Moby Dick: Winter-Fall 2008 Soundtrack

These are songs that have kept me sane through o-chem all-nighters, remembering dates on various Shang dynasty bronze works, tired afternoons, anxiety-riddled days, and amino acid flash cards...

songs that have been the soundtrack for cookie baking sessions with friends, kitchen hang-outs, half-awake memories, and long talks in dorms...

songs played inbetween longs bouts of Dexter, Scrubs, movie-thons, homework, and sleep...

songs to navigate my way through the ocean as I search for a whale.

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1. Blue Ridge Mountains, The Fleet Foxes
I know it's been said over and over again, but really: they are quite something. I've heard the term "baroque rock" used to describe their style, and although I am no expert on what baroque is, it seems fitting. The sound, I feel, is lush and extremely musical, in the sense that there are just so many complex things going on all the time. And although the Fleet Foxes are from the PNW, the music is perfect for all the winter-time East coast driving I do these days. Something about the bareness of the trees and grey skies.
Well, okay, I'm not the one doing the driving... since I only have my permit. Damnit.











2. Midnight Surprise, Lightspeed Champion
A very twangy country sound to this song caught my attention, and I was even more surprised when I realized that Lightspeed Champion was from the UK. There's one bit that I always get stuck in my head-- starts at about 0:23, and repeats several times throughout the song.

Aaand that's because it's the chorus. Good job me for finally realizing that! :)

This song reminds me of studying at the lab bench, with my books strewn out over the black table.













3. Seven Swans, Sufjan Stevens
Banjos are cool. So is Sufjan. I'm down.
I remember I was listening to this song in the living room when it started to snow for the first time. I then ran outside and yelled, ITS SNOOOOOWWIIIIING!!!!

4. To Be Alone With You, Sufjan Stevens
I've already established that Sufjan + banjos = awesome. This song just further solidifies that. And so does this picture. Falcon wings? Sweet.














5. The Narwhal, Amazing Baby
I love the intro; it makes me think of Captain Ahab standing on the bow of the Pequod*, looking out fiercely and critically over the ocean for Moby Dick. Go get him, Captain Ahab.
*I totally forgot the name of the ship. That was wiki-ed.




















4. Random Firl, Late of the Pier
Whats a firl? Wiki!
Damn.
But in anycase, I'm loving the casio.



















5. Time & Space, The Cinematic Orchestra
The female vocalist on this song is amazing; I feel like I'm about to burst into a meadow of dandelions whenever I listen to it.





















6. White Winter Hymnal, The Fleet Foxes
I love rounds! Makes me think of girl scouts, which I only liked for the songs. Mmm.























7. Allemande, Keane
Keane is known for their piano rock, but this more piano-centric song is just so powerful, courtesy of the kick-ass chord progressions.























8. Be OK, Ingrid Michaelson
The soundtrack to me sitting in ochem at 8 AM, standing in the super-long coffee line after ochem, studying ochem at 8 PM, thinking about ochem at 3 AM, and yeaah. You get the idea.





















9. Blue Flower, Blue Flame, Destroyer
I love the little guitar riff. It makes me think of ivy on bricks, for some reason. Some really random reason.
















10. So Long, Lonesome, Explosions in the Sky
I love instrumentals, and Explosions in the Sky is my favorite instrumental band. I love the piano on this.



















11. A Wolf at the Door, Radiohead
This song = Caffeinated late-night library sessions.





















12. Saving Days in a Frozen Head, Kaki King
Not only can Kaki play shred guitar, but she can sing. You go girl.



















13. Sleepyhead, Passion Pit
At 4:30 AM...
"Hey K, play that song again."
"But it just played."
"AGAIN!!!"
















14. God Has a Voice She Speaks To Me, CocoRosie
I love CocoRosie. I can't stop listening to their songs, but this is the one that started it all. It's got a very shoegazey quality to it, but it somehow... isn't.

















15. The Garden That You Planted, Sea Wolf
Anything acoustic is good. Sea Wolf is good. Hence, this song = really good. I get a really vivid picture whenever I listen to the lyrics. I think of: A small-ish room, bed, drawers, mirror crammed in there; small windows on either side, but with sun pouring in; a quiet fall morning. And someone lying in said bed, which is piled with pillows and sheets, looking up at the ceiling, which is sloping and has white chipped paint.

Thursday Morning

Max.

Whoa.

Enough said.

I think that my font gets smaller every post.

So, new year's resolutions: I figure I'm due to talk about it sometime soon, and sooner is better than later, which is always better than never... but never gets you nowhere. So here I am, queen of circular reasoning.

Anyhow.

1. HIP MUFFINS. Get. Rid. Of.
I really should run more. I live in a theme house on campus where I'm supposed to be out and about quite frequently... which I am not. See number 3 on list.

2. Regain guitar callouses. I'm out of practice.
I tried playing an old favorite a while ago, and it HURT. Music shouldn't have to hurt... that much. Can anybody say "awful yellow-covered warm-up piano exercise book"? Yeah. See number 3 and number 8.

3. Stop being a flake! Flake flake flake.
It may have to do with the fact that I am just downright forgetful at times. Oh, I don't know.

4. Be a better vegetarian.
Because it's good for me and good for the animals.

5. Stay in better touch with people.
Also falls into the category of number 3. I've been good about that so far, and it just feels really good to know how everybody from my past and present is doing. I feel fuller these days.
And not just fuller of meat (see number 4).

6. Stop being anxious about everything.
Who's Queen of the 3 AM Anxiety Attack About the Assignment That is Due in Two Weeks?
I'll tell you who: Me.

7. Stop cracking knuckles, or else I will get arthritis at 30.
Yeah. Arthritis. No fun if I want to keep using my hands.
But I may be doomed already. You know, keyboards and computers.

8. Be more patient.
I've been hiding behind the excuse "I'm too busy to be patient." That hasn't been fair for the people around me, and for myself, as well. I'm never too busy to give a damn about the people I care about.

9. Don't be afraid to be a bitch when necessary, a.k.a. stop passive-aggressive asian behavior NOW.
Hey you, guy behind the grill in the SUB: GIVE ME MORE GADDAMN FRIES.

10. Sleep better; sleep MORE.
And stop being a cranky college student with no patience, not enough food, too much anxiety and not enough energy to get up and run.

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Playlist I: The Musings of a Faux East Coaster.

To entertain you (but mostly me): a playlist of sorts!

1. Cuddle Fuddle, Passion Pit.
I'm a fan of the general favorite, Sleepyhead-- thank you, November indie rock playlist. So I checked out the rest of their material after having S. stuck in my head constantly, and I was drawn to this one after I gave their record a
good listen.



2. I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked, Ida Maria.
Don't let the title throw you off... mostly because there's nothing to be thrown off about. The song is exactly what you think it's about, except Norwegian Ida Maria manages to give it a surprisingly poignant twist, lyrics-wise. Music-wise, the song is so damn catchy.








3. The Last Day of Our Love, The Bird and the Bee.
Whenever I listen to The Bird and the Bee, I marvel at their loungey, jazzy, yet poppy style. I love the organ in this song.


4. Again and Again, The Bird and the Bee.
If I was in a white dress and spinning around in a vast green field, surrounded by balloons, this would be the song I would want to be playing in the background.




5. Two Atoms in a Molecule, Noah and the Whale.
Undoubtedly, you've heard "Five Year's Time," courtesy of that one car commercial that played all the time during this past summer. Well, Two Atoms is just as catchy. And I like it because I like science. Especially molecules.





6. The Shade You Hide, Lukestar.
Your usual alt. rock angsty anthem, but I really like the intro.









7. Come Around [with Timbaland], M.I.A.
I love the beats in all the M.I.A. songs, but this one just has that extra something that makes it even better.
And the chorus is caaatchy. You WILL get it stuck in your head.







8. Flume, Bon Iver
I actually just started listening to him yesterday (thank you NPR music)-- it started off with Skinny Love, and although For Emma is the centerpiece of the album, I love Flume. Every song has a story. The entire album is a story. I just like the chapter called Flume. This guy is a story.

Picture Book: A Day of Sleet

Maximus:




































Out the window:































Inside:

2008 to 2009

I've been feeling picture-ish.
















I keep pretty much every aspect of my life between the lines of my planner.
















Tools of the trade.
















Maximus.






















I picked this up during Thanksgiving break on Whidbey Island. It's got beautiful ink drawings inside.



















Possibly my newest favorite book: I picked this up on a three-hour layover in SF, and spent pretty much the entire time reading it. I had all of my luggage around me, and my legs were propped up on my roller. I could have stayed there forever.

The Little Prince: On looking back.

"Draw me a sheep..."

-from "The Little Prince," by Antoine De Saint-Exupery

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I am blowing bubbles just below the surface of bathwater. I have emptied an entire bottle of Mr. Bubble into the tub. I am surrounded by plastic penguins. Hannah the Stuffed Arctic Seal is observing me from the washbasin counter. I am two again.

I am standing half awake. I hold a quarter-size dollop of lemon clarifying shampoo in my palm. I have turned the water to a scalding, steaming heat. I silently remember what I am supposed to do for the rest of the day. I am me, wishing I were two.

This past semester, my days have effortlessly turned into weeks, which have turned into months, which has turned into a blur. Time slowed down every now and then, but I am still left feeling like all I've been doing is watching water trickle from my cupped hands. And the feeling afterward? Bewildered and somewhat empty.

And with this settling in my psyche, I've come back to the place that is my makeshift home to hide away from the usual daily onslaught of lists and tasks and lists of tasks. I hide away and cocoon myself in the warmth that is family, cat, books, g00d cooking, oversized sweaters and naps.

And water coloring.


Self portrait.


It started with tofu... then I got hungry and thought of what else would go well with tofu. And then I got distracted after I realized I did not have an eggplant.


I was still hungry.


Giraffes. Lots of them.


Water color and ink bird in my planner, copied from "The Week-end Book."


Water color and ink owl in planner.