moving by the end of June. With each passing day, I feel more hopeful about my future. While I have an insane amount of work to do before I get my master's degree, I feel confident in my ability to accomplish these things. I'm so driven to succeed in this so I can move that it feels as though nothing can stand in my way. I won't let it. I'm so ready to move. So ready to be in the city I love. So ready to meet new people and make new friends (not that I don't love my friends here... I do. More than they'll ever know...). So ready to be surrounded by something other than fundamentalist attitudes EVERYWHERE I turn. So ready to be closer to the music scene and the bands I love. So ready to have more options for my future. So ready to be nearer to the Pacific and the mountains. I know I'm going to miss my family and friends when I leave and I'll probably even feel nostalgia toward Arkansas from time to time. It's time for a change, though. And it's been a long time coming.
Stuff I'm currently listening to and loving:
J. Tillman- Vacilando Territory Blues, I Will Return, and Minor Works. All GREAT albums. I checked this guy out after I started listening to Fleet Foxes. He's their drummer but has a solo career as well. His stuff is really great for the end of a stressful day, when you just need to wind down. He has a really soothing voice... in my opinion, anyway.
The Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack- It's up for best film score at the Academy Awards on Sunday. It's already won at the Golden Globes. It's really beautiful and compliments the movie in so many good ways. "O...Saya," which features MIA, is really awesome, especially if you listen to it in a car with a really good sound system... and "Jai Ho" will make you want to get up and dance.
Barcelona- A friend of mine gave me the songs "First Floor People," "Get Up, Get Up, Get Up," and "It's About Time" recently by this band called Barcelona. I can't get enough of these guys. Really heartfelt lyrics and music that reminds me of Keane... and sometimes Coldplay... and, on occasion, the bass lines of the Killers.
"The Sun Giant" EP, by Fleet Foxes- "Mykonos" is amazing. You never heard more perfect harmonies in folk music. That's all I'm going to say.
"Prospekt's March" EP, by Coldplay- They've simply added more to some songs from "Viva la Vida" and thrown in a few pieces that didn't make the cut for the full album. It's good stuff, though. The Jay-Z remix of "Lost" is particularly interesting... and well done, in my opinion.
The library's closing in 10 minutes and I will be run out soon enough. I'll try to update a bit from New Orleans in the upcoming week.
Peace.
On Tuesday, I'm leaving for New Orleans for a conference with a professor and an undergraduate student from the Behavioral Sciences Department here at Tech. It's the week before Mardi Gras, so it should be a pretty entertaining trip. I went down there for a different conference around this time last year. My mom went with me then and we had a blast. I look forward to getting out of town for a while, even if it is only to go to Louisiana. It will be cool to hang out with people from the department for a few days and have some fun in a place that isn't Russellville, AR. A change of scenery is all I need every once in a while.
I think the excitement/stress I've begun to associate with getting ready to move is actually starting to catch up with me. I had a dream the other night... a very vivid dream... in which Kris and I flew to Seattle to find a place to live. Upon leaving the airport, which, strangely enough was located RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of downtown Seattle, I looked around and realized that the city was NOTHING like I remembered it and was, in fact, identical to Chinatown in San Francisco. As we wandered through shops and chatted with locals, I also noticed that Kris was toting a suitcase and a messenger bag in addition to her purse; I, however, had only a bag full of books. I had completely forgotten to pack any clothes at all for the trip. As I searched for garments to wear during my stay, I couldn't find anything, not even a t-shirt, for under $100. I ended up having to spend ALL of my travel money on clothing, leaving me with nothing for food or lodging or deposits on a place to live. I was panicked and depressed and felt completely hopeless. But I guess it all worked out.... because later, in a different dream (or a continuation of this first one... I'm really not sure...), I was walking through the Pike Place Market, looking through the shops and admiring the fresh produce and crafts made by the locals, when I ran into Robin Pecknold (lead singer for Fleet Foxes who happens to be from Seattle... in case you're not familiar with the name). I knew who he was in my dream, but didn't let him know I knew. I just approached him like he was a normal, every day guy that I just wanted to chat with. We quickly fell into easy conversation and started walking together through the market. He later informed me that he had to meet some friends back at his place and asked if I would like to come along and meet them. Of course I accepted. When we arrived at his apartment, I was absolutely thrilled when he opened the door and there sat the other members of Fleet Foxes. I was introduced and took a place on the couch, where I remained for the rest of the dream, chatting with this group of amazing musicians and in complete awe of my luck. Needless to say, I woke up with a combination of feelings. Worried about all of the things that I could forget or mess up if I don't plan well... but totally excited about the idea of meeting new people in a big, new place (now, don't think that I expect to meet Robin Pecknold walking through the market or anything like that... although, I wouldn't object to it. I just don't think the odds are in my favor on that one). It's so rare that I remember dreams. I just thought those were kind of interesting.
I graduate on May 16. Kris and I fly to Seattle on May 22. We plan on moving by the end of June. With each passing day, I feel more hopeful about my future. While I have an insane amount of work to do before I get my master's degree, I feel confident in my ability to accomplish these things. I'm so driven to succeed in this so I can move that it feels as though nothing can stand in my way. I won't let it. I'm so ready to move. So ready to be in the city I love. So ready to meet new people and make new friends (not that I don't love my friends here... I do. More than they'll ever know...). So ready to be surrounded by something other than fundamentalist attitudes EVERYWHERE I turn. So ready to be closer to the music scene and the bands I love. So ready to have more options for my future. So ready to be nearer to the Pacific and the mountains. I know I'm going to miss my family and friends when I leave and I'll probably even feel nostalgia toward Arkansas from time to time. It's time for a change, though. And it's been a long time coming.
Stuff I'm currently listening to and loving:
J. Tillman- Vacilando Territory Blues, I Will Return, and Minor Works. All GREAT albums. I checked this guy out after I started listening to Fleet Foxes. He's their drummer but has a solo career as well. His stuff is really great for the end of a stressful day, when you just need to wind down. He has a really soothing voice... in my opinion, anyway.
The Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack- It's up for best film score at the Academy Awards on Sunday. It's already won at the Golden Globes. It's really beautiful and compliments the movie in so many good ways. "O...Saya," which features MIA, is really awesome, especially if you listen to it in a car with a really good sound system... and "Jai Ho" will make you want to get up and dance.
Barcelona- A friend of mine gave me the songs "First Floor People," "Get Up, Get Up, Get Up," and "It's About Time" recently by this band called Barcelona. I can't get enough of these guys. Really heartfelt lyrics and music that reminds me of Keane... and sometimes Coldplay... and, on occasion, the bass lines of the Killers.
"The Sun Giant" EP, by Fleet Foxes- "Mykonos" is amazing. You never heard more perfect harmonies in folk music. That's all I'm going to say.
"Prospekt's March" EP, by Coldplay- They've simply added more to some songs from "Viva la Vida" and thrown in a few pieces that didn't make the cut for the full album. It's good stuff, though. The Jay-Z remix of "Lost" is particularly interesting... and well done, in my opinion.
The library's closing in 10 minutes and I will be run out soon enough. I'll try to update a bit from New Orleans in the upcoming week.
Peace.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Weather, a Thesis, and Outstanding Music as Usual
The weather here the past few days has been kind of crazy. We were bracing ourselves for a nightmare of a winter weather system, but other parts of the state seem to have taken the hit instead of us. We just got some freezing rain and sleet. I woke up this morning to a chilly 26 degrees and a thin layer of ice on the grass and trees. Not enough to close the university, though. While I would have loved to have had some fun with some snow and ice, I'm really glad that we didn't lose power to our home like thousands of others around the state have. Both of my parents living in different parts of northeast Arkansas lost electricity to their homes and still don't know when their services will return. My dad said his neighborhood looks like a war zone with all of the fallen trees and power lines. All I can do is hope things get fixed soon. I feel really bad for all of them. At least he and his wife have a fireplace and my mom, stepfather, and siblings are in possession of a propane heater. I can sleep knowing they won't freeze.
I wrote five pages on my thesis proposal today. I got the proposed experiment, hypotheses, ethical considerations, and methods sections completed. Now, I just have to get the introduction and the literature review put together. That's the hardest part for me. There's just so much literature to sift through and make sense of. It's difficult to know what I should and shouldn't include when SO MUCH of it seems completely relevant in some form. Either way, I hope to have a rough draft to submit to my adviser by the end of this week. I really want to get this thing written and proposed within the next couple of weeks so I can get approval from the Human Subjects Research Committee to go forward with my project. I'd really like to have the experiment completed and date collected by the time spring break gets here so I can analyze and defend my findings in April. I don't want to be finishing this thing the week before I graduate.
There's yet another Death Cab for Cutie concert on the horizon. They're going to be playing a show in Memphis at the Orpheum Theater with Ra Ra Riot (!!!!!!!!!) on April 11th, along with the Cold War Kids. I've never listened to the Cold War Kids, but I LOVE Ra Ra Riot and never imagined that I'd get to see them before moving to Seattle. Tickets are only $40 and it's only a 3 hour drive from here to Memphis (as opposed to the 6 and a half I drove to St. Louis for the one in October). Not a bad deal in my eyes. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to see Ben Gibbard, Chris Walla, Nick Harmer, and Jason McGerr make awesome music together yet again. And always adds a really sweet icing to the cake when they play with other great bands (as they did with Rogue Wave last May in Columbia and Fleet Foxes last October in St. Louis). Tickets go on sale Friday. Wish me luck for good seats!
If you're not familiar with Fleet Foxes drummer J. Tillman, you should really check him out. He's put out a number of solo albums over the past few years. I got three of them Monday night and have been listening to them every since. It's really laid back, quiet, folky stuff that I find equally soothing and haunting simultaneously. His voice really does a number on me, much like Robin Pecknold's and Ben Gibbard's. Anyway, his music is my companion for the week. I highly recommend it.
I must shut down the music lab now and head to my house. Hot tea and good music will be had upon arriving home. The night is young.
Peace.
I wrote five pages on my thesis proposal today. I got the proposed experiment, hypotheses, ethical considerations, and methods sections completed. Now, I just have to get the introduction and the literature review put together. That's the hardest part for me. There's just so much literature to sift through and make sense of. It's difficult to know what I should and shouldn't include when SO MUCH of it seems completely relevant in some form. Either way, I hope to have a rough draft to submit to my adviser by the end of this week. I really want to get this thing written and proposed within the next couple of weeks so I can get approval from the Human Subjects Research Committee to go forward with my project. I'd really like to have the experiment completed and date collected by the time spring break gets here so I can analyze and defend my findings in April. I don't want to be finishing this thing the week before I graduate.
There's yet another Death Cab for Cutie concert on the horizon. They're going to be playing a show in Memphis at the Orpheum Theater with Ra Ra Riot (!!!!!!!!!) on April 11th, along with the Cold War Kids. I've never listened to the Cold War Kids, but I LOVE Ra Ra Riot and never imagined that I'd get to see them before moving to Seattle. Tickets are only $40 and it's only a 3 hour drive from here to Memphis (as opposed to the 6 and a half I drove to St. Louis for the one in October). Not a bad deal in my eyes. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to see Ben Gibbard, Chris Walla, Nick Harmer, and Jason McGerr make awesome music together yet again. And always adds a really sweet icing to the cake when they play with other great bands (as they did with Rogue Wave last May in Columbia and Fleet Foxes last October in St. Louis). Tickets go on sale Friday. Wish me luck for good seats!
If you're not familiar with Fleet Foxes drummer J. Tillman, you should really check him out. He's put out a number of solo albums over the past few years. I got three of them Monday night and have been listening to them every since. It's really laid back, quiet, folky stuff that I find equally soothing and haunting simultaneously. His voice really does a number on me, much like Robin Pecknold's and Ben Gibbard's. Anyway, his music is my companion for the week. I highly recommend it.
I must shut down the music lab now and head to my house. Hot tea and good music will be had upon arriving home. The night is young.
Peace.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Oscar Time
The Academy Award nominees for 2009 were released yesterday. "Slumdog Millionaire," my pick for the year (last year it was "Juno"...2007, it was "Little Miss Sunshine"...and in 2006, it was, OF COURSE, "Brokeback Mountain." I'm still upset about that one losing to "Crash," but that's a different rant for a different time), has been nominated for 10 categories: Achievment in Cinematography, Achievement in Directing (Danny Boyle), Achievement in Film Editing, Achievement in Music Written for a Motion Picture (Original Score by A.R. Rahman), Achievement in Music Written for a Motion Picture (Original Songs: "Jai Ho," music by A.R. Rahman, lyrics by Gulzar; "O Saya," Music and Lyrics by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam (a.k.a., M.I.A)), Best Motion Picture of the Year, Achievement in Sound Editing, Achievement in Sound Mixing, AND Adapted Screenplay. "Milk," another film I've been following about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected public official who was later assassinated in San Francisco, has been nominated for 8 awards: Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Sean Penn), Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Josh Brolin), Achievement in Costume Design, Achievment in Directing (Gus Van Sant), Achievement in Film Editing, Achievement in Music Written for a Motion Picture (Original Score by Danny Elfman), Best Motion Picture of the Year, AND Original Screenplay. LONG LIST! I'm really excited to see how both of these films do on February 22.
I made playlist last night comprised of over 125 songs spanning everything from Rascal Flatts to film scores. IT'S AMAZING. I've been listening to it all morning and haven't skipped a single song. I love it when I do simple, meaningless things like this well. Music just means so much to me and to have hours of my favorite songs put together in such a pleasing way is just a really cool feeling for me.
I can't wait to go dancing tonight and let loose for a while. I also can't wait to see Martin. He will be receiving a number of hugs and kisses (on the cheek) from me. It's going to be a good night.
I hope the weekend treats everyone well.
Peace.
I made playlist last night comprised of over 125 songs spanning everything from Rascal Flatts to film scores. IT'S AMAZING. I've been listening to it all morning and haven't skipped a single song. I love it when I do simple, meaningless things like this well. Music just means so much to me and to have hours of my favorite songs put together in such a pleasing way is just a really cool feeling for me.
I can't wait to go dancing tonight and let loose for a while. I also can't wait to see Martin. He will be receiving a number of hugs and kisses (on the cheek) from me. It's going to be a good night.
I hope the weekend treats everyone well.
Peace.
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