January 14, 2009
January 12, 2009
George and Martha, Rise and Shine.
When I was three and four, I lived in Adak, Alaska, which is a very small Aleutian island. It's near the end of the chain of Aleutian islands. I remember one day I didn't have school because the sun didn't come up. My mom and dad worked two jobs each. My mom would bring me home ice cream from Baskin Robbins and hamburgers from McDonald's. I remember going with my dad to my school at night, sitting up on the stage in the school auditorium while he swept the floor with a broom that looked like it came right out of Mary Poppins. The school was scary during the day, but at night, when I would be there with just my mom and dad, I ran through the hallways as if I owned the place. But there was one place I couldn't explore at night that I really wanted to-- the library.
I remember the first time my teacher took my preschool class to the library; I was really excited because I had never been to a library before. Or at least, I don't remember any library until that one. The library, as I remember it nearly 17 years later, was enormous and white, but not sterile-- it was a sort of glowing white, with rows and rows of short, dark wooden shelves stretching as far as my three year old eyes could see. And that smell. Oh, that smell... so wonderful. Woody, dusty, and something else I can't put my finger on.
We stayed for a half hour, and we were allowed to walk around on our own, but respect the books. And even better, we were allowed to check one book out.
I don't remember how I picked George and Martha, Rise and Shine. Maybe it was because the book, which had a hard, vinyl cover, was bright yellow. Maybe I had picked it because there was an illustration of a hippo in a bed on the cover-- silly! I don't know. But I remember it as the first book I had ever checked out from the library. I also remember it was the first book I had read all the way through, with lots of help from my mom. I remember stumbling over the word "uncomfortable," and my mom making me repeat it after her over and over. I remember re-reading the book for the umpteenth time at the dinner table, with a bowl of milk and filling-depleted oreo cookies by my side, laughing when George made a secret club that Martha couldn't join, making Martha upset, causing George to reveal to Martha that his secret club was a Martha Fan Club... and of course, you can't join your own fan club! Silly!
At some point, I realized that library books were meant to be returned back to the library. And that library books were supposed to be respected.
I had read that book in the bathtub too many times to count. I had gotten oreo filling on it quite frequently, and sometimes a little milk had gotten on the page, too. And at some point, I decided I didn't like the color of Martha's bow and had colored it some other color with a crayon.
I got scared. I hid the book under the couch. But because of that, I was too scared to go back to the library after that.
I still have the book. It's somewhere in a box in California. Hopefully I'll see it again this summer. And when I do, I'll save it on a shelf, not under the couch.
I'm feeling really contradictory right now, in the sense I feel really young and old at the same time. 17 years has gone by since I first checked out a library book. Since I first pronounced the word "uncomfortable" properly, and understood what it meant. I've checked out many library books since then, and have been in so many uncomfortable situations since, but none are as memorable as that book from that first library or peering underneath the couch to make sure my quarry was well-hidden.
January 11, 2009
UGHGHGHGHGHGHGHHHHHH!!
AAAAGHHHHHHHHGHGH.
GROSSSSSSSSSSS.
AHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHHHHH.
Okay, I'm done.
(it's about squirrels, if you couldn't tell)
Sewing and the such.
So, since I've been home, I've been sewing non-stop. Mostly holes in old, but far-from-ready-to-go-away sweaters and adding new buttons/reinforcing old ones on coats. But it's made me feel like a whole new me-- I want to stitch everything now!
And knit.
Knitting is good.
P.S. These are reallymybirthdayisonmarch21st awesome-looking books.
January 10, 2009
January 08, 2009
Come on, you know you did...
Er, wow.
Well, yes, racism is unacceptable.
But I couldn't help myself. Come on. You laughed a little, too. Just a little.
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.
1. Blue Ridge Mountains, The Fleet FoxesI 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.
3. Seven Swans, Sufjan StevensBanjos 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
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.
