No. 145: upward over the mountain

Yowzah.
Sometimes things fall apart. Friends have been breaking up. Mike and I broke up (uncomfortable, but for the best in the long run, I think). People in love are on the rocks right now. It's strange. The most beautiful and romantic time of the year and everything is turning cold again. It's not all bad though.

Today is my last day of Philosophy. Going to go take my test in ten minutes. Shouldn't be too bad. Then an hour and the first half of my Spanish test and thus the first half of my last day of Spanish (to be concluded Friday). Today is my last Nonfiction class (thankyouLord). Then I plan to take a LONG nap. Michael gave me the week off from Carma's. I need to talk to him b/c I'm going to be gone most of May and June. Sigh.

Here, quickly are the songs for Sunday. Sorry my posting is becoming a bit of a traditional lateness.

An aside: Chris just woke up and walked into the kitchen, scaring the bajezzus out of Nivia. Hearing the interaction from my room will probably turn out to be the highlight of my day. My apartment isn't all bad.

1. Kick, Push// Lupe Fiasco: Matt and Geof introduced me to Lupe's music last week. It's pretty great stuff. Intelligent, fun rap. Plus his voice is really nice. It's a little like Talib Kweli meets The Cool Kids, except replace BMX bikes with skateboards. "Superstar" is another amazing song, as is "The Cool". This is more appropriate considering the boys tried to teach me to long board with negative results.
2. Pangea//Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: A nod to Ian for the intro. Really fun music. Reminds me a little of I'm From Barcelona, but more refined. Check it. Or as Ian said, "Wrap your little ears around that, sunshine. Thank me later."
3. Tokyo // The Books: This song is from The Lemon of Pink album which is great. I was initially going to put "Read, Eat, Sleep" on here, b/c Thought for Food is my favorite Books album, but anyway-- this is amazing.
   
4. Superconnected // Broken Social Scene: Such a scarily beautiful song. All their music is generally intense, but it's great. I've been listening to a lot of them lately, just from hanging around people that do, and I've begun to incorporate them into the favorites. Anyway-- enjoy this.
   
5. Grounds for Divorce// Wolf Parade: The version on the playlist is live, or rough cut or something. I like it. But the version on the album is phenomenal. Great fast driving song, or early morning driving. His voice is so haunting. And intense. I saw Sunset Rubdown live last semester and they were phenomenal as well.
   
6. Set You Free // The Black Keys: Pretty in love with this song since I first heard it. I like that they sound so much like delta blues but with this intense rock sound that's a little AC/DC, a little Sabbath. This song is not really like either of those, but I like it anyway. I feel like BB King would nod his head and approve this, and that sits well with me.
   
7. Final Frontier// RJD2: Def. my favorite RJD2 song. Just go listen to the album, I can't even talk about the talent.
   

After Philosophy Test:

Ok, so that went alright. Only took me 25 minutes to finish, but I feel like I did a good job. Studied hard enough for it. Now I've got the mind numbingly frightening Spanish test to take and from then on my day is cake.

You should listen to Buena Vista Social Club. Because it's good music.
And take me shopping, too. If you wanted.

H.

no. 107: couples and other thoughts

a brief note:

with the exclusion of barber and nivia

happy couples threaten my gag reflex.
parade around somewhere else, where those of us who aren't so blissfully endowed can't see you and be made even more bitter.
thanks.

an aside: my expos class should be good, although it's 90% pre-meds who also love the classics. so basically studyholics.
i was running late (trying to cram oatmeal toast into my stomach and finish a cup of tea for breakfast) and so flustered that i looked at the wrong room number on my course list for expos. so i walked in on an IFP I class, taught by one of the first years (tall, pretty girl with dark curly hair whose name I CANNOT remember, but whose poetry was delightful). My idiot-o-meter peaked and had I not been so out of it, I would've been highly embarrassed. How do they teach?! I don't understand it. It would wrack my nerves. I would probably end up covering it by being initially arrogant and self important to an excess (not at all like someone I know).

so: gotta buy groceries and then having coffee with Lane at Carma's when he gets back from DC. Much talk of Radiohead and Tool. And hopefully news that Dr. Mathews is now single.

I'm torn between really missing home and being really glad to be OUT of NoVa. Things with friends and such are a little crazy but I'm done being dragged down with it. There used to be omerta among the NoVa family (excuse my mafiaism) and now-- well, no honor among the criminally insane, I suppose. Whatever.

Have to finish The Death of Ivan Ilyich tonight (for the third or fourth time). But this reading is actually more interesting than any other time I've gone through it. Oh Tolstoy, you sly dog.

H.

(Technically) No. 104: The M-Word

so i'm finally watching The Last Kiss (which, as everyone told me, isn't quite as good as Garden State). there's this scene in it where zach braff's girlfriend says she won't talk about the "M-word" because he freaks out when she does and he says that he told her he'd marry her when she could name 3 happy couples who've been together more than five years. (I love her response: "And I've still only come up with my parents and that couple from the pond." To which Zach responds, "Ducks don't count." Girl: Ducks mate for life! Come on!")
So I'm thinking about it and here's what I've got:

- Mum & Fred (although they weren't always happy but are now)
- Gram & Gramps
- The Franklins
- The Vogts
- The Wards
- Chuck and Dana
- Paganinis
- Sutherlands
- Morgenthalers

It's sort of interesting to me that most of those are people who are Christians. Every other couple I can think of is divorced. Un poco depressing, actually.

GregGs gets married in two and a half weeks. The first of us to tie the knot. He's 20. She's 19. Jeebus.

H.