Thursday

1. My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult: 13 Above the Night
2. Stereolab: Emperor Tomato Ketchup
3. Brian Eno: Here Come the Warm Jets

Wednesday

Nothing much to report. Started studying for the GRE. Still waiting for calls to schedule job interviews. Starting to freak out about turning 29 six weeks from now.

Here's what I've been listening to today:

1. Asobi Seksu: Citrus
2. El Perro Del Mar: El Perro Del Mar
3. Death From Above 1979: You're a Woman, I'm a Machine
4. Gorillaz: Demon Days
5. Broadcast: Tender Buttons

Tuesday

1. Lisa Germano: In the Maybe World
2. White Rose Movement: Kick
3. MSTRKRFT: The Looks
4. R. Luke DuBois: Timelapse
5. Art Brut: Bang Bang Rock and Roll
6. Xiu Xiu: Tu Mi Piaci EP

Monday

1. Thom Yorke: The Eraser
2. Sufjan Stevens: The Avalanche
3. Vetiver: To Find Me Gone
4. Sunset Rubdown: Snake's Got a Leg
5. Final Fantasy: He Poos Clouds
6. Uusitalo: Tulenkantaja

paleunderweight podcast 21

The new podcast is now online.

1. Mirah: "Jerusalem"
2. Antony & The Johnsons: "Atrocities"
3. O Yuki Conjugate: "Bismuth"
4. James Figurine: "55566688833"
5. M.I.A.: "Sunshowers"
6. Syd Barrett: "Late Night"
7. Booka Shade: "Darko"
8. Junior Boys: "Birthday"
9. Love: "And More Again"
10. Todosantos: "Antes Era Mejor"
11. Caribou: "Every Time She Turns Around It's Her Birthday"
12. Peter Gabriel: "With This Love"
13. Karl Blau: "The Dark, Magical Sea"
14. Oneida: "Charlemagne"
15. Joy Division: "New Dawn Fades"
16. Devendra Banhart: "The Charles C. Leary"
17. Shearwater: "La Dame et la Lincorne"

War

So now Jerusalem, you know that it's not right
After all you've been through, you should know better than
To become the wicked ones almighty G-d once saved you from

- Mirah, "Jerusalem", from the album C'mon Miracle

I am a Jew, at least by the Orthodox genealogical standard. My great-great-grandmother along my maternal line was born in a Polish shtetl. She arrived in Oswego County, Michigan in the early 20th century, along with thousands of other Polish Jews seeking to escape persecution.

This knowledge was concealed to me until fairly recently. I grew up thinking my heritage was as white-bread-and-mayo as you could get. German, Irish, Swedish was what I was told - with a tiny splash of Cherokee on my father's side.

That was until my sister, who had been given up for adoption at birth, did some research into our heritage. She found the 1920 census records that proved that we were not merely German, Irish, Swedish and Cherokee, but Polish Jews as well. I no longer have contact with my mother and only sporadic contact with my grandmother, but I suspect that they both know more than they have been willing to reveal. Our great-grandmother died in 2000, so we can't ask her anything.

According to traditional Jewish standards, one is either a Jew or a non-Jew - there is no gray area. One's Jewishness depends on his or her mother's status only. This is in contrast to the typically European idea that one can be half German and a sixteenth Swedish. This means that my sister and I are just as Jewish as, say, Adam Sandler.

Ironically, only non-Jews have tried to argue that I'm not really a Jew. All the Jews I have spoken to about my heritage not only agree that I am indeed a Jew, but welcome me into the community. Regardless of my beliefs or what I look like or whether I have had a bar mitzvah, I am a Jew by Jewish standards. They just say, "Er ken ongeyn far a goy," meaning that I can pass for a goy.

Since learning about this aspect of our heritage, my sister and I have both embraced it to varying degrees. Sarah has chosen the path of conversion - though it's not really necessary - to Orthodox Judaism. After months of reading and study, I determined that the spiritual beliefs that I already had are very close to those of Reform Judaism. I occasionally attend a synagogue and I read voraciously. I may or may not choose to become a member of the temple, but this does not limit my exploration of spiritual ideas outside of Judaism. I am what I am - including but not limited to a German Irish Swedish Cherokee Polish Jewish gay liberal intellectual audiophile anthropologist future-librarian pet-parent blogger podcaster with a craving for pepper jack cheese.

Having explained my fairly unique perspective, I must discuss my feelings about the situation about the escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon. The words of Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn above are very similar to my own opinion. I think that the Orthodox-dominated government of Israel has become an oppressive power, treating Palestinians as sub-human and acting in ways that are contrary to the ideal of compassion that is at the center of Judaism.

Certainly Hezbollah is not blameless. Obviously, their actions in the past few weeks (and indeed their whole history) are despicable. However, by unleashing such an overwhelming attack on Lebanon, Israel is causing death and harm to more innocent civilians than to Hezbollah militants. It is also weaking political parties in Lebanon than can oppose Hezbollah.

There are no 'good guys' here, but lots of innocents in the crossfire. The fact that Bush supports one of the aggressors in this conflict rather than caring about the safety of civilians on both sides is disgusting - but hardly a surprise. Support for the actions of Israel's government is morally equivalent to supporting Hezbollah as far as I'm concerned. I applaud nations that have come out and publicly condemned both Israel and Hezbollah. This is what the U.S. should do as well.

I hope that there will be an end to this conflict very soon, but I'm not very optimistic about it.

Thursday

1. Caribou: Up in Flames
2. Ms. John Soda: No P. or D.
3. Peter Gabriel: Passion
4. Love: Forever Changes

I am plotzing...

...because not only is most of O Yuki Conjugate's back catalogue now available on Emusic, but they are going to release their first album in ten years very soon!!!

Wednesday

1. Danielson: Ships
2. Sufjan Stevens: Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lake State
3. Oneida: The Wedding
4. Junior Boys: Last Exit
5. Dizzee Rascal: Boy in Da Corner
6. Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures
7. Devendra Banhart: Oh Me Oh My... The Way the Day Goes By the Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming Lovesongs of the Christmas Spirit

R.I.P., Syd Barrett and June Allyson

Syd Barrett, founding member of Pink Floyd and influential solo performer, passed away Friday from diabetes-related complications at the age of 60.


Actress and Depends spokeswoman June Allyson died Saturday of pulmonary respiratory failure and acute bronchitis at the age of 88.

Here is what I've been listening to today:

1. Amps for Christ: Every Eleven Seconds
2. O Yuki Conjugate: Sunchemical EP
3. M.I.A.: Arular
4. Antony & The Johnsons: Antony & The Johnsons
5. Syd Barrett: The Madcap Laughs

Catching up

I have been woefully remiss in my posting lately. Would you believe my dog ate my posts? No? How about... I haven't posted because of national security concerns? Er, um... terrorists! Yes, that's it - if I don't get lazy about posting periodically, the terrorists win!

You're not buying any of this, are you?

Ok, the truth is I've been tired and lazy. I promised the next installment of Albums That Loved Me Back several weeks ago - that is still forthcoming, I assure you. I also promised a few words about Richard Butler's new album. Short version: I love it, it's better than any of his work with Psychedelic Furs or Love Spit Love, it's a sonic mosaic, yadda yadda yadda. Buy it.

It's not that I haven't gotten anything done recently. I applied for five full-time positions in the ASU libraries last week. The one I really, really want is a specialist position in my current department which I am thoroughly qualified for, but I have to compete with two other colleagues that are similarly qualified. Four others are at the soon-to-open downtown campus library. I will also be happy if I get one of these.

I am planning to take my GRE in early August so I can apply for U of A's MLS program before their September deadline. Wish me luck!

I finished the six-day course of Medrol my doctor prescribed for my headaches but I am still experiencing side effects - I sleep fitfully and I am always hungry! It's frustrating, but it will pass. I'm still taking the Skelaxin when needed, which isn't as often as it was last week. I managed to go without it all day Saturday, but I started getting a mild headache again yesterday, so I started taking it again.

Last night I didn't sleep very well at all. I was so tired at work this morning that I forgot to put the caraffe under the coffee maker while it was brewing. I didn't notice until it had made a horrible mess. Oh well, I am prone to that sort of thing even when I am perfectly well-rested.

Thom Yorke's solo album is out tomorrow! I am drooling in anticipation. Whee!

I have decided not to put the podcast on hiatus quite yet. I still have more to give, so why not? I enjoy doing it. I might take weeks off more frequently though. I guess I'll play it by ear.

Here's what I have been listening to today:

1. Todosantos: Aeropuerto
2. Shearwater: Palo Santo
3. Booka Shade: Movements
4. The Tango Saloon: The Tango Saloon
5. Stuart A. Staples: Leaving Songs
6. James Figurine: Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake
7. Karl Blau: Beneath Waves
8. The Twilight Singers: Powder Burns

RSS feed problem fixed

If you tried to download yesterday's podcast via the RSS feed, you probably noticed that it didn't work. I typed the filename incorrectly in the xml file. Now it has been corrected and you should be able to download it without any trouble.

paleunderweight podcast 20

The new podcast is now available:

1. Siouxsie & The Banshees: "Lullaby"
2. Morrissey: "Dear God, Please Help Me"
3. Mr. Bungle: "Desert Search for Techno Allah"
4. Boards of Canada: "The Devil Is in the Details"
5. Tim Buckley: "Song to the Siren"
6. The The: "Giant"
7. Frog Eyes: "The Fox Speaks to His Wife Who Is Not Quite Sure"
8. Grandaddy: "Why Would I Want to Die"
9. Iggy Pop: "Some Weird Sin"
10. Iron & Wine: "Fever Dream"
11. Paik: "October"
12. Bright Eyes: "Arc of Time (Time Code)"
13. Radiohead: "Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was"
14. Guided by Voices: "Window of My World"
15. Mojave 3: "To Hold Your Tiny Toes"
16. DeVotchka: "The Last Beat of My Heart"
17. Cocteau Twins: "Cherry-Coloured Funk"

Happy 4th

Lots to report on since I posted last.

I quit my job at the cafe this past Friday. The work was much more physically strenuous than I had anticipated. In fact, it was probably the cause of the muscle and nerve problem that resulted in my missing three days of work at my primary job. At least I was able to collect a small paycheck from the cafe, which provided a much-needed financial jumpstart.

The medications seem to be helping. I still have small headaches periodically thoughout the day, but nothing nearly as severe as it was last week. Hopefully the meds will work and I will be completely pain-free soon.

On the job front, several new full-time jobs have opened up at ASU for which I plan to apply. There are a few positions for the Downtown Campus library, but the one I really want is the library specialist position that just opened in my own department. The deadline for resumes is this Friday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Michael surprised me yesterday afternoon with a mensiversary dinner, two days early. He spent hours cooking and setting up his dining room. I was stunned by how elegant the dinner was. He served spinach salad, salmon, curried rice and green beans. Nobody else has ever surprised me like that - Michael has now done it twice. I guess he's a keeper!

After dinner, Michael got me hooked on Google Earth. This is an amazing piece of software. I am amazed that it's still free! Here's some images I captured this afternoon:

Here's what I've been listening to since Monday:

1. Grandaddy: Concrete Dunes
2. Radiohead: The Bends
3. Saturday Looks Good to Me: Every Night
4. Phoenix: It's Never Been Like That

No podcast this week

I have postponed this week's podcast to next week due to illness.

I have had an unbearable headache with occasional fever since Tuesday. Luckily, I saw my doctor today and he thinks that muscle tension is pinching a nerve, triggering the headache and the inflammatory response that causes the fevers. He prescribed an anti-inflammatory steroid and a muscle relaxer. They seem to be working okay so far. I still have a headache but it seems less severe.

Speaking of the podcast, I'm thinking of putting it on hiatus for a while. If I do, next week's podcast, the twentieth episode, would be the last for a while. The tracks I have included so far represent about 2% of my total collection and I am nowhere near scraping the bottom yet. However, I want to stop while I'm ahead. I know it won't be long until I have acquired enough new music to start again. Plus, twenty is a nice round number. It will give me a chance to "remaster" the old podcasts and burn CDs for friends that don't have internet access or aren't internet savvy enough to figure out how to download it (I think they're Amish). So, let's think of next week as the season finale for a show that has been extended for at least one more season.

Here's what I've been listening to while I've been ill:

1. Tim Buckley: Starsailor
2. Iron & Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days
3. Morrissey: Ringleader of the Tormentors
4. The The: Soul Mining
5. Siouxsie & The Banshees: Tinderbox
6. Bright Eyes: Digital Ash in a Digital Urn

Catch-up

As of today, I officially became the new secretary of the Library Staff Association at ASU. I have also volunteered to be the LSA blogger. I have set up a new blog hosted by ASU, which I hope to update regularly.

Here's is what I've been listening to:

1. Guided by Voices: Half Smiles of the Decomposed
2. V/A: A Misra Sampler
3. Boards of Canada: Geogaddi
4. Iggy Pop: Lust for Life

No Direction Home on PBS Wednesday night

No Direction Home, Martin Scorcese's two-hour documentary about Bob Dylan, will be broadcast on PBS Wednesday night. If you live in the Phoenix area, that's 10PM on channel 8. If you are outside of Phoenix, check your local listings.

Tenants' rights in Arizona

Michael is having a dispute with his apartment complex's management. They have been renovating both pools, the clubhouse and the gym in preparation for a condo conversion for some weeks now, denying access to current tenants. The management has so far refused to discount Michael's rent in light of the unavailability of these facilities. Here is what I've found in Arizona's Residential Landlord & Tenant Act, Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 33, Chapter 10:

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

33‐1310. General definitions

10. “Premises” means a dwelling unit and the structure of which it is a part and existing facilities and appurtenances therein, including furniture and utilities where applicable, and grounds, areas and existing facilities held out for the use of tenants generally or whose use is promised to the tenant.

ARTICLE 2. LANDLORD OBLIGATIONS

33‐1324. Landlord to maintain fit premises

A. The landlord shall:

2. Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.

ARTICLE 4. REMEDIES

33‐1361. Noncompliance by the landlord

A. Except as provided in this chapter, if there is a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement, including a material falsification of the written information provided to the tenant, the tenant may deliver a written notice to the landlord specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach and that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than ten days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied in ten days... For the purposes of this section, material falsification shall include... the condition of the premises and any current services as represented by the landlord in writing as well as any written representation.

In Arizona, landlords and property management companies use the Arizona Landlord's Deskbook and they know exactly what their obligations under the law are. However, unless you make it clear that you know, they will play dumb. Every renter should know ARS33-10 backward and forward so they can avoid getting screwed.

I think it melted.

Today's listening

1. Think About Life: Think About Life
2. Frog Eyes: The Bloody Hand
3. Blue Pine: Seagull Is on the Rise
4. Brightblack Morning Light: Brightblack Morning Light
5. Mojave 3: Puzzles Like You
6. Paik: Monster of the Absolute
7. Cocteau Twins: Lullabies to Violaine Vol. 2
8. DeVotchka: Curse Your Little Heart EP
9. V/A: Chocolate Swim EP
10. Mr. Bungle: Disco Volante

paleunderweight podcast 19

This week's podcast is currently uploading. It should be done in a few minutes. When it's finished, you can download it here.

1. My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult: "A Martini Built for 2"
2. Nomo: "Sarvodaya"
3. Richard Butler: "Satellites"
4. Cat Power: "Colors and the Kids"
5. !!!: "Me and Giuliani Down by the School Yard (A True Story)"
6. Saturday Looks Good to Me: "One Hundred People"
7. Aesop Rock: "Fast Cars"
8. Daft Punk: "Something About Us"
9. LCD Soundsystem: "Losing My Edge"
10. Nick Drake: "Poor Boy"
11. Television: "Marquee Moon"
12. COIL: "Blood From the Air"

Catching up

More about my first three days at the new job later. Also later, why Richard Butler's new solo album is now my favorite album of 2006 so far.

Here is what I listened to on Thursday and Friday morning:

1. My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult: Sexplosion!
2. Björk: Medúlla
3. Richard Butler: Richard Butler

First day on the job jitters

In three hours, I officially start my second part-time job at Live and Let Live Cafe (no website to link to, unfortunately).

I was on the verge of panicking about not having full-time work yet this past weekend. On the spur of the moment, I suggested to Michael that we have lunch at the cafe, which was started by several acquaintances a few months ago. It had occurred to me before to apply for a job there previously, but I had never gotten around to checking if they were hiring. While we ate, I filled out an application. The next afternoon I got the call offering me the job.

I'm a bit nervous because it's a completely new line of work for me. Michael texted me earlier today, "It's ok to be nervous on ur first day." I had an amusing mental image of the first day of kindergarten, with Michael leaving me with the teacher and a fully-grown me screaming, "Nooooo!!! Don't leave me!!!" I immediately replied, "Will you go with me and hold my hand?"

I have confidence that I will be able to learn this job, though. And though it's not the kind of work I'm looking for, I can make some money to pay bills while I apply for full-time positions at the library (five of which are getting listed this week). And the fact that I already know most of my coworkers and the clientele helps, too.

Here's what I've been listening to yesterday and today:

1. Mission of Burma: The Obliterati
2. Espers: II
3. Television: Marquee Moon
4. LCD Soundsystem: LCD Soundsystem
5. Daft Punk: Discovery
6. !!!: Louden Up Now
7. Scott Walker: The Drift
8. Cat Power: Moon Pix
9. COIL: Horse Rotorvator
10. The Body Lovers: The Body Lovers
11. The Body Haters: The Body Haters

I could have been a stapler, could have been a duck

Thanks to David at threedogheads for bringing it to my attention that it's Nick Drake's birthday!

Tonight, if you are fortunate enough to live in my house (or any of the adjacent houses), you will be treated to my very special nude backyard tribute performance of Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter and Pink Moon in their entirety featuring improvised dancing, my signature falsetto and stream-of-consciousness alternate lyrics!

Free music

As Pitchfork continues its Orwellian program of dominion over the institution of music, its Ministry of Hipster Cred (MiniHipCred), whose slogan is "Retro is modern", is expanding into related fields such as the music festival. The 2006 Pitchfork Music Festival has an impressive lineup of artists, such as Yo La Tengo, Danielson, Aesop Rock, Spoon, Jens Lekman, etc. To commemorate this year's festival, Pitchfork has released a doubleplusgood free sampler of acts performing therein on Emusic. It's free so give it a try.

Pleasant Surprise

Certain musicians have earned a status of high esteem from fans and other artists alike by virtue of decades of innovative contributions. For example: Tom Waits, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Scott Walker, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, etc. Once this status is achieved, I believe that anything they do is worth an open-minded listen at the very least.

Recently, two such icons, Paul Simon and Brian Eno, teamed up to create Surprise. This unlikely collaboration seemed unusual and alluring to me, but I was afraid that it could suffer from both artists' downward trajectory away from their respective creative peaks. If you subscribe to the parabolic model of an artist's career (which I do at times), then both Eno and Simon surpassed their maxima decades ago.

But this model doesn't always accord well with observation. Depeche Mode, Madonna and Pet Shop Boys all recently released albums that are easily their best in at least a decade. Mission of Burma came back after twenty years of dormancy and sounded fresher than most new post-punk acts. Swans were at their finest just before their break-up. Tom Waits has reinvented his sound several times, causing his career arc to resemble a sine wave. Could Simon and Eno escape the parabola too?

Critics disagree on whether this is the case. Pitchfork's Marc Hogan calls Surprise "half-formed tone poems that live down to the self-absorbed, vapidly mystic, utterly clueless conception of Baby Boomers one sees in TV commercials." Ouch. Alfred Soto at Stylus has a higher opinion: "[G]ive it 20 years and its cadenced ruminations and instantly dated production will get some love from the usual suspects."

Having listened to it in full, my opinion runs closer to the latter. There are some dull moments, but for the most part it lives up to the promise of a Simon/Eno collaboration. If you are a fan of either artist, give it a listen.

Here's is what I've been listening to last night and today:

1. The Futureheads: News and Tributes
2. Saturday Looks Good to Me: Sound on Sound
3. Asobi Seksu: Citrus
4. Nomo: New Tones
5. Paul Simon: Surprise
6. Gregor Samsa: 55:12
7. V/A: 2006 Pitchfork Music Festival Sampler
8. Nick Drake: Bryter Layter
9. Talkdemonic: Beat Romantic
10. Evangelicals: So Gone

Daisy

Ruby and Michael

Redmond

paleunderweight podcast 18

This week's podcast is here:

1. Pet Shop Boys: "I Made My Excuses and Left"
2. Man Man: "Van Helsing Boombox"
3. Kate Bush: "Moments of Pleasure"
4. The Angels of Light: "I Pity the Poor Immigrant"
5. The New Pornographers: "Jackie, Dressed in Cobras"
6. Regina Spektor: "Samson"
7. Sonic Youth: "Turquoise Boy"
8. Hot Chip: "Over & Over"
9. Modest Mouse: "Trailer Trash"
10. M. Ward: "Sweethearts on Parade"
11. Frog Eyes: "Masticated Outboard Motors"
12. The Wrens: "Thirteen Grand"
13. Akron/Family: "Future Myth"
14. This Mortal Coil: "Barramundi"
15. Spoon: "The Fitted Shirt"
16. Silver Jews: "The Poor, the Fair and the Good"
17. Cyann & Ben: "I Can't Pretend Anymore"

Long weekend

I am taking tomorrow off from work. If I attempted to go to work on less than 13 hours of sleep tomorrow, I would fall asleep at a most awkward and inappropriate moment. Yes, I am that exhausted.

My itinerary for tomorrow starts with sleeping in until my cat and my dog start working together to figure out how to call the paramedics on my cell phone. Then I will listen to music and play World of Warcraft. Then it's time to eat a whole pound cake while watching two straight hours of Dharma & Greg reruns. If I have time, I will devote at least an hour perfecting my Truffle Shuffle. Finally, my friend Jason and I will go to the movies. If at all possible, I will go out without having showered or combed my hair, still wearing my footie pajamas and bunny slippers. Just kidding - you can't wear bunny slippers with footie pajamas.

Here's what has gone in one ear today, but as of right now has not gone out the other yet:

1. Man Man: Six Demon Bag
2. His Name Is Alive: Detrola
3. Kate Bush: The Red Shoes
4. Spoon: Girls Can Tell
5. Regina Spektor: Begin to Hope
6. Pet Shop Boys: Fundamental

Imperfect

Occasionally, not often, my intuitive method for finding new music steers me wrong.

Thursday is a good example of this. While there were hints of tantalizing complexity in each song, they were consistently drowned out by undisciplined cacophony. I think this is a case of too many musicians stepping all over one another. It was frustrating - like someone who is very attractive and willing to sleep with you but too shy to let you see them naked. Maybe I'll feel differently after a second listen.

Oh, well. I'm not afraid to take risks if it means finding something amazing from time to time. It happens frequently enough.

Hot Chip's new album is turning out to be quite different from their debut and better than I hoped. And quite a relief after listening to the Thursday album.

Today's listening:

1. Sonic Youth: Rather Ripped
2. Cyann & Ben: Spring
3. Neil Young: Living With War
4. Silver Jews: Tanglewood Numbers
5. Thursday: A City by the Light Divided
6. Hot Chip: The Warning
7. Lansing-Dreiden: The Dividing Island

Trade

I have been in a financial crunch since graduation. As a result, the flow of new music into my collection has slowed considerably. I still have means of acquiring some new music, though. My prepaid subscription to Emusic provides eight or nine new albums near the end of each month. Also, I have been trading in CD's at Hoodlums for store credit.

Today I picked up the new albums by Hot Chip, Lansing-Dreiden, and Thursday. One of my favorite hoodlums rang me up. "Thursday?" she inquired. "That's a little outside of your usual pattern."

The truth is that I rarely listen to any portion of an album before acquiring it. In fact, I frequently buy albums without having heard anything by the artist. This custom seems odd to people who want to be reasonably sure they are going to like an album before investing their time in it, let alone their money. But I don't go into it completely blind. I use my intuition.

For example, in the case of Thursday, I got a sense from several reviews (mostly good, but some lukewarm) that I would like it. In other cases, it was the band's connection with a label or artist I like (Matmos), striking album art (Múm), an interesting name (Devendra Banhart), hearing the name several times in a short period from different sources (J Dilla), or a recommendation from a dead friend in a dream (The Avalanches).

This method usually works pretty well. More often than not, I like what I hear and my horizons are broadened a little. Frequently, I love it.

Blöödhag

This Stylus review caught my attention this morning, so I decided to investigate this oddly literate metal band called Blöödhag.

I must be a nerd, because the idea of a metal band whose schtick is promoting literacy and mayhem tickles me. My favorite part of their bio:

"Soon, dozens were attending BlöödHag shows, and Washington state's literacy rate skyrocketed. Books were flying, heads were banging, teeth were being kicked in but minds were expanding."

I hope they aren't throwing hard cover books at their shows.

One of my favorite photos so far from the shelter - Spice

Want me to show you my Woody again?

If there's any justice in this world...

...then Fitzgerald's refusal to comment on whether Rove has been/will be indicted means something significant.

I am hoping for one of the following:

• Luskin's claim that Rove received a letter indicating he will not be charged with a crime in connection to Plamegate is untrue, or
• even better, it is true, but the investigation turned up something even more incriminating which will lead to a more serious indictment unrelated to Plamegate.

On an unrelated note, I can't help notice how much energy people are expending lately on trashing John Aravosis and Americablog. My readers may already know that I have stopped linking to Americablog in the wake of several meltdowns by Aravosis, so I'm not about to start defending him. But why are so many of his detractors seemingly spending all their waking hours reading and writing about Americablog? Several blogs have emerged recently that are devoted entirely to criticizing, lampooning, smearing, and/or attributing spurious quotes and opinions to Aravosis without substantiation. Enough already! If you don't like Aravosis, don't read his blog! Don't waste time fighting him that is better spent fighting fascism.

Today's listening:

1. The Wrens: The Meadowlands
2. Frog Eyes: The Golden River
3. This Mortal Coil: It'll End in Tears
4. Yaz: You and Me Both
5. The New Pornographers: Twin Cinema
6. M. Ward: Transistor Radio
7. Six Organs of Admittance: The Sun Awakens

Where is Woody Guthrie when you need him?

I remember you well in Chelsea Hotel...

Doing what in the unmade bed?

Catching up

Last week was busier at work than I had ever seen it due to two staff being away on vacation. I worked afternoons rather than my usual morning shift to compensate for their absence. I enjoyed sleeping in, but I felt as if no amount of sleep was enough for me to feel well-rested. I averaged about ten hours a night but still felt exhausted. Commuting in the afternoon heat on an unreliable bus system was a drawback as well.

I was ecstatic over last Wednesday's storm. It happened just as I was leaving work. I was so happy for a break from the heat that I didn't bother trying to shelter myself from the rain. I stood in the downpour, arms out at my sides and eyes closed, relishing the soaking for a few minutes before the bus arrived. I was disappointed that it didn't recur Thursday as the local meteorologist had predicted.

Michael went to Tucson for the weekend to visit a close friend who is recovering from baryatric surgery. She has already lost 50 pounds in the month since the surgery. I hope we can go visit together soon so I can see the results for myself. Michael came back horribly sunburned. He has been smearing himself with grapeseed oil to ease the pain. He told me today that the smell makes him hungry for some kind of antipasto.

Today I received my diploma in the mail. Now I have proof. It still doesn't feel real to me yet.

Today's listening:

1. Akron/Family & The Angels of Light: Akron/Family & Angels of Light
2. The Mountain Goats: We Shall All Be Healed
3. Modest Mouse: The Lonesome Crowded West

Podcast available, finally

The new podcast is available for download.

paleunderweight podcast 17

The podcast is uploading right now. For some reason, Yahoo! Sitebuilder decided that all the podcasts needed to be re-uploaded, so it's taking longer than usual. It will be available within an hour or two. Here is the tracklisting:

1. Portishead: "It's a Fire"
2. Saturday Looks Good to Me: "No Good With Secrets"
3. Growing: "Cumulusless"
4. The Television Personalities: "No More I Hate You's"
5. Deerhoof: "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)"
6. Hot Chip: "Keep Fallin'"
7. Tom Zé: "Duas Opiniões"
8. My Bloody Valentine: "When You Sleep"
9. XXL: "Paw Paw Paw Paw Paw Paw Paw"
10. Dangerdoom: "Korn Dogz"
11. TV on the Radio: "Poppy"
12. Juana Molina: "No Seas Antipática"
13. Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory: "Feet Upon the Sand"
14. The Dresden Dolls: "Delilah"
15. Espers: "Voices"
16. Camera Obscura: "Come Back Margaret"
17. Patrick Wolf: "Teignmouth"
18. The Long Lost: "Coyote's Song (When You Hear It Too)"

Friday

1. El Perro Del Mar: El Perro Del Mar
2. DAT Politics: Wow Twist
3. Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory: Tree Colored See
4. Eleventh Dream Day: Zeroes and Ones
5. Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory: Broaden a New Sound EP

Wednesday and Thursday

The past two days haven't been exactly eventful, but they have been slightly out of the routine. More later.

1. Hot Chip: Coming On Strong
2. Juana Molina: Son
3. Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
4. Espers: Espers
5. Saturday Looks Good to Me: All Your Summer Songs
6. Kraftwerk: Minimum-Maximum
7. TV on the Radio: Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
8. Herbert: Scale

Tuesday

Nothing exciting to report.

1. Beirut: Gulag Orkestar
2. Patrick Wolf: Wind in the Wires
3. Iggy Pop: The Idiot
4. Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
5. Paavoharju: Yhä Hämärää
6. The Russian Futurists: Our Thickness
7. Camera Obscura: Let's Get Out of This Country
8. Boards of Canada: Trans Canada Highway EP
9. Be Your Own Pet: Be Your Own Pet

Monday

I hate job hunting.

I have been trying to find a part-time job (in addition to the one I have) for weeks. I have tried temp agencies, Craigslist, and even my old job to no avail. This is getting really frustrating. I am probably going to have to write my grandfather and drop some not-so-subtle hints that I could use some money.

Aside from crushing poverty, it's actually kind of nice to have all the free time. I know I will miss it once I'm working full-time.

I have been deliberating over which album should be the topic of my next "Albums That Loved Me Back" segment. I've considered a number of albums: Doolittle, Loveless, Daydream Nation, The Idiot, Homogenic, Ziggy Stardust, Disintegration, Ágætis Byrjun, Closer, etc. But why write about albums that are almost universally recognized as masterpieces? I may as well write about Nevermind or Abbey Road - neither of which I've ever actually heard completely, and yet so much has been said about them that I could probably regurgitate some oft-repeated phrases and fool the reader.

I prefer to write about albums that are relatively obscure, underrated, or perhaps even loved by most audiophiles for reasons completely dissimilar to my own. In other words, albums for which my appreciation is not entirely based on their musical merits, but also on my experiences with them.

With this in mind, I have selected an album that, despite its dizzy rapture-inducing gorgeousness, tends to be absent from most critics' lists of best albums of the 90s. I will post my article in a few days.

Today's listening:

1. Dengue Fever: Escape From Dragon House
2. Robyn: Robyn
3. My Bloody Valentine: Loveless
4. This Mortal Coil: Blood

Free music

Deerhoof has released a free download-only EP of live cuts and cover versions. Also, Dangerdoom has a free EP available for download at the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim website.

P.S. Listen to "Korn Dogz" from the Dangerdoom Occult Hymn EP. I'm pretty sure that it is built around Nico's recording of the Lou Reed/John Cale song, "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams". Can anyone confirm this?

Friday

I was going to go to temple tonight, but the bus was so late that getting there on time became impossible. Though I live in what would be considered Central Phoenix, it still takes three buses to get to the nearest Reform synagogue in Scottsdale. The first of these only runs every 35 minutes and is prone to being wildly off schedule because its route coincides with much of the light rail construction.

Still no podcast tonight. I just don't feel like doing anything.

Today's paltry listening:

1. Phoenix: It's Never Been Like That
2. Growing: Color Wheel
3. Dangerdoom: Occult Hymn EP

Podcast postponed

I have decided not to do a podcast this week for two reasons. First, I haven't had time to listen to as much music as I would have liked this week. Second, I have been neglecting my spiritual life for many weeks and I think my Friday night is better spent in temple than in front of my computer.

In future weeks I will try to select the tracks and do the initial recording on Thursdays, then post online on Saturday mornings.

On that subject, after sixteen episodes I have learned quite a bit about how to achieve a decent sound quality. I am leaning toward "remastering" the old podcasts over the next few weeks. By this I mean rerecording them with better techniques for higher quality. I would also speak on all of them. I am about 90% sure this is what I am going to do.

Today's listening:

1. Figurines: Skeleton
2. The Walkmen: A Hundred Miles Off
3. Ellen Allien & Apparat: Orchestra of Bubbles
4. Juana Molina: Son

Terrified? You should be.

Today four Connecticut librarians revealed that they had been forced to allow the FBI access to patron records without a warrant. Furthermore, they were prohibited from speaking about it to anyone.

They successfully sued to have the gag order lifted, but it comes too late. While Ashcroft, Gonzalez, and others committed perjury to defend the Patriot Act, saying that it had never been used to acquire library records with out a warrant, these librarians and probably countless others were seemingly powerless to expose the lies.

But were they really powerless?

I don't think so. I believe that their responsibility as Americans would have been to defy the gag order and expose a horrendous abuse of power which threatens our liberty. I don't think I'm alone in this view. Here is what some famous patriots have to say (quotes from Wikiquote):

"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." ~ Thomas Paine

"It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own." ~ Thomas Jefferson

"It would indeed be ironic if, in the name of national defense, we would sanction the subversion of one of those liberties which make the defense of our nation worthwhile." ~ Earl Warren

"The saddest epitaph which can be carved in memory of a vanished liberty is that it was lost because its possessors failed to stretch forth a saving hand while yet there was time." ~ George Sutherland

"One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

These librarians have no more or less power to speak out today than they had before the gag order was lifted. However, they had the power to inform the public about the true results of the Patriot Act before it was renewed. They lost this power due to their failure to act in time. The worst that the federal government could have done would have been to imprison them. Prison would have been terrible, but living with the consequences of inaction is much worse.

Here is what I have been listening to these past two days:

1. Gnarls Barkley: St. Elsewhere
2. The Walkmen: Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone
3. Portishead: Dummy
4. XXL: ¡Ciautistico!
5. Tom Zé: Estudando o Pagode: Na Opereta Segregamulher e Amor
6. The Dresden Dolls: Yes, Virginia...
7. Radio 4: Enemies Like This
8. Deerhoof: EP
9. Built to Spill: You in Reverse
10. Annie: Anniemal
11. The Television Personalities: My Dark Places
12. Nicolai Dunger: Here's My Song...

paleunderweight podcast 16

The new podcast is online:

1. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone: "Scattered Pearls"
2. Little Annie: "Absynthtee-ism"
3. She Wants Revenge: "Us"
4. Danielson: "Did I Step on Your Trumpet"
5. The Streets: "When You Wasn't Famous"
6. The Sundays: "A Certain Someone"
7. Tom Waits: "Whistle Down the Wind"
8. Beirut: "Postcards From Italy"
9. Antony & The Johnsons: "Frankenstein"
10. Pixies: "Ana"
11. Laura Cantrell: "Bees"
12. Matmos: "Semen Song for James Bidgood"
13. Sunset Rubdown: "The Men Are Called Horsemen There"
14. Nathan Fake: "The Sky Was Pink"
15. Dead Can Dance: "The Cardinal Sin"
16. The Postal Service: "Brand New Colony"
17. Charalambides: "Spring"

Friday

On Wednesday, I promised to share my thoughts about The City and the Pillar. It was fairly enjoyable, not as good as Myra Breckinridge. It's easy to tell that it was written when Vidal was very young. The prose is less developed than in his later work, which is to be expected. I was surprised that I pretty much picked two random Gore Vidal novels over two days and they both ended with the protagonist raping a straight guy. I think Vidal has some issues there.

I haven't finished reading Messiah yet (or even really started it) because I was falling asleep on the bus home from work. I took a nap when I got home and spent the rest of the evening with Michael. I'll set aside some time this weekend.

Last night the neighbors across the street were partying very loudly, preventing me from getting to sleep at a decent hour. I finally called the police at 11:30. I've had to do this at least a dozen times over the past three years. Oh well, I'll move soon and won't have to deal with them anymore.

Right now I am contemplating whether to do laundry, take a nap, or plant myself on the couch for some Dharma & Greg reruns. It will probably be the latter.

More Gore

Now reading Messiah.

Today's listening:

1. Richard Youngs: The Naïve Shaman
2. Sunset Rubdown: Shut Up I Am Dreaming
3. Marianne Faithfull: Before the Poison
4. Antony & The Johnsons: Hope There's Someone EP
5. Nico: Chelsea Girl
6. Pixies: Bossanova

Justice is served

Woo hoo!

Another one finished

I just finished The City and the Pillar. More about that tomorrow.

I wonder how long I can keep up this novel-a-day regimen.

Finished Myra Breckinridge

Last night I finished reading Myra Breckinridge. (Warning: Spoiler alert.)

Never having read Gore Vidal before, I didn't know entirely what to expect. I had, however, seen part of the film, which, though it was edited for television, had intrigued me enough to make a mental note to find out if the library had the book.

The biggest let-down was my realization that the book's twist was spoiled in the first few minutes of the movie. However, knowing Myra's secret, to which Vidal cryptically alludes throughout, did not impair my enjoyment of his wit as expressed through the heroine. Though decidedly sadistic and delusional, Myra is truly the most likable character. Unfortunately, her conquest over Rusty seemed anticlimactic. Sodomizing her foe seems too mundane for such a formidable intellect as Myra's. Also, her sudden reversion back to Myron was disappointing. No explanation was offered other than the loss of her silicone breasts as the result of being hit by a car.

Despite its drawbacks, I enjoyed Vidal's style and want to read more. I just checked out The City and the Pillar. I'll post my impressions when I finish it.

Also, I welcome suggestions for future reading in the comments.

Today's listening:

1. Scott Walker: The Drift
2. Danielson: Ships
3. Jolie Holland: Springtime Can Kill You
4. The Streets: The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
5. Matmos: The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast
6. Beirut: Gulag Orkestar
7. Little Annie: Songs From the Coalmine Canary

Feeling literary

Now that I'm no longer obligated to read, I can get back to reading for pleasure.

During such literary periods of my life, it is not unusual for me to be reading several books at once (well, not all at once, but alternating back and forth). Currently I am reading Tesla: Man Out of Time by Margaret Cheney (no relation of which I am aware) and Myra Breckinridge by Gore Vidal.

One of the few things of value I inherited from my mother is her voracity for literature. When she was a stay-at-home mom, she would often read two or three books in their entirety a day. While some were trashy romance novels, her reading more often included denser material like Atlas Shrugged or All the President's Men. When making one of her visits to her mother, she would usually bring several paper grocery bags full of books that my mother had finished reading in the previous week. My mom probably got her passion for reading from her mother, who in turn got it from her mother, who had to pose as a boy to go to yeshiva, where she asked, "PAPA, CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" and - oops - I'm thinking of Yentl. Never mind.

Today's listening:

1. Ricardo Villalobos: Achso
2. She Wants Revenge: She Wants Revenge
3. The Plastic Constellations: Crusades
4. The Sundays: Reading, Writing & Arithmetic
5. Dead Can Dance: Spleen and Ideal
6. Laura Cantrell: Humming by the Flowered Vine

Uneventful day

Very little happened today. Biked to work for the fourth day in a row. My old boss returned my phone call, might have some part-time work for me in the afternoons while I look for something full-time.

Today's listening:

1. V/A: It Came From Memphis Too
2. The Postal Service: Give Up
3. Tom Waits: Bone Machine
4. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone: Etiquette
5. Nathan Fake: Drowning in a Sea of Love
6. Charalambides: A Vintage Burden
7. Keith Fullerton Whitman: Lisbon

Anticipation

It's almost time for my Emusic dowloads to refresh! I am awaiting tomorrow afternoon as eagerly as a Gentile child awaits Christmas morning.

The toughest part is deciding how to use my 90 downloads. My "Save For Later" list is up to 40 albums, all released since the latter part of last year. I agonized for days on which albums to download so that it adds up to exactly 90 tracks. I think I have finally settled on a list:

• Beirut: Gulag Orkestar
• Danielson: Ships
• Jolie Holland: Springtime Can Kill You
• Little Annie: Songs From the Coalmine Canary
• Matmos: The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast
• The Streets: The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
• Sunset Rubdown: Shut Up I Am Dreaming
• Scott Walker: The Drift
• Richard Youngs: The Naïve Shaman

Just thinking about it makes me salivate profusely.

paleunderweight podcast 15

The new podcast is now available for download:

1. Xiu Xiu: "Asleep"
2. Erasure: "Home"
3. DJ Koze: "Dangernugget"
4. The Clientele: "Spirit"
5. Neil Young: "Shock and Awe"
6. The Sugarcubes: "Walkabout"
7. Jesu: "Wolves"
8. Gnarls Barkley: "Just a Thought"
9. Peter Murphy: "Strange Kind of Love (Version 1)"
10. Boris: "Six, Three Times"
11. The Decemberists: "On the Bus Mall"
12. The Hold Steady: "Cattle and the Creeping Things"
13. The Books: "Getting the Done Job"
14. Ellen Allien & Apparat: "Do Not Break"
15. Alejandro Escovedo: "Dearhead on the Wall"
16. Mazzy Star: "Into Dust"
17. Radiohead: "Scatterbrain (As Dead As Leaves)"

I believe I have achieved the best sound quality yet. Please leave comments if you have any constructive input about the bass/treble levels, or anything else for that matter.

Quests and killing things aren't the only ways to have fun in WoW

When I get tired of completing quests in World of Warcraft, I like to go to town and see if I can get other players to do stuff. Here, my night elf druid, Jomrcu, is offering lap dances for 50 copper. Nobody's buying so far.

Waste of time

This afternoon I attended a mandatory meeting outlining recent security policy changes on campus. These changes occurred as a result of an incident in which an ASU student murdered a former student outside of a club last year. I hoped that the meeting would provide useful guidelines for preventing violence on campus

My hope went unfulfilled. The tips ranged from marginally helpful but obvious to ridiculous. It was a waste of an hour and a half. Virtually everyone I know who has attended the meeting agrees. The time and money used to set up these mandatory meetings could have been used for actual violence prevention. All this over a tragic incident that happened off-campus and far away from university staff.

On top of that, though I left the house two hours before I had to be at work, I was still fifteen minutes late because of the buses. At least I got some extra time to listen to music:

1. Ellen Allien & Apparat: Orchestra of Bubbles
2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Henry's Dream
3. The Sugarcubes: Stick Around for Joy
4. Spiritualized: Let It Come Down

McAfee SiteAdvisor

I ran across some free software from McAfee that can help in avoiding unsafe websites. Though I have free anti-virus and -spyware protection on my home computer through work, I still caught a devastating virus last year from a safe-looking website. I had to reinstall my OS and all my software. This took forever because I had to call Microsoft several times to assure them that I wasn't pirating software before they would authenticate the software that came with my computer.

The McAfee software was fast to download and install and seems to work pretty well so far. I am willing to try it for a while because I know McAfee is a reputable company. I'd be interested in hearing from others who are using it. If you have any input, feel free to leave a comment.

More free music

Memphis Industries has released yet another free sample on Emusic, It Came From Memphis Too.

What's next?

It has been five days since graduation and I am already antsy. I want to make a decision soon about grad school. I have it narrowed down to two options: MA in ethnomusicology at ASU or MA in Information Resources and Library Sciences at U of A. The former is what I would do if I didn't have to consider the likelihood of acceptance, my career prospects, the money that could be made, the time and effort required for my prerequisites, or the scope of applicability of the skills learned in the process.

The practical side of me, however, sees the advantages of the latter:

• The program is mostly online, so I wouldn't have to relocate to Tucson.
• I can be a librarian anywhere.
• The program has an interdisciplinary focus.
• I already know at least one person who has completed the program and two others currently in it.
• I can pursue other interests at the same time.
• I already have a significant amount of library experience, giving me an advantage over most MLS grads who complete their degree without having worked a day in a library.
• I can apply by September 1 for January admission.

The most important consideration, though, is that I am happy with my career. Ethnomusicology would probably be fulfilling, but I already know that I enjoy library work. I don't want to be too hasty, but I am leaning more and more towards the MAIRLS.

Here is what I have been listening to since yesterday:

1. Radiohead: Hail to the Thief
2. The Clientele: Strange Geometry
3. OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
4. Erasure: Chorus
5. Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins: Rabbit Fur Coat
6. PJ Harvey: Dry
7. Peter Murphy: Deep
8. Xiu Xiu: Fag Patrol EP
9. Lisa Gerrard & Patrick Cassidy: Immortal Memory
10. The Hold Steady: Separation Sunday
11. The Decemberists: Picaresque
12. Neil Young: Living With War
13. Alejandro Escovedo: The Boxing Mirror

You know who you are

A regular reader of my blog has just received some fantastic, wonderful, awesome news regarding her professional life. I have to be a bit discreet about it for the moment, but I'd like to extend to her my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes. Sorry to be so cryptic, but she will know I'm talking about her, and that's all that matters.

J'écoute:

1. The Books: Thought for Food
2. Pinetop Seven: The Night's Bloom
3. Okkervil River: Black Sheep Boy
4. Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse
5. DJ Koze: Kosi Comes Around
6. Mazzy Star: So Tonight That I Might See
7. Jesu: Silver EP
8. Gnarls Barkley: St. Elsewhere
9. Boris: Pink
10. Prefuse 73: Surrounded by Silence

Surprised

Yesterday afternoon Michael took me to Lambda Phoenix Center under the guise of helping repair damage from the recent fire. Instead, when we walked in the door, I found about a dozen friends yelling, "Surprise!"

Michael and my roommate, John, put together a lovely surprise graduation party for me. This is one of those things that make me feel so lucky to have such great friends in my life. I am especially touched by the amount of effort Michael put into it, considering that he had to overcome major social anxiety to put it together. It's just one more thing that makes him such an amazing man and the best boyfriend I have ever had.

John got a Homer Simpson cake and some sandwiches from a bakery/cafe owned by mutual acquaintances. Among the gifts were Brokeback Mountain on DVD, a biography of Nikola Tesla, a book about great historical blunders, a gorgeous leather-bound journal, a book of sudoku, and some yellow roses. Michael took a lot of photos, which I will post here when he sends them to me.

paleunderweight podcast 14

The new podcast is now available:

1. Cat Stevens: "Miles From Nowhere"
2. Little Wings: "Boom!"
3. Shining: "Goretex Weather Report"
4. Bright Eyes: "Poison Oak"
5. Bloc Party: "Blue Light (Engineers' Anti-Gravity Mix)"
6. The Golden Palominos: "Ride"
7. Jana Hunter: "K"
8. Band of Horses: "The Funeral"
9. Sonic Youth: "Hey Joni"
10. Franz Ferdinand: "Walk Away"
11. The Cure: "Sinking"
12. Scissor Sisters: "Return to Oz"
13. My Bloody Valentine: "Cupid Come"
14. Grandaddy: "Rear View Mirror"
15. Black Light District: "Stoned Circular I"
16. Nine Inch Nails: "The Only Time"
17. The Flaming Lips: "One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21"

Done!

My bologna has a first name; it's H-O-M-E-R...

I traced this likeness of Homer in the dust of the TV screen after my roommate, John, went to bed. He despises The Simpsons. This is just one of my ways of teasing him for being a non-Simpsons-watching infidel.

I bet that he will compare this to the mashed potatoes scene with Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Slight change of plans

I decided not to participate in today's university-wide graduation ceremony for several reasons. First, I had no guests coming and no ride. That would mean schlepping my cap and gown across town on the bus and getting it all wrinkled.

Additionally, I had miscalculated the amount of vacation time I had left at work. As it turns out, I could only take one day off instead of two like I had hoped. I felt it would be more important to take tomorrow off for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences convocation ceremony instead.

Finally, today's commencement was scheduled for 10 AM. I knew that temperatures would exceed 90° before the ceremony even started. Tomorrow's, at least, starts at 8, so it will be over before it gets too sweltering.

Today I just took two hours off so I could get a haircut and do some laundry.

Today's listening:

1. Prince: 1999
2. The Cure: The Head on the Door
3. Bloc Party: Silent Alarm Remixed
4. Supertramp: Breakfast in America
5. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
6. Jana Hunter: Blank Unstaring Heirs of Doom

Graduation haircut

Woo hoo!

I just finished my last final of my undergraduate education (hopefully)!

I don't think I have an reason to worry; I'm just always paranoid about finals.

Today's listening:

1. Gotan Project: Lunático
2. My Bloody Valentine: Isn't Anything
3. The Golden Palominos: Dead Inside
4. Bright Eyes: I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
5. Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation

Getting there

Three finals down, one to go.

Today's listening:

1. Destroyer: Your Blues
2. Cat Stevens: Tea for the Tillerman
3. Little Wings: Light Green Leaves
4. Franz Ferdinand: You Could Have It So Much Better... With Franz Ferdinand
5. Band of Horses: Everything All the Time
6. Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine
7. Grandaddy: Just Like the Fambly Cat

Busy

I am incredibly busy today. I didn't get anything finals-related done over the weekend. I'm not really worried; all I have to do to graduate magna cum laude is show up for my finals. However, I am going to make a reasonable effort to do decently. This means I will spend most of today and tomorrow reading.

My listening today:

1. Wire: Pink Flag
2. Shining: In the Kingdom of Kitsch You Will Be a Monster
3. Scissor Sisters: Scissor Sisters
4. Black Light District: A Thousand Lights in a Darkened Room

Natasha and Sasha

paleunderweight podcast 13

The new podcast is now available:

1. Antony & The Johnsons: "I Fell in Love With a Dead Boy"
2. Gruff Rhys: "Gwn Mi Wn"
3. The Avalanches: "Flight Tonight"
4. The Shins: "Gone for Good"
5. Dangerdoom feat. Cee-Lo: "Benzie Box"
6. Joanna Newsom: "Peach, Plum, Pear"
7. The Kallikak Family: "Third Phase"
8. Daniel Johnston: "Story of an Artist"
9. Bauhaus: "Spy in the Cab"
10. Clor: "Dangerzone"
11. Voxtrot: "Wrecking Force"
12. Goldfrapp: "Tiptoe"
13. Peter Gabriel: "Mercy Street"
14. Guillemots: "Trains to Brazil"
15. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band: "Tropical Hot Dog Night"
16. Wooden Wand: "Spiritual Inmate"
17. Safety Scissors feat. Erlend Øye: "Sunlight on the Other Side"
18. Guided by Voices: "My Valuable Hunting Knife"
19. The Decemberists: "Bridges & Balloons"

Not really a political blog, but...

...I still got a mention at Follow the Links.

I am a nerd

I love pictures of sea life. Livescience has posted a stunning gallery of gelatinous zooplankton. If you are a nerd like me, check it out.

Not-so-random Smiths lyrics

"A rush and a push and the land that we stand on is ours."

That is the mantra I will repeat daily until Election Day in November.

Today's listening:

1. Guided by Voices: Alien Lanes
2. British Sea Power: Open Season
3. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band: Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)
4. Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

I regret to inform you...

...that I have decided, after some earnest deliberation, to remove Americablog from my links. It has been replaced with Eschaton, which is now, in my opinion, the more reliable of the two blogs.

This comes after two recent hissyfits thrown by John Aravosis, the primary contributor to Americablog. In the most recent, Aravosis accuses Howard Dean of firing his liaison to the gay community in retaliation for a letter written by his partner. No evidence is cited for this accusation. Furthermore, rather than answer challenges posed by readers, he throws a temper tantrum. His allegations of discrimination are still unsubstantiated.

In a slightly older post, Aravosis compares the Dalai Lama to the Chinese government that brutally oppresses Tibet. This is because the Dalai Lama doesn't feel he can condone homosexuality. However, Aravosis ignored everything else the Dalai Lama has said about homosexuality: that he concedes his views are possibly more influenced by traditional Tibetan views rather than direct religious knowledge, that he doesn't really know enough about the subject to give a definitive answer on the subject. Aravosis also failed to mention that the Dalai Lama has always vocally opposed discrimation and violence against people based on sexual orientation.

I am saddened that this change has become necessary. However, Aravosis is no longer a rational voice representing liberals/progressives or the gay communtiy. Atrios has long been one of my favorite bloggers and I would have added a link eventually anyway. Nevertheless, it's sad that it is in lieu of Americablog, rather than alongside it.

Reading day

UPDATE: At the suggestion of my coworker, Heather, I used our library's Ask a Librarian chat function to ask about this. We didn't come up with anything definitive, but we concluded that it probably originated in the U.S. or Canada fairly recently, since usage of the term is sparse in British universities and non-existent in Australia, but common in the U.S. and Canada.

Today is reading day at ASU. Aside from no classes, I'm not sure I entirely know what it means.

I tried searching for its meaning and origins on Google and Wikipedia, to no avail. My suspicion is that the name means that faculty are supposed to use the day to catch up on grading term papers and assignments before finals begin.

Does anyone know the answer to this one? I'm really curious.

Today's listening:

1. The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
2. Bauhaus: In the Flat Field
3. Guillemots: From the Cliffs EP
4. Dr. Dog: Easy Beat

More free music

Emusic has three new free label samplers available: Acute (includes Glenn Branca and Metal Urbain), Carpark (includes Montag, Belong, and Kid 606), and Paw Tracks (Animal Collective, Jane, Panda Bear, Ariel Pink, etc.).

9 days until graduation

I just completed the oral portion of my French 202 final. I will take the written proficiency exam Friday evening, thereby completing the foreign language requirement for my degree.

This afternoon I have one last lecture in Language and Culture. The take-home final and study guide will be given out at the end of the hour. I suspect that it will be ridiculously easy.

That leaves Human Impacts on Ancient Environments and Prehispanic Civilizations in Mesoamerica. Those finals will be Tuesday and Wednesday next week, repectively.

Speaking of education, the results of the National Geographic-Roper Public Affairs 2006 Geographic Literacy Study were released today and they are terrifying. No wonder most Americans perceive current events without any sense of context! If we don't know the spatial relationships between nations, how can we know much about their historical relationships?

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a classmate, another honors student, in October 2004. She was undecided about for whom she would vote in November. I was appalled to find out that she didn't know the parties of the candidates, nor did she know that Bush was the current president! She was also completely unaware of the Marriage Protection Amendment that was in the news at the time. In fact, she thought that gay marriage was legal in every state! She hadn't heard anything about Massachusetts. I explained all of those things to her and she decided at that moment to vote for Kerry. Once she realized that people's lives were actually affected by the election, she began to take it seriously enough to start learning a few things.

I have a hilarious book titled Non Campus Mentis. It is written like a short history of the world, but is assembled entirely out of excerpts of history papers written by college students. I howl whenever I pick it up, but it depresses me that these statements came from the same demographic group that miserably failed the NG test. The same people that can't find Iraq on a map (and likely support the war anyway) are also the ones that think the British sent Aztec troops to fight at Gallipolli and that the Catholic popes were relocated to Arizona by the King of France. It makes me wonder, would the war have happened if Bush could identify Iraq on a map? Was he confusing Iraq and Iran all along?

Here is what I have been listening to today:

1. Peter Gabriel: So
2. Gruff Rhys: Yr Atal Genhedlaeth
3. Safety Scissors: Tainted Lunch
4. The Magic Numbers: The Magic Numbers
5. Joy Division: Closer
6. Goldfrapp: Black Cherry
7. Cities: Cities
8. Antony & The Johnsons: I Fell in Love With a Dead Boy EP
9. The Kallikak Family: May 23rd 2007

Back on the bike

I was able to get about of bed before six this morning, thanks to Sugarfoot standing on my back and meowing loudly. I decided it would be a perfect opportunity to get back into riding my bike part of the way to campus.

I got out of the habit because it was getting to be difficult to find a bus stop that was outside of walking distance from the house and not closed due to light rail construction. The construction is now so extensive that any sensible route I might take to campus is significantly affected by it. Today, however, I found a stop that is just over half a mile from the house - just enough distance to get my blood flowing and wake me up. Hopefully, the bus stop will remain open for a while. But it'll probably get moved next week without notice, knowing how Valley Metro operates.

When I arrived at campus, I was alert and awake. I didn't need caffeine for the first hour of work. I even went for a short ride after work. Aside from the SUVs driving in the bike lanes, it went pretty well.

I even got some music in today:

1. Clor: Clor
2. Dangerdoom: The Mouse and the Mask
3. Wooden Wand: Harem of the Sundrum and the Witness Figg
4. Joanna Newsom: The Milk-Eyed Mender
5. Primal Scream: Screamadelica
6. The Avalanches: Since I Left You

11 days until graduation

I can't wait until school is over.

Here is what I've been listening to tonight:

1. Voxtrot: Raised by Wolves EP
2. The Decemberists: Picaresquities EP
3. Daniel Johnston: Welcome to My World

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The new podcast is now available:

1. Sufjan Stevens: "Casimir Pulaski Day"
2. Prince: "Sister"
3. Devendra Banhart: "Long Haired Child"
4. Dungen: "Du E För Fin För Mig"
5. Tom Waits: "In the Neighborhood"
6. Gotan Project: "Mi Confesión"
7. The Boy Least Likely To: "Hugging My Grudge"
8. Nick Drake: "Things Behind the Sun"
9. Battles: "Hi/Lo"
10. Aloha: "Your Eyes"
11. Jens Lekman: "Julie"
12. Derek Jarman: untitled track from Blue
13. The Sisters of Mercy: "Driven Like the Snow"
14. XTC: "Pink Thing"
15. Ladytron: "All the Way"
16. Wilderness: "Emergency"
17. Calexico: "Roka"

Today's listening

1. Battles: EP C
2. Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones
3. The Futureheads: The Futureheads
4. XTC: Oranges & Lemons
5. Derek Jarman: Blue

Albums That Loved Me Back #3

Antony & The Johnsons: I Am a Bird Now

In 1968, Candy Darling, a young New York drag queen, appears in Andy Warhol's Flesh. Andy introduces Candy to Lou Reed of The Velvet Underground, who writes and records a song about her, "Candy Says". In the 1990's, Lou befriends Antony Hegarty, an androgynous singer and founding member of Blacklips Performance Cult. Lou takes Antony on a couple of world tours as a backup singer. Antony's band is named after Martha Johnson, the drag queen who is credited with starting the 1969 riot at the Stonewall Inn. Their second album, I Am a Bird Now, released February 8, 2005, features Lou Reed on one track and Peter Hujar's deathbed photograph of Candy Darling on the cover.

I have always been fascinated with connections and influences and collaborations in music. As one could imagine, the rich historical context in which I Am a Bird Now is embedded makes me drool. But even taken completely out of context, the album approaches perfection. Within weeks of its release, it shot directly into my top five favorite albums ever released.

I Am a Bird Now is about intermediate spaces, androgyny, ambiguity, ambivalence, uncertainty, fear of and hope for the future, and bittersweet reflections on the past. Above all, Antony meditates on transfigurations: childhood to adulthood, manhood to womanhood, life to death. It is fitting, then, that Candy Darling graces the cover, having undergone two of these and on the precipice of the third.

Antony's voice is what most critics have focused on. He isn't the most technically competent singer, but his voice is smooth, genderless, and naturally appealing. He sounds simultaneously terrified and confident, joyful and despairing. But his songwriting is the real treat. It is the songs that give his voice a chance to show what it can do.

"Oh I'm scared of the middle place between light and nowhere," Antony declares in the first track, "Hope There's Someone". Not one to let fear rule him, he spends much of the remainder of the album exploring and charting the "middle place" for the listener. In "For Today I Am a Boy", Antony describes growing up in the wrong body and desperately wishing for a new one. He laments that "I was born old, not a girl and not a jewel" in "Spiralling". After struggling to accept his true nature he finally finds salvation in "Bird Girl": "I've been searching for my wings some time... I'm gonna be borne into soon the sky, 'cause I'm a bird girl and the bird girls go to heaven."

I Am a Bird Now reeks of soul when most music, particularly outwardly gay-themed music, was completely devoid of it. Unabashedly emotional but completely sincere, the album was completely unlike anything that had been released by a gay artist in a recent memory, perhaps unlike anything ever released by anyone. The genre of torch songs has largely been ignored by gay men of the younger generations, too femme or too over-the-top or just plain unnecessary at a time when gay is synonymous with normal to a growing segment of the mainstream. Its remnants can be found in tacky, unoriginal drag shows and gay-themed comedies like Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. I Am a Bird Now, however, reminds us why torch songs were once a legitimate art form. Antony has managed to make them relevant again, even to the musical mainstream that once mocked Jobriath and Klaus Nomi for their flamboyance. Hopefully, I Am a Bird Now will have the same effect on younger gay men, who now mock one another for any peceived deviation from a pretense of masculinity.

Today's listening

1. Antony & The Johnsons: I Am a Bird Now
2. Morrissey: Ringleader of the Tormentors
3. Édith Piaf: Éternelle
4. The Sisters of Mercy: Floodland
5. Nick Drake: Pink Moon
6. Dungen: Ta Det Lugnt

Smobriety

I forgot to mention that yesterday marked one year without any kind of nicotine.

Slow music day

...unless you count recordings of phone calls between LBJ and J. Edgar Hoover as music.

Today's listening:

1. Jens Lekman: Oh You're So Silent Jens
2. Sufjan Stevens: Illinois
3. The Boy Least Likely To: The Best Party Ever
4. The Cure: Pornography

A significant moment

I just finished the last paper of my undergraduate career.

Today's listening

1. Calexico: Garden Ruin
2. Maritime: We, the Vehicles
3. Feathers: Feathers
4. Measles Mumps Rubella: Fantastic Success
5. Magneta Lane: Dancing With Daggers
6. Ladytron: Witching Hour
7. Prince: Dirty Mind
8. Devendra Banhart: Cripple Crow

Products that will soon be illegal in South Carolina

As threedogheads points out, South Carolina is considering a bill that would ban sex toys. I believe that this law would have unforeseen disastrous consequences. Here are some products that could be construed as illegal under such a ban.

1. The Octodog - "The Octodog brings fun to an ordinary hotdog and meal... Remember to get out the camera! Your photos can be used to win prizes..."
2. Cirque du Soleil.
3. Fritos - because they are a potent aphrodisiac.
4. The entire Kenneth Cole collection.
5. Police uniform costumes - The law might require retailers to ask customers whether they will be using them as Halloween costumes or to re-enact Tom of Finland illustrations.
6. Car battery jumper cables.
7. Post-bachelaureate degrees - Nothing gets me hotter.
8. Cell phones or pagers that vibrate.
9. Personal "massagers".
10. All food products that even slightly resemble genetalia.
11. CSI: Crime Scene Investigations.

And, of course, it would be illegal for Michael to enter South Carolina at any time. Luckily, I doubt that he will ever have the urge to go there.

Procrastination

The last paper of the semester is due on Tuesday. I haven't started or selected a topic yet. No worries, though. I was in the same position two days before the last paper was due but I still got an A+ on it.

I am still working on the next installment of Albums That Loved Me Back but I don't think I will post it until Tuesday at the very soonest.

I don't usually listen to much music on Sundays, but I wanted to get a start on some of the stuff I downloaded from Emusic. Here is what I have been listening to:

1. Gotan Project: Lunático
2. Aloha: Some Echoes
3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada
4. Wilderness: Vessel States

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Today's podcast is now online:

1. New Order: "Vanishing Point"
2. Kanye West: "Addiction"
3. José González: "Hints"
4. Pulp: "Razzmatazz"
5. Jan Jelinek: "Im Diskodickicht"
6. This Mortal Coil: "'Til I Gain Control Again"
7. Lou Reed: "Make Up"
8. Frog Eyes: "The Oscillator's Hum"
9. Brian Eno & David Byrne: "The Jezebel Spirit"
10. The Microphones: "You'll Be in the Air"
11. Liars: "Hold You, Drum"
12. O Yuki Conjugate: "A Darker Belief"
13. Beck: "Get Real Paid"
14. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: "Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)"
15. Yo La Tengo: "Autumn Sweater"
16. Islands: "Volcanoes"
17. Fort Lauderdale: "Silent Ways"
18. Super Furry Animals: "Ohio Heat"

1000

This Sunday, my music collection will exceed 1000 albums. My Emusic downloads refresh on the 23rd of each month, allowing me to download 90 mp3s, usually 7-8 complete albums. This will bring me to a total of 12,335 tracks on my iPod. It would take more than five weeks to listen to every track without interruption. Needless to say, I won't run out of material for my podcast anytime soon.

Today's listening:

1. Beck: Midnite Vultures
2. This Mortal Coil: Blood
3. O Yuki Conjugate: Peyote
4. Jan Jelinek: Kosmischer Pitch
5. The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground
6. New Order: Technique
7. Liars: Drum's Not Dead
8. Mugison: Little Trip

Keeping me company

Sushi and apples

I'm just finishing up my lunch and I have almost an hour and a half until my next class.

I haven't yet heard from the appraisal company, but I don't know if I can accept that job if they offer it to me. I can't afford to be without medical benefits, even for the amount they would pay to start. I also don't want to have to buy a car quite yet, if ever. One of my colleagues will probably leave us for brighter horizons within a couple of weeks, leaving a full-time specialist position open. I think that trying for that job will be a safer bet.

I am quite impressed with the Memphis Industries sampler I downloaded last night. I was expecting a lot of post-punk revival stuff because of the Field Music tracks, but I was pleasantly surprised. The tracks cover a lot of ground musically, reminiscent of early 60's Motown girl-groups, Aladdin Sane-era Bowie, late 80's A.R. Kane-esque shoegaze/dub/psychedelia, etc. I would rate at least half the tracks as excellent. And it's free!

I re-read yesterday's "Albums That Loved Me Back" and I'm fairly pleased with it. I think I need to focus more on my purpose for writing, rather than just posting semi-random musings. I am trying to convey that the albums I write about are in a class apart from most music. They have rewarded the attention I have given them by giving me pleasure, hope, strength, etc. What I have received from them is of much greater value than the money, time, and effort I have invested in buying and listening to them - hence the title. My goal is to give a sense of how my life is inextricably enmeshed with the music, giving critical commentary and personal narrative. I'm going to spend more time on the next one. It will be a fairly new one, released just last year. It's hard to get very much perspective on an album that hasn't been out very long, but this one is truly remarkable. More soon.

Today's listening:

1. Daft Punk: Homework
2. V/A: It Came From Memphis
3. Sia: Colour the Small One
4. Antony & The Johnsons: I Am a Bird Now
5. Menomena: I Am the Fun Blame Monster!
6. Frog Eyes: The Folded Palm
7. Mike Ladd: Father Divine