No. 231: off the record

you've got to know that we will change and keep it off the record...

It's been a strange day. I woke up late, drove to class b/c it's in Olin and sat through the lecture taking notes without really absorbing anything. Section will clear it up on Wednesday so I'm not that worried. I meant to nap but ended up just working through til my next class, a workshop, only tolerable b/c of Hannah. Great names think alike, I suppose? Anyway, afterward, us dissatisfied would be workshopped went to Silk Road and really talked about our stories.

This weekend was oddly nice. Matt was sick so I went home to him for Valentine's day. It was not what I had anticipated but it was extremely enjoyable nonetheless. We made dinner together, ate with his family. It felt a little like the summer after Senior year except Mrs. P was significantly less hostile. I got a lot done this weekend, too, although less than I thought I was doing.

There's a lot more reading this semester than ever before. While that's a little frazzling b/c I don't get to spend as much time with the book as I'd like to, I'm also reading through a lot of excellent novels and things I'd been meaning to read anyway. I've become a believer in Salinger, though I think he makes himself too obvious. Still, I appreciate his love for smokers b/c they provide interesting plot details and kill time. I appreciate his love for italics now, although it initially bothered me. It's just that he gets excessive with it. But for the sake of internal voice, it plays out well. Mrs. Glass is wonderful in Franny & Zooey and it's because of her italics and her worrying and smoking.

God has been gracious to me today regarding school work and timing, etc. I'm near finished with the book I've got to write an essay on, and the due date of the essay itself was moved back a day. The novel I forgot I had to read isn't due until next week and it's much shorter than I thought it was and actually had me engrossed in the first 8 pages. We'll see if it delivers but it will be nice to actually have time to sit and read it as opposed to wing through it.

However, for some reason I've felt sloppy lately, and disconnected, in most things, notably excluding Matt and Mommy. The feeling is a little like being on a floaty raft in the middle of a big lake. You're on something that will not stop floating but you're a long way from shore and the figures you were using to mark you distance are getting kinda fuzzy. If that makes any sense.

It's been a while since I blogged but that's about all I've got. Back to work. I'll be ready for spring break when it comes, that's for sure.

HS

No. 226: dramatic scenes in a movie

so, there's this scene in Leon: The Professional, where Leon is pwning serious crooked DEA butt, and has to get little Natalie Portman, Mathilda down the crawl space so she can escape and live. There's an incredible, touching moment, and then he turns around and straight ROARS as a rocket crashes through the walls and explodes. It's SO hard.

and one of the top ten saddest moments in a movie is when stansfield puts a cap in the backc of Leon's head right as he's about to escape into blissful safety and a solid future (which could not, of course, happen to one who'd broken the Utopian code with their career his whole life).

that movie also includes one of my favorite incidences of unexpected justice ever.

Leon: Stansfield?
Stansfield: At your service.
Leon: This. is for. Mathilda.
[Grenade explodes, ending the already fading Leon and the evil snarky jerk, Stansfield.]


so anyway-- my writers in film class should be interesting. heavy reading list but what else have i got to do? no one's really back yet. EA, Posse people are in town this weekend, which shall be a righteous rejoinder. tomorrow night is Jenny's Epiphanny party. excited about that. and then friday going to visit obachan. not sure what else is going on other than that and i'm pretty sure i don't need much more than that anyway.

i'm actually going to read and go to sleep now. i've been going to bed at a reasonable hour for the last few nights and it's been working out for me. ridiculous how much sleep helps in life.

"shape of my heart" caps off Leon: The Professional, cementing it in the 90s. totally ok with it.

-hs

No. 211: long december

So it's December now. Mum's birthday (and Mike's) was yesterday. Drove home Monday night and had lunch with her Tuesday which was really nice. My mother is a cool chick and she puts up with a lot. 

anyway-- this week is the last full week of classes. I have monday next week, then reading period. A final on the 15th and a paper due. No idea when the 18th century lit final is. Hopefually I won't have to take Cog psych.  

thanksgiving was interesting. spent thursday with jo and nick. ate thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant, though. spent friday with the puppies, watching HBO on demand. Saturday was awesome-- cowboy bebop w/andrew and then dinner @ jo's with the fredericks, etc. nice. seeing nick and all the columbia kids was a lot of fun. sunday i went home for church and watched the giants/redskins game at the loizous. i think i've just decided to like the giants and be a giants fan. eli manning, you know?

here's the songs from last week, i know they're late, soory. 

1. State of Love and Trust - Pearl Jam : Grunge, man.

2. Sunday Morning- Nico & the Velvet Underground:  It was very early Sunday morning when this came on and it was perfect.

3. Hey Muscles, I Love You - Muscles - Fun song to dance like an idiot to.

4. Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse - Minus the Bear: Off the mix Fox sent me from Seattle. It's wonderful.

5. 99 Red Balloons- Goldfinger:  "Ska cover of an 80s song... how original."

6. I'm Looking Through You - The Beatles: Driving around Columbia w/Nick, Mel and Andrew.

7. Three Little Birds - Bob Marley: Because sometimes I need to be reminded that every little thing is gonna be alright. 

No playlist now. I'll stick the songs on the one for next week. <3

Cheers.

No. 201: the deeper damage is best.

Songs.
Halloween was alright.
It was a good weekend.
Watch the Grizzly Man.
I now have borrowed Season 3 of Deadwood and it is awesome.
Seeing Mom & Fred ROCKED.
Grandparents are coming for dinner on Friday.
I want to see Wilco in concert.
I need a new computer (macbook?)
No Country For Old Men was an AMAZING book.
Emma sucks, but watching Clueless was great.
Anyone want to sell me an HD TV for cheep?
Cheers.
H.

1. I Think I'll Disappear Now by Crash Test Dummies- It's just a good song. And adequately describes the feeling of running into one's exes unexpectedly.
   
2. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away by Pearl Jam- One of my favorite Beatles songs done by one of my favorite grunge rockers. Sigh.
   
3. Red Shoes by Kate Bush- so fun to listen to! and a great song for running. And i want red ballet flats.
4. Dramamine by Modest Mouse- Had never heard this and Andrew played it for me. SO goood.
5. Bustin' Surfboards by The Tornados- Pulp Fiction.
6. The Laws Have Changed by The New Pornographers- Just a fun song.
7. Smile by onelinedrawing- been a while, but for some reason landed on the album and this song, oh this lovely song, stood out. it's such a sweet expression. and the dude is just SO sad in other songs that it's happy. plus, you know... robots.
   

1. Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in my Hand by Primitive Radio Gods- Put this on a mix for Fox after I heard it on the radio. Sooo good.
   
2. No Regrets by Aesop Rock- "I'm busy, thank you much."
   
3. Like Today by Atmosphere- Drivin' around listening. MM.
   
4. Absolutely Sweet Marie by Bob Dylan- Had a seriously Dylan couple of days.
   
5. Halloween by Matt Pond PA- Well, you know.
   
6. Spoonman by Soundgarden- Andrew's fault
   
7. Anything by Third Day - heard this on Pandora the other day, it was GORGEOUS and I forgot how much I like them.
   

No. 199: Almost

So I'm almost done with the two weeks from hell. I get a week of relax and then another cycle of doom. But at least I know what I"ll be in for, you know?

Just work at 7:30 (til 10-- weirdest shift EVER), section @ 12, which isn't a big deal b/c my TA is awesome and I'll get to hate on Wordsworth for like an hour, and then DONE! Friday night I'm goin to a reading and a screening and then sitting on my couch with No Country for Old Men and reading until I'm done with that. Then I've got two Herzog films beggin' my attention (Grizzly Man and Wild Blue Yonder). 

Saturday I have to go to da market and purchase items for mah bruncheon! It's going to be "pretty h-co" and will feature "HD snacks", which translated out of the bastardized Chad Warden dialect my friends tend to speak in, means that it'll be a lot of fun and have some excellent food. SO if you're in the area, stop by the MDer and snag some fritata or french toast. 

As a last note before I read some more hateful Wordsworth and fall asleep reading Blood Meridian (which as of today is in my top 20 favorite books-- so strange, since I HATED this book up until like, 11:30 this morning when I got to the middle)--

While I know how late it is to be saying this, in case you a) haven't gotten into it or b) haven't listened to it for a while: The Flaming Lips rock, and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is a great album. 

That's all. 

Cheers.

H

No. 192:a brief musical exposition.

This is not an update. It's been a crazy week. But I'm bored in18th century literature, so here's Sunday's 7. I was up in York with my family so I couldn't post yesterday. But here it is.

*This list is not alphabetical on purpose. I just noticed that it's A-B-C.

1. Love & Happiness - Al Green: Dinner last Monday was hilarious. Thanks to Dave and Ster, and Ben for breaking out some fly dance moves.  And Janine for the Dominion Ice Cream. 
2. Walking on Broken Glass - Annie Lennox: I was in a mad Annie Lennox mood last week for a bit. Had to hear "Keep Young and Beautiful", for no reason I could tell you. She's phenomenal, though. 
3. Knees of my Bees - Alanis Morissette:  Thinkin' 'bout my boy. Plus it's a fun song.
4. Baby You're a Rich Man - The Beatles: Watched Yellow Submarine with Greg and Carlos the other night and this song stuck firmly in my head for the next 24 hours. One of my favorites of their later stuff.
5. Still Fighting It - Ben Folds Five: Had Rockin' the Suburbs on when I was in the shower, belting out all the songs. This song is so different from that album-- very emotional. Anyway, the piano breaks are gorgeous.
6. Skinny Love - Bon Iver: New favorite song. I also like that Michael Kimball (who I met on Monday and who signed my copy of his new book!) likes Bon Iver. Thanks to Diamond who first introduced me to him. 
7. Find Love - Clem Snide: Hanging out with my man, he put this album on and discovered he likes them, which he should. I want them to come out with something else, but I think Eef Barzelay is doing solo things. I'd still love to see them. 

So there are those. Stuff today, class and work tomorrow, busy week ahead. But H20 with the boys this weekend!!! That will be a blast. Corey's going with his amazing tricked out Jetta. Gonna be a good weekend. 

Cheers. 

H.