More Music!

Every year after I get back from Coachella I spiral into a post-festival depression that involves me feeling stupid (I killed a lot of brain cells, okay?), listening to the same bands on repeat for hours on end, and endlessly researching other upcoming music festivals. 

Okay it's not that bad - I'm just being dramatic you guys! GOSH. But okay I'm in a post-Coachella music craze and the Lollapalooza (is that the most 90s festival, or what?) lineup was announced today. And Tennis is playing! Tennis! You remember them, right? I've blogged about them before - I love them! I'm not sure how they'd be in the festival setting but I imagine I would have a damn good time... so yeah, while I should be working and writing and thinking about REAL things, here I am daydreaming about taking a trip to Chicago in late August...

Someday I'll laugh. Right?

Well it's that time of year again. The time when I am figuring out how much I'm spending on my Coachella weekend as I make my final preparations. The time when I am buying tickets to bridal showers and bachelorette parties for multiple brides-to-be. The time when I spend around $500 on tickets to return to my dear Alma mater where I'll be spending a weekend attempting to recreate college aka drink a lot of beer. The time when I realize I'm just digging my hole into Debtsville deeper and deeper. But it can't always be this way... right? Like someday I'll look back on my freakouts over spending money I don't have and just laugh... right? DEAR GOD THAT BETTER BE RIGHT.


On a related note - now accepting any and all suggestions for how to not spend any money in the next three days. Also accepting money for sexual favors! JUST KIDDING! BUT ALMOST NOT!

Also - you can tag this post WHITE PEOPLE PROBLEMS because I have NO business complaining. None. First of all, I do this to myself. Secondly, this is ridiculous. Thirdly, I am going to Coachella and to Middlebury - like I am spending money on FUN THINGS I WANT TO DO. So like, I'm an asshole.

I'm totally the WORST

Okay. I'm not TOTALLY the worst but I've been super neglectful of the blog and it's NOT because I've been reading Sweet Valley Confidential for a week (when I actually sit down to it I imagine that book will take me, like, an hour to get through - it's really poorly written but WHATEVER). I've just been super duper busy you guys. Like so busy that for the first time in I don't know when I didn't do ANYTHING this weekend - like no writing, no job-related stuff, no nothing. It was delightful. But then yesterday came along and I freaked out because I felt like I wasn't doing ANYTHING.  So now I am back to planning the 900 things I am going to be doing over the next few weeks. But most of that revolves around COACHELLA.


Which is why I have feathers in my hair.


Have I mentioned that? If you follow me on Twitter (which, frankly, is where the goods are at these days) then you are well aware. If no, then yes, I have feather hair extensions.

I'm wearing a swimsuit, okay? And try to spot the feathers - there are three of them.

You guys Coachella is like that one weekend of the year where I can just let my freak flag fly to the extreme which means I just want to be barefoot and dance in the grass and wear feathers in my hair and go totally OFF THE GRID for like 5 days. And it's less than two weeks away. HOLY HOTCAKES I AM EXCITED.

Oh yeah but the point of all this was that I'm going to be pretty shitty about blogging with Coachella coming up and me getting my busy thang on. And also because the site is going to be redesigned (VERY EXCITING!) but that's moving slowly because, well, it's me...

In the meantime, remember to follow the Twitter and even the Tumblr and I'll pop in here with anything REALLY important. Cool? Cool.

Amy, Tina - we've missed you

SNL was great this week, wasn't it? Betty White kicked ass, Jay-Z kicked ass (I had a serious Coachella-flashback), and seeing all those great lady comedians on the screen again was a lot of fun, Molly Shannon and Ana Gasteyer especially.

Personally, my favorite sketch was (surprise, surprise) "Weekend Update." I love Seth Meyers, but God it was great to see both Amy Poehler and Tina Fey back at the desk with him:

Get to know Die Antwoord

This South Africa "zef-rap" group is pretty controversial, thanks to some over-hype, internet-meme status, and the mystery that surrounds them (are they real? Is this a Borat-esque joke? Must Yolandi - the androgynous towhead sidekick- swear at everyone?) But I recently caught their act at Coachella, and love the album (streaming at their site). Whether or not they’re “real,” Die Antwoord offers up some fun beats, hilarious lyrics, and just over-the-top antics – all worth checking out.

Yes, some NSFW language and phallic imagery abounds, so if you are easily offended I'd suggest passing... but otherwise? That Zef is so Fre$...

The Panty Police

Saturday night I had a run-in with the cops. Now, before you go ahead and jump to any conclusions, it’s worth mentioning that in the time I have lived in Santa Monica I’ve had more run-ins with police officers than I have my entire life prior to moving here. And they’ve always been for the same reason: noise. Yep. People in Santa Monica seem to hate people who like to do things like, oh, I don't know... enjoy life and have fun with their friends... so, as you can imagine, we’ve had cops show up to our apartments for a variety of noise-related reasons. My favorite time was when they came over because we were watching Planet Earth too loud… at least, that was until this most recent run-in...

After a fun night out Saturday, two of my roommates and I ended the night back at our apartment. Sure we were pretty drunk – I’m not going to pretend that wasn’t the case… Actually, let’s get down to it: we were hammered.

Somehow, in the early hours of the morning (I think we thought it was around 2am but it turns out it was closer to 4am) we all ended up in DiTonto’s bedroom having a late night dance party (LNDP for the uninitiated. Obv.) We often joke that our apartment is “pants optional” and this was one of those nights – because both Becca and Ash were in their underwear and t-shirts, although I for some reason was still fully dressed, shoes and all (I have no idea why but I sometimes have a tendency to not take my shoes off until I go to bed).

Now when I say LNDP, I don’t mean like a singalong to music from Glee. We were rocking out to Gorillaz – yes, still riding that Coachella high – and when I say rocking out I mean HARD CORE. Like dancing our faces off. And each one of us totally in our own world in a different corner of DiTonto’s room, with DiTonto holding court jumping and dancing on top of her bed.

Anyway, the song “Rhinestone Eyes” is blaring and we are just all so into it and next thing I know there are two policemen standing in the doorway of DiTonto’s bedroom – which I might add, is fairly deep into our large apartment.

So essentially, two cops who were probably expecting to walk into some apartment and find a massive rager of a party just came across three girls dancing, two of them in their underwear, having a great time. It’s the start to a bad porno.

(It’s also worth mentioning there are empty beer cans everywhere. Among other things.)

These cops were just standing sort of in stunned shock looking at us, and while Becca and DiTonto immediately drop to the floor covering their mouths I just kept repeating “Oh my God I am so embarrassed.”

We then get the following speech: “First of all, your door is wide open so you should probably remember to lock that from now on. And secondly, your music is so loud you didn’t even hear us until we came all the way to the bedroom.” And maybe they said something after that, but all I remember is that the second they walked out of the bedroom door the three of us burst into uncontrollable fits of giggles. We’re talking rolling on the floor, holding our bellies and laughing so hard it hurt giggles.

I am guessing Sunday morning some fellow cops got a good story over donuts.

Coachella Trendspotting

I covered Coachella for Trend Central again this year (thank you to my wonderful former employers) and you can catch all my trendspotting here.

In other words: I am both too lazy and too busy catching up at the office to really get into it here.

If I could bend the space-time continuum...

... I would transport myself back to Coachella right now. I would.

Oh hey, yes, I am back - but really BACK tomorrow when I am back in the office for what is sure to be a nice long day of catching up... so posts will trickle in slowly this week.

I just wanted to pop in and say hello and I am working through my post-Coachella depression by reliving my favorite show - Hot Chip. It was an epic dance party and I cannot stop listening to their latest CD "One Life Stand" on repeat. BUY IT. NOW. (You'll thank me later).

Here are my three favorite songs from the album to whet your appetite:

A Much-Needed Vacation

Jaw Wired Shut is going on a vacation for a few days. Where? To the desert my friends.

Yes, it's that time of year again when I join the masses in the sweltering heat for three days of hippie dancing and great tunes at the Coachella Valley Music Festival. I cannot wait. I'm going to be trendspotting at Coachella and writing about it for www.trendcentral.com (my former gig!) and potentially covering the fest for HuffPo as well. And you better believe I'll be posting some highlights here.

In the meanwhile, don't expect to see me pop up on the internet until Monday, except for the occasional Twitter update. And even though after the weekend I will be back in town recovering from what is sure to be an epic trip, my dad and step-mom are in town and I'm moving right into family vacation time. I won't actually be back in full swing until next Wednesday.

But, don't be a stranger! Keep reading - and feel free to check in and say hello.

Stream It

New LCD Soundsystem album is streaming at their website.

I dig.

Also, I will be seeing them at Coachella this weekend. YES FOLKS, COACHELLA IS FINALLY HERE... more thoughts on that to come...

The Soundtrack I Never Knew I Needed

I'm on a big music kick these days. I think that's because, for starters, I've been doing a lot of reading, and I really like to have good chill music to listen to as I am plowing through pilot scripts. Furthermore, it's just about a month and a half until Coachella, which means I'm getting into concert-mode.

Lately I've been going through my iTunes catalog to listen to the albums I bought over the past year or so but never gave the thorough listen they deserve. One such album is M83's Saturdays = Youth, which I've decided is my version of the 80s soundtrack to my life, I never knew I was lacking until I found it. Seriously. The song "Kim and Jessie" is so epic in it's potential for running over the opening credits of a John Hughes high school drama, that I think I need to write it into some sort of 80s tribute movie.

Here's a sweet vid of the band performing the song live in 2008 on my favorite radio show, "Morning Becomes Eclectic."

Making a List, Checking it Twice

In case you missed out, my Pop Culture Christmas list is up at HuffPo.

But I know what you really want. You want my REAL Christmas list, the one I actually send to my family, because even though I am 26 years old I still write a Christmas list, every single year (I wasn't kidding when I said I value the importance of the list and its ability to help your loved ones shop at a greater ease).

So for a refresher, last year's list, and now the new one... (pulled from the family email chain).

I really don't need anything, and it's funny because this might be the first year where I seriously struggled to think of what I want/need:

But as Carla has insisted...

Here ya go (bigger stuff listed near the top):

Coachella tickets
Digital Camera
Barbour "Beaufort" coat in Olive - or whatever they are calling green (maybe Sage?)
a bike
Someone to pay off my credit card debt? (A long shot, I know)
That we go onto the AT&T family plan!!!
New headphones (with a mic) for my iPhone (I legitimately need these bc those ones that came with the phone are shitty and I've already gone through two pairs)
Up! on DVD
Save the Cat (screenwriting book)
Elephant Bucks (TV writing book)
Maybe a gray purse? I am into slouchy messenger bag types that aren't too big... or dark brown, or a bright red/orange bag?
Gift certificates to any of the following are always great: J. Crew, Madewell, Piperlime, Anthropologie, Amazon, Target, Lulu Lemon, Orvis
New Yoga mat and maybe one of those nice yoga blanket/towel things

Some thoughts:
(1) Yes, I asked for a gift card to Orvis. I'm from Maine, remember?
(2) I really, really want an excuse to not pay my cellphone bill so I figure the family plan is the best bet.
(3)The one common thing on both lists? Someone to pay my credit cart debt. How sad.
(4) Compared to last year, I'm a little less obsessed with working out, it would appear.
(5) I don't want to disclose how many digital cameras I've gone through, which is why I know that's one thing on my list I probably won't be getting...
(6) Ha. Hahaha. I "struggled." Haha. Lies.

Music, Vegas, and that other time in Vegas

This is a big week for music in my life. No, it’s nothing nostalgic or sentimental, I just happen to be seeing two kickass bands this week and in some great venues.

For starters, Wednesday night I saw Phoenix play at the Greek Theatre. The show was fantastic. It more than made up for the miserable hour-plus traffic-heavy drive to the hipster haven known as Griffith Park. I’ve been listening to Phoenix for years now, maybe since when they first arrived on the scene, and while some of their oldest hits are my favorites, I’ve been totally nutso for their most recently released album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. They are impressive live; at sometimes orchestral, other times a less abstract version of Daft Punk, and a few times I really got the sense I was at one hell of a rock show. So yes, it kicked ass. The Greek Theatre is a sick spot to catch a gig, as well. A little more intimate than the Hollywood Bowl, but still with the incredible sensation of being at an outdoor amphitheater.

Tomorrow night I’ll be seeing the Killers play in Vegas. I saw the Killers play at Coachella earlier this year, which as you may recall, I raved about. Like Phoenix, I’ve had their most recently released album on steady rotation since January, and they strike me as a band that is consistent in delivering a great show. In fact, the Killers hail from Vegas, so what better excuse to head to Sin City?

Speaking of, the last time I went to Las Vegas was when I was driving across the country and it was an unintentional stop along the way. And I stayed at the Travel Lodge. Yes, the Travel Lodge. Why the Travel Lodge? Well, isn’t that obvious? Circus Circus, (aka shittiest casino in all the land,) was sold out.

You see, when driving cross country I was living the life of a traveling minstrel, and frugal was my middle name (okay, so I wasn’t ACTUALLY playing folk songs in royal courts, but I was living like a pauper, with all my earthly belongings jammed into my car). Circus Circus was the highest price we’d go for a hotel, but when that was sold out, the Travel Lodge was the logical next choice. And please keep in mind this is after days of camping and sweating and hiking and no showers. Oh and running out of gas in Utah and hitchhiking. Good times.

But anyway, my first and only other time in Vegas was a much different experience from what I expect to have tomorrow night. It was unique and amazing and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, but I am looking forward to experiencing Vegas in the more traditional sense. A night’s stay at the Venetian, a show, maybe a slot machine go-round, and hopefully I won’t end up with Mike Tyson’s tiger in my hotel suite Sunday morning a la The Hangover. But it is Vegas after all, so I guess all bets are off…

An Open Letter to the Bonnaroo PR Team: Stop Rubbing Your Awesome Line-Up in my Face!

Dear Bonnaroo PR Team,

Thank you for once again sending me another emailing touting the highlights of this summer's festival, reminding me once again that in 2007 I had one of the best times of my life, but also that I am in no position economically or otherwise to go the festival this year. What's that? You have Phish? Twice? Yes, I would chew off my left arm to see them, but alas, my left arm is unavailable for chewing because it's too busy punching the wall. Oh, I'm sorry, did you say Springstreen? Excuse me while I cry in a corner. And that whole thing about David Byrne curating some shows featuring some hot up-and-comers...? I am going to live in denial of this merely existing, because it pains me too much.

The only comfort I take in these regular emails is that I recall the three days of camping in the fields of Manchester, TN in the middle of June to be somewhat miserable, thanks to scorching temperatures. At least at Coachella I got to stay at a condo. WITH A POOL. So you can suck it, you "Woodstock of today" and take your awesome line-up and crazy hippies and delicious food and ferris wheel and I hope everyone gets heat stroke (except for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs because I worship the ground Karen O walks upon).

Regards,
Stamos

Monday Night (A Two Part Tale)

Prologue
Brace yourself readers, you are in for one seriously long post but let me preface it with a disclaimer: THIS IS A TRUE RETELLING OF MY ENTIRE MONDAY NIGHT, from which I hope you will find joy and humor, and maybe a little personal reflection and probably you’ll get annoyed somewhere around the middle but then you'll get into the stuff about Mexico and you might just come out feeling victorious and refreshed.

Part 1.
On a scale of 1 to 7, Taco Bell is obviously a 7

So DiTonto is buying a new car. And DiTonto is... well... we’ll call it particular. Being the good friend I am (and because she dealt with my car trauma back in July) I went with her to some dealers last night to attempt to help. I say attempt because car shopping with Ashleigh is like taking an autistic child to the grocery store. That was incredibly offensive. I have no idea what it would be like taking autistic child to the grocery store. Let me try a new metaphor. Car shopping with Ashleigh is like taking an eight year old to the world’s largest toy store but the kid wants a fucking toy that HASN’T BEEN INVENTED YET.

Right now she drives a small, fire-engine red 2001 VW Bug. So you’d think naturally she’d want another small car, maybe even another bug because she LOVES HER CURRENT CAR SO MUCH. Oh no. NOT DITONTO. CERTAINLY NOT.

See, at some point on Sunday DiTonto decided to get THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF A BUG. She thought she wanted a pick-up truck but then when we actually looked at them yesterday she didn’t like any of the ones that didn’t have power locks or windows. But then any of the trucks with automatic amenities were too large or expensive or white was an unacceptable color for the truck. And apparently she is over the VWs. So then we drove by Honda and I suggested a Fit, but NO NO NO, not for DiTonto.

Then we went to the giant Ford & Jeep dealership in Santa Monica to support our love for America and Freedom and this is when DiTonto fell in love with a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. A big honker that is army green with a massive spoiler on the front and crazy looking headlights to hunt Mexicans with. That was incredibly offensive. Let me rephrase. A big honker that is army green with a massive spoiler on the front and crazy looking headlights to hunt... to hunt... to hunt Mexicans with. I CAN’T HELP IT! (sorry I am just being extra non-PC today but also because the universe is shitting on Mexico right now and so I feel like maybe I can too? Just today? No? How many people of Mexican lineage have I offended at this point? Would it help to know that as a child I went to summer camp in Mexico and actually have a deep love and respect for the country? Still no? What was that? Something about SWINE FLU? DON’T WORRY I’LL GET TO THAT IN PART 2!)

Anyway, after all the test driving we needed some sustenance so naturally we went to Taco Bell. (See, DiTonto introduced me to Taco Bell and I introduced her to certain illicit substances I’d rather not spell out here on the blog BUT YOU GET THE IDEA I MEAN WE WERE AT COACHELLA TWO WEEKS AGO AND YOU KNOW I AM LIBERAL AND WENT TO SCHOOL IN VERMONT SO TAKE A GUESS, but really the point of this is that we both brought things that do harm to your body into each others’ lives so it’s ALL OKAY! WE'RE EVEN.)

We both ordered Crunchwrap Supremes (I order that because I don’t know what I am supposed to get at Taco Bell and just get what DiTonto tells me to. I'm very free-thinking), and Ashleigh also got a burrito because her eyes tend to be larger than her stomach and then when we pulled up to the window to pay and get our food, the nice Taco Bell employee handed me a receipt and pointed out that on the back of said receipt there was a place to rate their service. I handed the receipt to DiTonto, thinking very little of this exchange, when she said to me,

“Wait, they want me to rate their service?”

Yes.

“Well they’re a fucking 7, GIVE ME A PEN!”

And then she circled 7, as evidenced by the photo of the receipt below. However, once DiTonto learned that she would have to call a number to win any money after rating the Taco Bell service she lost interest. (In addition to being particular, sometimes DiTonto is... lazy).



Then we got home and ate our Taco Bell at the kitchen table but I almost fell out of the chair a few times because when Annie bought the furniture from Ikea she didn’t follow ALL the directions (you could say). And then DiTonto almost MURDERED Annie’s fish (not like it hasn’t happened before DITONTO) when she shook the table after two drastic movements and poor Snoopy/Blue (Annie calls him Snoopy, DiTonto calls him Blue, I haven’t decided what I like to call him but I am sure it will come to me) sloshed all over the place. He’s okay though.

Part 2.
Regarding Swine Flu – I would voluntarily quarantine myself

Annie and I are quite similar when it comes to some of our interests. Okay that was an awkward first sentence but I sometimes wonder if people get confused when I write about Annie so I am going to take this moment to remind you that Annie is my other roommate who shares my name, who we also call Adubs because DiTonto gets annoyed when she yells out “Annie!” and we both respond and so she calls me Stamos and the other Annie Adubs and moving on to the relevant part of the story...

Adubs, like me, often becomes fascinated with scientific phenomena. Maybe not quite to the extent I do, but she definitely is a fountain of knowledge in some very random areas. She also gets into PASSIONATE diatribes about various topics, one of her favorites being that of MASS PANDEMICS. This obviously is something I find interesting and count pandemic-related literature and entertainment to be among my favorite subject material (see, I Am Legend or The Cobra Event by Richard Preston). Anyway, just this past weekend, before Swine Flu became all the rage, Adubs and I were randomly having a conversation all about looking at disease and epidemics like AIDS, cancer, etc. as actually just forms of population control (on a side note, can someone explain to me the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic? THANKS IN ADVANCE!) and Adubs made the point that there tends to be a mass plague that wipes out a significant portion of the human population every 80 to 100 years and we are right in that timeline now, but then this led to a discussion about modern medicine and we pondered the likelihood of the reality of another pandemic taking place in modern times, and then Adubs shared some useful tips about surviving pandemics (Tip: don’t panic. Also, don’t head to the countryside—cities have the infrastructure to support more sick people) and at this point you are probably thinking, Oh this is what happens when you get two people from Middlebury in a room together. Sure.

So anyway, have I talked about Annie’s mom before? Annie’s mom is Linda and she is a CHARACTER and she visits A LOT which is fun because Linda is entertaining. In fact DiTonto remarked last night she was so used to seeing Linda at our apartment that sometimes she doesn’t even notice. Oh and Linda loves American Idol. Many an occasion have I come home to find Linda watching American Idol on the sofa. It’s kind of comforting.

So last night after the car driving and the Taco Bell eating and the near death of Snoopy/Blue/Undetermined Nickname we hung out a little bit with Linda who wanted to show everyone Adam’s performance on American Idol last week (I think Adam is the gay one? Again, I really don’t watch the show but I am pretty sure he’s not the Indian one because that dude’s name is Anoop and I feel like I read somewhere he got kicked off but seeing as I vehemently despise American Idol and only watch it if it’s playing in the background, so really any time when Linda is in town, so I could be making these things up). The other thing Linda likes to watch just as much as American Idol is CNN, so I then went back into the living room for the Swine Flu coverage (I had to leave during AI to read one of my sci-fi blogs on my Google reader) and let me tell you: SWINE FLU IS SO HOT RIGHT NOW.

As a trend forecaster (I KNOW! THAT’S REALLY WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING! ME!) let me tell you that Swine Flu is definitely both a trend and potentially a mass pandemic of devastatingly destructive proportions. And because I am odd and a little bit twisted, I think Swine Flu is FASCINATING and I am somewhat excited to see how this all pans out. And those doctors that CNN gets to comment on such BREAKING NEWS STORIES are pretty hilarious. Especially this one dude with crazy hair who gave a book plug during a VERY SERIOUS AND INTENSE SWINE FLU DISCUSSION with Larry King. Also, did you know that the mortality rate of the Spanish Influenza back in 1918 was %2.5 and Swine Flu in Mexico is already at %6?

Which brings me to my next point: HOLY CRAP THE UNIVERSE IS SHITTING ON MEXICO! First all that drama with drug cartels, then Spencer & Heidi from The Hills go on their Goddamn honeymoon in Cabo (I just vomited in my mouth a little bit), and NOW ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE DYING OF SWINE FLU. Oh and there appear to be a lot of idiots in the United States because the Twitter questions pouring in during the Larry King coverage last night was straight out of an SNL skit about stupid people. For example: “Are swine flu and the recent drug violence in Mexico related?” YES YOU STUPID TWITTER USER. SEE, BECAUSE THE MEXICANS DID DRUGS AND SOLD THEM AND THEN KIDNAPPED SOME PEOPLE AND KILLED SOME COPS, THE GOOD BABY JESUS PUNISHED THEM WITH A DISEASE THAT HAS A NAME BASED ON A PIG. A FUCKING PIG. BUT IT’S NOT EVEN PIG FLU. IT’S SWINE FLU.

I’d also like to throw it out there that if I start showing ANY SYMPTOMS that I would be more than happy to voluntarily quarantine myself.

So Linda went to bed about halfway through the Swine Flu coverage, leaving the rest of us to ponder our futures. Annie wants to just be really prepared, so last night she discussed getting more water, maybe some masks, that sort of thing (this plan for preventative measures fits nicely with my fear-of-Earthquakes issue). And DiTonto got really freaked out but then decided things would be happier if she went back to researching the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon online (please note she’s already nicknamed the car Ruby) whereas I was suddenly feeling inspired to watch THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN. I really wanted to watch Outbreak or read some book about pandemics but I had a screener of the A&E miniseries that I stole from my boss at my last job (I have a great work ethic!) and never watched and thought, why not! Turns out this miniseries has a little bit more bioterrorism and conspiracy theorizing than I would prefer (MORE SCIENCE! LESS PARANOIA!) but it scratched the itch.

But then, right before I went to bed I had an overwhelming urge to text my Dad and tell him I love him because this Swine Flu business is kind of freaking me out, I will admit. He responded early this morning, with a text message that said “Just don’t go to Mexico. Xoxo.”

See? Everyone is shitting on Mexico right now.

I AM BURSTING AT THE SEAMS WITH JOY!

I am filled with joy and EXUBERANCE today, my dear readers. Why, oh why? LET ME TELL YOU IN A NIFTY LIST FORMAT. GOLLY GEE I LOVE MAKING LISTS!

1) I love World Music. I do. I want to shout it on a mountain top. I feel like since Coachella my deep love for this genre of jams has been reignited and not only have I been discovering some great LA venues to catch new acts (like Afro Funk night at ZANZIBAR), but I have been discovering new HOT BEATS online.

2) I am wearing A NEON ORANGE SHIRT TODAY WITH PAINT SPLATTERS OF OTHER NEON COLORS ON IT. I AM PUSHING THE CASUAL FRIDAY DRESS CODE. I like to LIVE ON THE EDGE.

3) Tonight I am going to see EARTH. Finally! At long last... if you go back and look at my post from Earth Day 2008 when I first talk about my excitement for the film you may recall my claim that I was going to see it on Earth Day 2009. Well. I didn't. BUT I AM GOING TO SEE IT TONIGHT.

4) Tomorrow is Annie's birthday and her birthday party (conveniently at the same dive bar where DiTonto and I had our party) and it is destined to be an epic evening. WHY? Besides celebrating the birth of this fabulous lady, the theme is CROQUET (because she loves Alice in Wonderland) and we have leftover GLOWSTICKS from Coachella. YES, I SAID GLOWSTICKS. I TOO ENJOY A GOOD GLOWSTICK EVERY NOW AND THEN.

5) When KO was in town she introduced me to the phenomenon that is FLEA MARKET MONTGOMERY. It is HEAVEN.



Living rooms. Bedrooms. Dinettes. OH YEAH!

I never want to take these shoes off

So I am wearing my TOMS again. They are borderline maybe NOT the most appropriate work shoes (although no one seems to care) but they are seriously so incredibly comfortable. Again, I recommend them to ALL.

MMMMM I AM GOING TO EAT A QUESADILLA FOR LUNCH TODAY! DELISH.

(And if you can't tell... I have little to no creative juices today, hence boring blog posts... maybe later I'll post some killer viral videos or something? Coachella pretty much just put me in a daze I've yet to emerge from...)

Coachella Highlights

Because I can't stop obsessing over Coachella today, I need to share the joy with a few choice musical performances. I honestly could post almost every band I saw but that hurts my heart too much because I WANT TO GO BACK RIGHT NOW.

Here are the clips, all worth watching... nothing tops the real thing, but still...

My 2nd-favorite Killers jam off the new album, "This is Your Life" (sadly they didn't play "I Can't Stay")


Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps" (the sky during this piece was AMAZING, in fact this might have been my favorite show all weekend). Karen O is a goddess.


Thievery Corporation played the mainstage Saturday and had like 7 phenomenal female lead singers. I loved this jam "El Pueblo Unido."


The Cure "Love Song" (not the best quality, but seeing this live tugged on my heartstrings)


Girl Talk's live DJ set killed, no surprise there


Tinariwen; I didn't catch the whole show, only a snippet, but this band from Mali is pretty sick.


And another Killers jam, "For Reasons Unknown" (if you go to 3:20 your heart might break--and to all the Brandon Flowers haters out there, sure, he might be a bit much but there is NO denying that this band is phenomenal)


I'm going to close my eyes and cry for a little bit now... then begin planning next year's trip...

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!

Hi!

Hi!

Hi everyone!

Did you miss me? Were you crying everyday thinking WHAT OMG NO WARNING SHE JUST STOPS BLOGGING FOR A FEW DAYS? Where's my Stamos vs. Stamos? Where's my Family Guy Friday? Where's my weekly dose of narcissism?

SORRY BOUT THAT! Things just got soooooooooo hectic, what with me taking a vacation and all, that I just didn't have time to blog. But friends, dear friends, LET ME TELL YOU, what a vacation it was!

COACHELLA WAS PHENOMENAL. Truly. Life-changing. I just want to listen to music ALL THE TIME NOW. NOT THAT I DIDN'T BEFORE! WOOOOO.

Okay but with vacation comes catch up. So 'scuse me while I return to the silence and catch up on my life. Be back soon with fascinating tales and trials and tribulations to share.

HAPPY MONDAY READERS!

HELLO. Today is MONDAY. IT IS THE DAY AFTER EASTER. DID YOU ENJOY EASTER? (for you non-Christians, that is.) I went to Church like the good Christian I am. (Then I went to the beach like the good tanorexic that I am.) That is, the good Christian I am on Christmas and Easter, which seem to be the only holidays I go to church these days. ANYWAY. IT'S MONDAY. AND I HAVE A THREE DAY WEEK. WHICH IS AWESOME. WHY JUST THREE DAYS? WHY SO MANY CAPITAL LETTERS TODAY? WHY DID I DRINK TOO MUCH WINE FRIDAY NIGHT WHICH THEN RENDERED ME INCAPABLE OF GOING OUT? All good questions. I am only going to answer one.

It is a three day week because I am going to Coachella this weekend and MY SISTER KO is coming out Wednesday for her first big Cali visit which is sure to make for a memorable weekend and many happy returns.

That's all I got for now. Too busy with work. Which means I am too busy being busy. Busy and important. Think rich mahogany.