We can dance to the radio station that plays in our teeth

Two weeks of movies: The Netflix crash course

2009-03-03T02:34:04Z

I signed up for a free trial of Netflix and decided to binge on as many movies as I could in two weeks without totally ignoring my real life. I got through 11, which is pretty good all things considered, and lots of them were very good. Here's what I saw and what I thought (don't worry, no spoilers):

Juno – I enjoyed this, although it didn’t quite live up to all the crazy hype. I did like the attitude and spunk Diablo Cody brought, although honestly I would probably hate Juno if I knew her in real life. However, Allison Janney can do no wrong, in my humble opinion.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith – This was the perfect movie to watch on Valentine’s Day: sexy actors, rage, violence and deception. Good stuff.

The Fountain – A really beautiful art piece. The lighting alone makes this worth a viewing. Some of the parallels and visual ties between the past, present, and future storylines were very striking and gracefully done. But it felt like something was missing and I can’t quite put my finger on what. I almost wish they’d done one more draft on the script. It seemed to hint at a lot of profound ideas, not quite posing questions and definitely not giving concrete answers. As a piece of cinematic art, I liked it, but even a day later I’m still mulling over what more I wanted from the movie. I may need to watch it again later and see if my opinion holds.

Real Women Have Curves – I really want to have a beer and shoot the breeze with America Ferrera. I think she seems like such a fun, laid-back gal. The plot here is nothing new and I don’t think it was terribly realistic (how many high school teachers just happen to be best buds with the dean at Columbia University?), but there’s still a lot of charm in this movie. And mad props to Lupe Ontiveros, who played the mom; she was fantastic.

Me and You and Everyone We Know – A movie about damaged and detached people. I don’t quite know what to do with movies like this because it seems like they’re trying so hard to be “deep” that I can’t simply enjoy them. Visually, though, this one had great colors and some of the character quirks were brilliant. I really liked the idea of technology and connection and art, and the sections that dealt with that were my favorites. The squicky dude hitting on the teenaged girls was not my favorite, nor was the chatroom side plot. However, I’d give this movie the nod for best writing thus far in the Netflix experiment. This is also the first movie in this endeavor where I especially noticed the instrumental soundtrack and felt like it was a very right fit. The more I think about it after the fact, the more I like it. I’d like to watch it again once the marathon’s over.

I’m Not There – Awesome. Really awesome. I don’t know a lot of Bob Dylan history, but I liked this idea of presenting his many self-inventions. Interesting way of presenting an artist, music, fame and creation. Cate Blanchett and Marcus Carl Franklin were fantastic, Christian Bale had some great moments, lots of excellent supporting roles. Lots of great writing and great visuals. Not only do I want to listen to copious amounts of Dylan now, I kind of want to buy this movie.

Be Kind Rewind – Very cute and had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. I wish I’d seen more of the movies they were recreating, but I still enjoyed it. Jack Black is one of my favorite movie comedians, and I think he can really shine in smart films like this one (also High Fidelity). I’d definitely recommend it.

Waiting for Guffman – The best part of the movie was about half an hour in when I realized Corky St. Clair was the six-fingered man from The Princess Bride. Who knew? The movie itself was just sort of okay for me. A little disappointing.

Thank You For Smoking – Smart and sassy. I laughed out loud at several points, and both the writing and acting were totally solid. Oddly, I feel like it had really good sets: very strong yet modern in lines and colors. It made a fitting backdrop, so props to the design team. My only question was an element of the Katie Holmes plotline, and honestly, I would have cast somebody else. She was the weakest link in a great cast and she just bothers me on principle. But despite my brief disappointment to a kind of obvious plot twist, the movie redeemed itself and took a slightly different take than I expected for the ending. I really enjoyed it and would watch it again.

Burn After Reading – If memory serves, this was my first Coen brothers movie. It was pretty good, but not a stand-out for me. Brad Pitt was hysterical, though. I really think I’ve sold him short all these years. I’ve seen him in movies that are pure fluff (see Mr. and Mrs. Smith), but even then he’s really got something kind of magic on screen. He’s a scene-stealer. The saving orphans and being incredibly sexy don’t hurt either. So good for you, Brad, you’ve finally won me over. Coen brothers, you still have some work to do.

Lars and the Real Girl – This was such a good movie to end the Netflix venture on. It was sweet and a little sad and seriously renewed my faith in humanity. (What, sometimes a girl has doubts.) It’s another one that I plan on watching again and possibly adding to my collection. I don’t have anything else concrete to say other than to highly, highly recommend it.

Top 10 Favorite Movies

2009-02-18T05:05:08Z

At dinner this evening, we started talking about our top five movies of all time. I gave my list, started debating my number five selection, then decided to be all-inclusive and just come up with a top ten. So here you are, dear readers, Anna's ten favorite movies to date, roughly in order:

1) Amelie (A past boyfriend said this choice as my favorite movie of all time said a lot about me. Take that as you will.)
2) Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Held the #1 spot until junior year of college. I still cry at the end every time.)
3) Ferris Bueller's Day Off
4) Singin' in the Rain
5) Star Wars (A New Hope, and not the ridiculous extended version)
6) High Fidelity
7) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
8) Run Lola Run
9) The Matrix
10) The Court Jester

I also feel like I should note the honorable mention due to A Muppet Christmas Carol, as I have watched it more times than any other movie and can recite the whole thing verbatim, complete with musical numbers. However, this list could be subject to change since I'm finally giving in to the siren song of Netflix. More on my two-week, free-trial, crash-cinema-catch-up is forthcoming.

Sundry notes

2009-02-05T23:05:06Z

I realized that I've been involved with social dancing for a year now. An anniversary, if you will. It's getting serious. I was out on a date recently and after I mentioned going to a blues event that weekend, he asked if I had any hobbies besides dancing. Swing dancing is not a hobby. It's like if I said breathing was a hobby. It's much too important, too essential to be called that. Lindy and blues have become such a huge chunk of my life, my time and (gradually) my social circle. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I made an actual account on iTunes today to redeem a gift card. I also have over $100 in gift cards to Barnes & Noble or Borders. I'm pretty excited about converting them all into shiny new things.

Related to the above, I need recommendations on contemporary authors. The only person I can think of who's publishing now that I want to read more of is Haruki Murakami, but I need more than that. My writing is stalled once again, so I want to devour as many books as I can and try to force it into sparking. Go.

I watched five movies over the past week: Fight Club, Newsies, The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human, Waking Ned Divine, and Liar Liar. I'd never seen any of them before. Waking Ned Divine made me think about James Joyce and how much his writing captures the culture, mindset and lifestyle of Ireland. I'm kind of proud that they're my people, albeit several generations removed.

I've been listening to "Room On Fire" by The Strokes quite a bit recently.

I'm finally throwing a party tomorrow. It's been months since I've had one, so I'm pretty excited. I also realized that there's a good chance the guests will be predominantly guys. I don't think that's ever happened at one of my soirees before. Weird.

A note to all you chef-types

2009-01-06T21:04:31Z

You may have a delicious cookie recipe that calls for two cans of sweetened condensed milk. You may start making those cookies, take the cans out of the cabinet and then realize that, despite coming in virtually identical packaging, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

*headdesk*

Don't let this happen to you, my friends! Read the labels!
Excuse me, now, I'm off to get very creative in the kitchen.

Go baby, go baby

2008-12-21T23:19:42Z

I've been a very busy chickadee for the past week and a half. Let's recap, shall we?

12/10 - Had Nikki and Chez over for dinner. Killed two bottles of wine and had a very merry evening.
12/11 - Saw Die Hard for the first time. Was surprised by how good it is.
12/12 - Awkward night spent as a fifth wheel and/or way too sober for the company. Can't win 'em all.
12/13 - Went to a huge blues party in Rogers Park. Had some spectacular dances, ate very tasty desserts and was doubly inspired to throw a dance at my apartment next month.
12/14 - Had Amanda over for dinner. Made a vegan Mediterranean feast with only a little mishap when I discovered that making hummus in a blender really doesn't work.
12/15 - Had Leanne over for dinner. Made a really good mac and cheese, caught up on life and love lives.
12/16 - Observed a Justin musician interview and experienced a heavy metal burger at Kuma's. Very tasty.
12/17 - Office holiday dinner in Evanston. Free food and wine with my cool coworkers? Yes please!
12/18 - Intelligentsia in the south loop and German Christmas market, two firsts for me.
12/19 - Dinner at the Hollywood Grill and then Bluetopia with more spectacular dances.
12/20 - Had a pretty spectacular baking failure, but made amends by drinking glogg and watching Muppet Christmas Carol with Jenny.
12/21 - Survived the -12 degree weather to go to the Intelligentsia on Broadway and the Chicago Diner with Amanda and YZ. Got back about an hour ago and am still thawing.

Tomorrow I'll finally be back at Fizz and then Tuesday it's back to Madison for a few days. I'm still in slight disbelief every now and then at what my life has become, but in a very, very good way. Yes, I'm often confused or bemused, but I'm also really happy. I like it.

Today's confession:

2008-12-08T03:54:22Z

I have no idea what I'm doing.

Carry on.

Music: 808s and Heartbreak

2008-12-05T18:29:30Z

The purists and the hip-hop heads will hate Kanye West's new album. Let's just be honest about it. It's a big departure from his past work and honestly, I wouldn't even class it as a hip-hop album. The closest he comes to actual rapping is on "Heartless" and there are two guest spots from Young Jeezy and Lil' Wayne (neither is very impressive). Instead, he sings through an Auto-Tune on every single track. I actually had to double check that T-Pain wasn't guesting on any of the songs. So yes, some major changes in sound for Mr. West.

I'll need to give it a few more listens before I can say whether I like the album or whether it's just okay. I do like a few of the tracks quite a bit: "Love Lockdown," "Heartless," "Paranoid," and "Say You Will." But just know that it is going to sound different than what you'd expect from Kanye and go into it with open ears and an open mind.

One of the things that struck me most about the album is the contrast. Much of Kanye's fame is based on his swagger, the braggadocio confidence that he's the best and no critic can tell him otherwise. That idea was the central theme of his amazing "Glow In The Dark" show. He's a star and he knows it. He's never had any qualms about saying exactly what's on his mind. But while the honesty I think is still there on 808s, it's rife with insecurities. From the jittery electronica beats to the simplified pop lyrics to that damn Auto-Tune, much of the album sounds nervous, edgy, uncertain.

The title doesn't lie: it's an album about heartbreak. No political tracks. No rap game and fame. No shout outs or attacks. Love never really featured prominently in past albums. Sex yes. Family yes. Love...no tracks immediately come to mind. In the past year, Kanye's mother died and another review of 808s said that he also had a bad split with his fiance. That's some heavy shit to go through, and it would be impossible for that not to come out in his music. I remember my initial reaction to Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool" was similar, a very dark album after the death of his father and imprisonment of his mentor and friend. It's a new direction for Kanye, and it gives some encouragement that there really is a heart and feeling behind the reputation he's created for himself.

I actually liked a lot of the music. Kanye's a great producer and he has a strong ear. A lot of the tracks have retro-sounding synth vamps matched with broad, slow hip-hop beats. And I really do appreciate when an artist is willing to try something so utterly out in left field. He ran the college/fuzzy bear arc for as long as it needed to go, and he's too creative to continue in the same vein just because it's worked in the past. Kanye never really settled for traditional-sounding hip-hop tracks, so I give him full props for coming up with a new sound that fits the album's changed, sadder subject matter.

However. For a man who has spit some of the sharpest, wittiest lines I've heard, the writing really suffered here. And I feel bad saying that, because I do think that Kanye's usual honesty is still in full force here. I would believe that he is not in a good place right now and that he means every word he says. But the way he phrased a lot of the songs just doesn't sound original. Who knows, maybe heartbreak is just too universal to be expressed in a new way? Doubtful. "RoboCop" especially didn't sit well with me lyrically, but the "Pinocchio Story" track I think had some of the most interesting writing. It's also a bad sign that I just finished listening to the whole album, and other than the two songs I'd already heard, I couldn't sing back a single memorable line.

Despite my mixed feelings about the album, one of the things I like about Kanye is that he's never boring. He always has something to say, he has brilliant ideas, and he's a master showman. If 808s ends up being an aberration in his catalogue and he goes back into traditional hip-hop, then you can bet it's going to be a good listen. If he carries on in this vein, maybe finding a way to blend his old flow with his new sound, I would be on board with that too. But, and I'm surprised to be saying this, I do hope he gets some swagger back.

Second city? Says who?

2008-11-20T21:45:44Z

“There is a really strong sense of self in Chicago: People aren’t defined by wealth or by work or accomplishments, but rather who they are,” said Alex Kotlowitz, an author who makes his home in Chicago because he believes it is a place to peer into America’s heart. “Obama seems so comfortable in his skin and with who he is. That’s so Chicago.”

1) I love the irony of that appearing in The New York Times.
2) I love that it's largely true.
3) I love Chicago.

Chicago Bakery Project: More

2008-11-19T22:58:17Z

More, 11/5/2008

More is the latest project by Chicago pastry chef legend Gale Gand (who I’m pretty sure was training a guy behind the counter while another woman rang me up – how cool!). The shop is in Gold Coast, at the corner of State and Delaware, and it is tiny. And empty. It’s strictly a carry-out operation, with no space for tables or chairs. The cupcakes look like a modern art installation, displayed behind a hanging glass plate almost up to the ceiling. The options range from traditional to highly creative, with chocolate, red velvet, pumpkin, and…bacon?

Yes, a bacon maple cupcake. How could I not try it?

It was very, very good. The cake had a nice balance of the two flavors, including plenty of bacon bits mixed in with the batter. Its texture was more like a biscuit than a cake, which I actually enjoyed. There is no greater sin, in my world, than a dry cupcake, and I’m not sure if it’s that might be because there was actually maple syrup in the mix or just because Gale Gand is a genius. However, the cake was very, very crumbly, and I probably grossed out the old Italian man on the other end of the park bench by making a mess.

This was a rare occasion for me where the cake component outshone the frosting. It had a light maple flavor, and was little more than very smooth whipped cream. Personally, I’m partial to a butter frosting, and I would have thought butter and bacon would be the obvious choice. But then again, we are talking bacon in a cupcake, so maybe obvious isn’t the point. It was fine, but not as interesting in taste or texture as the cake.

I’d like to make a note on cupcake architecture. I’ve noticed a lot of bakeries are taking a new approach to frosting. Instead of spreading a thin, uniform, some bakers are dropping a cylindrical dollop of frosting on top of the cake. It almost looks like the cupcake is wearing a Cossack hat. In theory, I think this is a fantastic idea. For me the cake is almost always a vehicle for the sweet, sweet frosting. But in practice, I have two problems with this approach. The first is aesthetics. It just doesn’t look as appetizing to me. I think I may be a cupcake traditionalist: I want it to look like a cupcake. The second, and more serious problem, is mechanics. It’s damn near impossible to eat that style of cupcake without getting frosting all over your face.

For a final verdict, I’d say the place lives up to its name. I want more. I’ve read in reviews that they sometimes have goat cheese cupcakes and other bacon combinations, but I’d also be curious to try a more typical offering to see how the cake and frosting might change for a sweet dessert rather than a savory one. On a practical note, my cupcake was just under $4.50, which I’d say is a wee bit steep for any single baked good, but in this case I think it’s mostly justified. Also, according to Centerstage Chicago, the sweet cupcakes are a bit cheaper. It’s a good indulgence, especially if the whole selection lives up to this first taste.

Epilogue, 11/18/08 – I went back for more, a chocolate and vanilla mix. Tthe cake was just the right degree of crumbly and flavorful and sweet. The frosting was superbly fudgy and was topped with a mop of white chocolate curls. Like the bacon maple variety, it was a little messy to eat, especially if you’re like me and want to save the frosting for last. But absolutely worth the effort. It’s a good thing I’m covering all sorts of baked goods on this adventure, because I may have found my cupcake supplier for life.

All Hallows Eve

2008-11-01T09:48:59Z

Proof positive that I am convincing in drag: at least one person saw me and instantly knew I was Justin Timberlake. Also people who know me saw me walk into the party and thought I was a guy (seriously, that made my night). God, I love Halloween. Candy, costumes, booze, and free Chipotle. Best holiday ever.

moremixtapes @ 2008-10-26T17:01:00

2008-10-26T22:09:25Z

I'm pretty sure I want to move to Roscoe Village when our lease ends on the Pirate Den next summer. The fact that I could walk to both Fizz and Galaxie plays no small part in my thinking. Same goes for the Bleeding Heart Bakery.

I did a lot of awesome blues dancing this weekend and my legs are still sore. Also Jenny and I went to The Bongo Room for their fall brunch offerings. Pumpkin pancakes are a very, very good thing.

Guys who live in Chicago: I need a tie, a black or gray vest, and black Converse sneakers for my Halloween costume. I'll repay you in baked goods of your choice if you can lend me any of the aforementioned items before Friday. : )

CPL

2008-10-16T23:49:29Z

I don't think I fully appreciated how amazing the Harold Washington Library is until this afternoon. I knew it was an interesting place, with a lovely indoor garden on the top floor and some cool art. But today I went in for the books and went into a mild ecstasy walking through the fiction shelves. There are just so many books out there, many of them good and brilliant and wonderful, too many to read in one lifetime. I wandered along the shelves in visual and performing arts, mesmerized by art criticism titles and chronicles of rock bands. The strangest thing is that I feel the interiors of most libraries are sort of...unappealing. But all those books...dear lord, books make life worth living. I would live in a library or a bookstore just to be surrounded by mountains of them all the time.

Blogging Tolstoy Part 3

2008-09-27T02:03:25Z

I read a novel recently called Tolstoy Lied. The premise is that, as the title implies, Tolstoy lied in that first line of Anna Karenina. The protagonist, a twentieth-century American literature professor, thinks his claim makes happiness seem boring. If all happy families are alike, then how are they possibly interesting? What is it about tragedy that fascinates us, as readers and human beings? She has also consciously chosen to be single, since her philosophy is that happiness does not require a family.

That is definitely not how I interpreted that line. I read it as saying that happy people have happiness in common, but not the things that make them happy or their expressions of happiness. But maybe that's the key distinction. A happy person is not necessarily part of a happy family. I think there are more commonalities between happy families than happy people, just because a family is an institution. Once you're in a family, you're a wheel in the machine, making it hum along smoothly and generate domestic bliss. Let's say families are like cars. They could be shiny Mercedes-Benzes or beat up Hondas, but if they're happy, they'll take you where you're going. The unhappy ones sit in the junkyard. So if I had to accept a generalization, I would say that Tolstoy actually was pretty close to the mark. But if you take apart that car/family, then look at all those little pieces! A piston is not a steering wheel is not a windshield wiper. Happy families may all be alike, but every happy person is happy in their own way.

I definitely did not expect that to turn into an automobile analogy. Go figure.

My mom gave me Tolstoy Lied for Christmas last year, and it was part of the reason why I made myself read Anna Karenina. It seemed like the logical order. After I finished Anna Karenina, I talked about it with my mom, I told her about my confusion regarding Anna. I somehow went into the novel expecting that I should feel sorry for her, that I should like her, so I was a little surprised that she was probably my least favorite of them all. Mom thought that was part of the novel's appeal, that all of the people are so flawed. I should point out that the first time I heard that opening line was from her, many, many years ago; Mom said it's one of her favorite lines in literature. She especially remembered Anna's selfishness, but that didn't bother me so much while I was reading. What irked me most was her dependence, her need to make her decisions based on the actions of her men. Granted, that partly a product of the novel's time, and I am very glad women today don't have to live like that. But it was a character thing too.

I would like to get married one day, but right now I'm too selfish to really consider it. Like Madame Karenina, I want it all. And I do wonder if, rather than have an affair and end up under a train, I will go about having it all by avoiding the matrimony thing altogether, either by choice or by accident. But that prospect doesn't scare me. I mean, the times I've been involved with guys, I usually turn into a mildly obsessive (and probably annoying) basket case. I'm good by myself.

Tolstoy Lied was a good book. Not perfect, not by a long shot. And although the ending wasn't bad per se, I sort of wanted it to resolve differently. But it was the right book at the right time. The subject matter exactly in tune with what had been on my mind recently, due to the weddings, flings, and agonizings about both that happened this summer. And it's a fantastically nerdy concept, a love story seen through a literary criticism lens. I wanted to read lit theory when I was done. Also within ten minutes of finishing, I knew two friends who I wanted to pass it along to (one of them has it now), which rarely happens when I finish a novel. It's the sort of reaction I live for, a book that's compelling, that I want to share and talk about and write about and analyze. It's the sort of novel I want to write. But that's another story.

Blogging Tolstoy Part 2

2008-09-15T01:18:38Z

So Tolstoy wrote, "All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

My response: All unhappy people are alike; every happy person is happy in their own way.

More to follow.

moremixtapes @ 2008-09-06T13:41:00

2008-09-06T19:34:29Z

Hi there, internets. Remember me? It's been a while. As usually happens when things are going well for me, I've completely neglected to update here.

I like my new job a lot. The other writers are interesting people, and I've been doing better on my edits. The morning hours aren't nearly so bad as I feared, and the toughest part has been going to bed at ten. I'm going to start easing back into a semi-normal life this week and see what happens.

But just in general, things are good. I can't believe it's almost fall.

moremixtapes @ 2008-08-11T16:32:00

2008-08-11T21:36:17Z

This breaks my heart.

I've said before that I have a love / hate relationship with this city, so full of pride and passion for the things that are good in Chicago and so ashamed of the bad. The number of shootings, especially of kids and teenagers, without question tops my list of what must be changed. Now.

Some observations from this weekend:

2008-08-10T19:14:01Z

- I swing both ways. In which 'ways' refers to East and West coast, not men and women. I am dying to say this in conversation some time and get very confused reactions.

- Schubas has really good mac and cheese. It's even better when accompanied by a gin and tonic and two mostly-drunk friends. At four in the afternoon.

- My relationship karma is shot to hell. I must have murdered my husband in some past life.

- Eating carrot cake and coffee for lunch is probably a bad idea, even when the carrot cake is really, really delicious.

- The Olympics are pretty damn awesome.

I do....(or maybe I don't)

2008-08-05T20:38:51Z

This weekend my college roommate got married. I hadn't been to a wedding since I was...maybe four? I didn't go to the actual ceremony at the mosque, but I did attend the mehndi and the shadi. The mehndi is for the women only; it's often the ceremony when everyone gets henna, but since there were about 50 ladies in attendance, that didn't happen. But there were skits and dancers, including yours truly. It was a very sweet, if a little surreal, experience to be there. There's this whole side to Muslim women that only other Muslim women really get to see. I was definitely the odd one out at the mehndi: white, non-Muslim, and about a head taller than everyone but the bride. But lots of the others said I danced just like an Indian girl, which I'm quite proud of. The reception (shadi) was a similar experience, but I managed to successfully wear a sari and again garner several compliments from both friends and strangers. I also had a companion in Laura, and we asked lots of questions of our Indian-wedding-savvy friends. The approach to this engagement was based on religion and culture one. She was expected to get married pretty soon after college, and the union was formed out of mutual respect and shared faith, with the trust that they would grow to love each other. And I am very certain that they will be happy together.

The day after the shadi, three friends gathered at the kitchen table with a bottle of wine and shared the latest news in our own love lives. Quite a change from watching the newlyweds hold hands for the first time, smiling and shyly averting their eyes. I don't think that a union based on shared ideology is more stable than one based on love and passion, but I do see a lot of sense in it. However, this is one realm in my exceedingly rational life where I am not terribly sensible. A marriage like hers might save you from some of the mild agonies that my friends and I confided in each other, yet I know my own past heartbreak was a life experience that I needed. Freedom comes with equal parts of power and peril, risk and reward. I may have known that subconsciously before, but I never quite articulated it to myself.

So in sum, it was a good weekend. I'm glad that I can be sincerely happy for my friends who are ready to be married, but not feel like I'm somehow behind the curve because I don't want the same thing. In fact, I don't know what I want, except to enjoy the ride and end up at a destination where I'm happy. So be it.

Some news of rather huge excitement

2008-07-24T02:33:00Z

So I got a new job.

I just found out on Monday, gave my notice at Hell on Tuesday, and my boss announced it at the staff meeting today. Telling people has been very fun, although my new job description isn't really any clearer than the current one. I figure by the time I actually start there (August 18), I'll have it condensed and perfected. The way this company was first described to me was, "you could say that we create a bunch of local newspapers." I'll be reading news articles, mostly about health care and medicine, and writing short summaries of them to send out to companies that don't have time to read the long version. I think the industry is best called 'business intelligence.' Basically, I'll be a journalist. I feel completely legit saying that, because I now own a copy of the AP Stylebook. And to cement my reputation as a huge nerd, I will tell you that I read/skimmed the whole thing before my first interview and found it kind of fascinating.

Anyways, I'm really over the moon about the change. And it will be a change. The company's in the same suburb where I've been working, but I need to be in the office at 6:30 am. I foresee a quick caffeine addiction and complete lack of a social life while I adjust to waking up at five in the morning. But this is the way to break into any competitive industry: start at the bottom and work your way up. I'm thrilled that someone is paying me to write, that I'll be learning a whole new style, and that I'll be working with other writers. Joy!

I'm ready for the challenge.

Pitchfork Music Festival Recap

2008-07-21T04:14:54Z

AKA - I need a weekend to recover from my weekend.

Friday: Saw Public Enemy perform "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back." This was hip-hop history, living legends on stage. I have so much respect for Chuck D, so seeing him live was pretty phenomenal. And Flavor Flav...the man's a hoot. He said something about his reality show and when patches of the crowd booed, he told them off. He also gave the most ridonkulous uplifting message at the end of the set. DJ Lloyd (replacement for Terminator X) got a solo bit during the encore and holy fuck it was scratching and syncing and I have no idea what the technical terms are for the things he did to that record but damn it was good. Post-show went to Erin and Nickd's place for fancy beer. Had creme brulee beer. Must acquire that.

Saturday: Got drenched in the three blocks between my apartment and the bus stop. D'oh. Heard some of Fuck Buttons, but left to go hear Dizzee Rascal. I have a soft spot for British rappers (well, The Streets at least). I love the accent of course, but the whole manner of delivery and approach towards beats is different. Dizzee was really on and the crowd loved it. Must acquire his albums. Then we had the fantastic dance party one-two punch of !!! and The Hold Steady. Got to rock out and be that obnoxious flailing dancer for the latter show with Austin. Must acquire The Hold Steady albums. I left the park right after their set to go home and recover before going downtown to see The Dark Knight. I wouldn't have gone of my own accord, but my friend Chez and already seen it and insisted. It might be the first Batman movie I've seen in full. It was good. I love watching movies filmed in Chicago. They showed a nighttime skyline shot and Nikki and I looked at each other and smiled. Unfortunately it was mid-downpour when the film let out. We waited for awhile, and then Nikki and I broke into "Eye of the Tiger" to hype ourselves up for braving the rain. It had mostly let up but I decided I was too tired to hike to the blue line and hailed a cab. As we were just leaving the River North area this dude walked up to the cab, opened the passenger side door and sat down. He didn't say anything. The cab driver told him to get out, first civilly and then aggressively. I swear they were this close to a fistfight. Finally the douchebag left the cab and walked away, flipping off the driver. That was interesting. Was too wired to sleep and finished off "Anna Karenina."

Sunday: Slept in. Camped out for Les Savy Fav, sharing an umbrella, hand-held fan, and small-town stories with a couple of strangers. Rocked out to Les Savy Fav. I'm getting better at seeing bands I'm completely unfamiliar with live and still having a blast. Saw Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. Again, I'm not at all familiar with the Wu-Tang or any of Ghostface Killah's solo work, but the rest of the crowd was. It's not so much my style of hip-hop: they favor heavy thumping bass with little to no melodic line. But it was a pretty solid show. I had hoped to see some of Cut Copy but they were still setting up at quarter to nine, and I decided that Spoon was more important. They are. I love Britt Daniels' voice and he's just as good live as on record. Their set seemed way too short (curse you, noise ordinances!) but it was just exciting to hear a great band live. Must acquire their earlier albums. Walked home at record speed for a cold shower and cold water.

And now, sleep.

moremixtapes @ 2008-07-12T10:28:00

2008-07-12T15:39:47Z

It's funny, I consider Broken Social Scene's "You Forgot It In People" one of my favorite albums, but I only listen to it when I'm feeling sad or pensive. I remember listening to "Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl" on my headphones in sophomore year when I was feeling existential. I looped "Looks Just Like the Sun" while sitting out on the lakefill as a senior and even tried to write about it in a personal essay.

The flip side of this is that I'm being forced to be practical, which I'm usually so good at, but which isn't easy when my head somehow got lightyears ahead of reality. That's all I really feel like saying about it.

Blogging Tolstoy

2008-07-08T01:46:36Z

I decided that this would be the summer I read Anna Karenina. A couple years ago I'd gotten about a hundred pages in before getting confused by the Russian nicknames and surnames and giving up. Plus, for Christmas my mom got me a novel called Tolstoy Lied (referencing the famous "Happy families" first line of Anna Karenina) so I wanted to read the original before finding out if/how he was wrong. On my last trip to Myopic, I found a cheap copy and knew that the time had come. I've been working on it for maybe two weeks and am halfway through. The names have been much easier, possibly due to the way this is translated (the famous first line was different than I'd ever heard it, for starters). But there is one problem that I really did not expect.

I don't like the book.

Reading it feels like a chore. I was expecting a sweeping epic about love and life, and although I do find the romance plotlines compelling, overall the book is falling flat. I don't want to abandon it again, but there are so many other books I'd rather delve into. Somehow I haven't gotten pulled past the surface, to really sympathize with the characters and their dilemmas.

From the get-go, my favorite characters were Levin and Anna. But Levin keeps swinging back from one extreme to the other - I must live a farmer's life of honest work, now I'm smitten with Kitty again, now I want to be a agricultural economist/historian/politico - that it's hard to suspend disbelief that he's feeling all those passions sincerely. I can't pinpoint when I lost my interest in Anna. She just turned sort of...helpless all of a sudden. She's been a little inconsistent too, first saying she can't live without her son and then swearing that she would run away with Vronsky if he asked her. In complete fairness, though, I did really enjoy the chapters about Kitty meeting Mademoiselle Varenka at the spa. She says something about realizing that she can't make herself into a selfless woman who cares only for invalids, even though she tries very hard to. Of course I can't find that section now that I want it, but it was one of the highlights for me thus far. It was very insightful, true, and bittersweet.

Sadly, moments like that have been rare for me in the novel. I really am not digging Tolstoy's style. Again, this could very well be the fault of the translation, but much of it feels clunky. I don't see much beauty or finesse in his language. And he rambles! Looong discourse on random theories and ideas that I can't clearly connect to the story. If I ever have philosophical questions to address in a story, I will have my characters hash it out in a draft, but I wouldn't leave it that way, and this is a prime example of why. It pulls you out of the world of the story and into your own head. I haven't found a graceful way of pulling that off yet, and it's one of my biggest stumbling blocks in fiction work at the moment. I do think it's essential to address difficult or profound questions in literature, but I want my work to read as a story, not a thinly-disguised philosophy textbook. I have no background on Tolstoy; this is the first work of his I've read. But I must admit I'm a little leery of jumping into anything else of his.

These are just my midpoint thoughts. If there are any Tolstoy fans or scholars in the audience who can give me advice on finishing, please speak up. Just don't give anything away!

Currently in the headphones

2008-06-26T03:45:42Z

Things are nutty as ever at work, but I'm finding small things to keep me sane. One of them is eating zucchini muffins (seriously, they could end wars they're so good). Here are three more things:

"Raising Sand" - Robert Plant and Allison Krauss
Yes, that Robert Plant and that Allison Krauss. For those of you who did not grow up in a classic rock household, Robert Plant was the singer of Led Zeppelin. For those of you who ignore anything that might be remotely like country music, Allison Krauss is a popular bluegrass artist. This album is such an unexpected delight. Despite the chasms separating the two singers in age and genre, they make a really good team. It is a bluegrass/folk album and almost all of the songs have the timeless feel that I associate with the blues, like they've been sung by countless people and in countless versions, but they're still so gosh darn good. There's so much potential in a simple melody and honest lyrics. I actually don't know if any of these songs are really old-school blues tunes, but that's the atmosphere they've created and I just love it. I'd only heard Allison Krauss's solo work indirectly, in friends' rooms at my old dorm. I remember finding it pleasant, but not especially memorable. She really is a good vocalist, though, and she's got more bite in her than I thought. Robert Plant is still pretty badass, and his lead on "Fortune Teller" is one of my favorites. Amazingly, the pair sounds fantastic harmonizing together. Their cover of "Gone Gone Gone" and the duet "Through the Morning, Through the Night" are two more highlights. Seriously, it's worth a listen just to hear what the man behind "Stairway to Heaven" is doing with his life.

"Aquemini" - Outkast
I approached Outkast backwards. 2003's double release "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" was the first album of theirs I heard (and I still really like both halves), followed by "Stankonia" from 2000. "Aquemini" was their third release (1998) and the third I heard, and it's interesting to hear their progression in reverse. This middle album seems to have the best balance so far between substance in the rhymes and an off-kilter feel in the production, sounding original without being completely wackadoo. I'm very curious to get my hands on "ATLiens" and "Southernplaylisticadillacmuzik" and hear the earliest roots of the group. Highlight tracks for me: "Rosa Parks," "Skew it on the Bar-B," "Aquemini," and "Da Art of Storytellin," but they're all pretty good. As a rule, I protest the presence of skits and dialogue in rap cds, but Outkast always manages to throw in a couple that really make me laugh, particularly the brief exchange at the end of the title track. And that's always been Outkast's charm. Not only are they whip-smart with great ears, they're also damn funny. It's a golden combination in hip-hop. I'm sorry to see that the duo seems to have called it quits in favor of film pursuits (has anyone actually seen "Idylwild?" I heard it was mediocre, but I still want to watch it), but at least they left us with plenty of quality work to feel nostalgic about.

"Late Registration" - Kanye West
Speaking of going backwards, it is my humble opinion that Kanye's albums have gotten worse. Not that any of them are bad (and I actually haven't listened to "Graduation" straight, although I've heard all of the individual tracks - thank you, youtube!), but for me "College Dropout" had the most brashness, swagger, and originality not to mention the highest ratio of good songs to annoying skits. But lately it's been Kanye West's sophomore release that's getting me through the work day. I mostly blame "Touch the Sky" for that. Kanye closed his Glow in the Dark tour with it, a great encore for a great show. I'd somehow forgotten what an awesome track it is, so now it's perpetually in my head as penance. Can we just take a moment to give "Move On Up" props for being a really frickin' awesome song and being sampled/reused in brilliant ways? Thanks. It's not just the Curtis Mayfield sampling that's keeping me listening, though. There's also a great one-two punch of "Drive Slow," a semi-biographic track with a beautiful sax line, followed by "My Way Home," a short, sad Common feature where Kanye doesn't rap or sing at all. He's still got plenty to say, though. I mean, this is Kanye West. Echoes of the military-gospel sound from "Jesus Walks" come through in the incisive "Crack Music." The oddly creepy ramble of "Addiction" touches on the darker side of fame. There are two cuts of politically-charged "Diamonds from the Sierra Leone," one with a Jay-Z guest spot and one without. Two of the women in Kanye's life get songs in their honor: "Hey Mama" for his late mother and "Roses" for his grandmother. It's a very different sound from "College Dropout," but what he says is never boring.

On a semi-related note, I heard Grandmaster Flash do an interview and a brief DJ set on the radio this afternoon. What did you do for lunch today?

Movie Review: Sex and the City

2008-06-13T03:39:17Z

I saw the Sex and the City movie last night with some friends. I went just to ogle the clothes and I figured I wouldn't like the storylines they used. I have a lot of thoughts, but I shall put them under a cut for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

It's not a good movie. Several of the outfits were crave-worthy, but sadly, costumes and a wacko stylist alone cannot make for a solid film. There was none of the sharp writing of the TV show, and the characters weren't as true. None of the stories really felt like they fit the people or the tone. But as I thought about it this evening, I realized that there are some legit reasons for the clumsiness of the plot. Charlotte didn't really have any new development. At one point in the back half of the movie, the women talk about whether or not they're happy in their lives and relationships. Charlotte says that she's happy every day - not all of every day, but she feels happy and in love at some point every day. Interesting that the most conservative and traditional perspective is the one who's shown as the happiest.

I did like that the movie still presents different philosophies towards relationships, although at this point in their lives, they've narrowed down from four to two. By the end of the moie, three of the women are married, but Samantha leaves her boyfriend Smith. Her mantra is "I love you, but I love me more." It sounds selfish and stupid, but when it's contrasted with Carrie's reaction to her botched wedding, it looks a little more reasonable. Carrie comes across as needy, incomplete without a man who loves her. That used to be Charlotte's territory, but in the movie she's gotten her happy ending and is just perfectly content. As nice as it is for them to wind up in married pairs, I have a lot of respect for the idea that a fifty-year-old woman would leave her younger and incredibly hot boyfriend to live the kind of lifestyle she wants. It's an incredibly gutsy thing to do, and was a fantastic (if probably unrealistic) counterpart to the wedding plans of Ms. Bradshaw.

Maybe the reason the plots were so clunky is because for women who are used to being independent, there's no clear plan for where to go down the line. I'm not sure I believe that marriage is right for everyone or that I can imagine myself promising to be with just one man forever and ever amen. And that was so much of the appeal in the show: women who were willing and able to live their love lives on their own terms. And isn't that what we all want?

One of those days

2008-06-04T18:27:29Z

I went to Whole Foods on my lunch break today to get some fruit and something calorific to boost my mood. On the way back as I crossed the street, I heard a voice call out "Good afternoon!" I looked up from the midpoint of the street and saw a round-faced man smiling from the seat of a tall white van.
"Hi." I said with a small smile.
"Have a good day!"
I looked back down and reached the other side of the sidewalk. As I walked back to the office, my first thought was, "Aww, random act of kindness." My second thought was, "Fuck I still hate everything."
This is not good.

I won't bother you with my whining. But things aren't looking so hot in my little world right now. Except for dancing. Dancing makes everything better, and at this point, I will gladly sacrifice my coherence on Tuesday mornings to go out for swing and lindy til the wee hours of Monday nights. Although I did kind of badly with a few people, I also danced really, really well with several. One guy asked me if I did ballet, and I found a couple new favorite partners to look for next week. Damn, even just writing about it makes me feel better. Between that and some Ghirardelli, I think I can survive the day.