Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Time to hang up the ol' spurs

In 10 hours and 28 minutes, I'm going to retire my position as a minor.

If I lived in Nevada, I'd still have two years of minor-dom to go before having to cash that check and start paying bank fees.

I always used to view a birthday as new years. When you think about, each individual's birth date is their own personal new year. So ,I guess with that backward line of thinking, today marks my own New Year's Eve! Maybe tonight, I'll do a count down to midnight, and hit some pots and pans while yelling Happy New Year at myself. I have a flat bottle of sparkling wine that my mom bought that I can consume in celebration. This fell together perfectly...in fact, a little too well...

At any rate, I'm mostly doing this in a vain attempt to distract myself from the fact that I'm an old spinster. For my birthday, I want knitting needles and a rocking chair. Also, some bourbon. That sounds like an old person type drink. Or sherry? MOONSHINE! CAUSTIC CAUSTIC MOONSHINE.

I don't know what I'm talking about.

I have two orhestra performances (N. Orchestra + Sinfonia) for two different orchestras on the same day (Saturday). I'm also expected to drive to Vanderhoof on Sunday for another one (haha...that's REALLY likely...) Tomorrow night, there's a Sinfonia rehearsal. The symphony scheduled one for Thursday night as well (not going to happen). Friday, there's another Sinfonia rehearsal (If I show up to this one, it'll be a Dog Gamned Christman Miracle). Somewhere between all of that, I'm supposed to fit in Birthday festivities--that are beyond my control-- jamming time, guitar students, piano and cello lessons, and sleep. This week sucks. I'm skipping at least half of those rehearsals just to maintain my sanity. And for the record, jamming always takes priority.

But my car is getting fixed on Wednesday.

****EDIT****

My car is now fixed. YES.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Well then

To any fans of the band Wilco, apparently their album was named after this:

http://www.archive.org/details/ird059

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Oh Myspace...

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=155215598

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=139839543

His name is Franck. He sent me a friend request. Two, actually. One for each his myspaces. I didn't deny them immediately, because I wanted to make sure I had quick access to these links so I can show people how scary it is seeing a balding, shirtless, hairy frenchman making electronica music.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

I came to a really disturbing conclusion over the weekend: Prince George isn't that bad. Shoot me for saying it, if you must, but I actually don't hate it. I go so far as to say I actually kind of like it here.

This bombshell of an epiphany occured over the course of a weekend trip to Vancouver. It happened sometime between being caught in a bottle neck among what felt like millions of people on the freeway trying to get across the Port Man Bridge, and seeing an entire hill, across from the Riverview Mental Hospital, that was entirely covered in houses, with no yards, no trees, and no space between them.

It was scary.

Now, that's not to say there aren't aspects of Prince George I really especially dislike. The industry it's built on, for one. Or the winter season. Or a great deal of the people that reside here. But, even in saying that, I've met some amazing people in this strange backwards little city. It's just strange though. I remember being in highschool (which wasn't even that long ago...) and making pacts with friends that we'll never stay here, we'll leave as soon as we're physically able, we hate this place so much and always have and always will, but that is gradually wearing off of me. I know that I'm not going to stay here, that is for certain. But I'm definetly reassessing where I would go upon leaving.

I fear that I'm sort of turning into my dad when I talk like this. I have a weird disgust growing inside me. A strange near-phobia of urban sprawl. There's just a strange comfort in a city like Prince George. Something about it's size. I think it's got a nice balance of having the comforts of a large city, while having a much more controlled population. It's big enough that I can have luxaries like foreign food, speciality stores, a University, among other things, but small enough that if I see a white Toyota Paseo ahead of me, odds are that Eric's driving it.

I think that's something I may never get back though. Just these establishments that have been built over years of growing up with all of these people in the same place. I think when the time comes to leave, I won't even bother trying to regain that. It's just somtehing special that exists right now. Or maybe i'm just antisocial and don't want to make new friends.

Either way, that entire conclusion just left me feeling really sad. Then it made me consider becoming a lawyer. Then I kicked myself in the face. It was a weird series of events that spanned about two minutes. It was a weird cathartic altercation that I wish hadn't happened.

Long story short, Josh and I have three gigs in the next month!!! So I'm pretty excited for that! And also, we have almost 1000 myspace friends.

T/-/@t5 s0 1337!!1!1!!!#@@!!!

Now if only my car was drivable. Then I'd have nothing to complain about...nothing at all...

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Minus the nausia, I'd say it wasn't half bad.

Today I rediscovered two long forgotten loves. What's most great, is I recovered them simultaniously and it was wonderful.

The first love was baking.

I woke up this morning at around 4 AM to sound of an obnoxiously loud Pink Spiders' song (I think it was "Stereo Speakers" but I'm not sure. Whatever it was, it scared the be-jesus out of me) Despite tossing and turning, I found myself unable to go back to sleep. I had something on my mind: Muffins.

I don't know why I suddenly wanted muffins so badly. It was a strange sudden urge probably fueled by a sort of flu-induced delirium, and sleep deprivation. So at around 6 am, while it was still dark, I drove home with one goal in mind: I am going to bake muffins. As soon as I got home I was overcome by tiredness and went to bed until noon.

When I awoke, I got dressed, and began preparing the kitchen for my unslaught of floury walnuty fury. At that point, I was confronted by my second love: Jackie Chan.

Someone had abandoned the television, and left it on one of the movie channels. As I walked into the main room, I heard eerily familliar theme music that I soon recignised. JACKIE CHAN'S FIRST STRIKE. I became elated. It was a great noonday greeting with which to pair with baking.

It was such a perfect combonation. I was measuring flour and beating eggs to the excitement and killer soundtrack of "Jackie Chan's First Strike" It was beautiful. Between pouring sugar, I would watch him get chased by white clad phantoms on snow mobiles, Jackie's only protection being his killer fight moves, and an adorable winter hat in the shape of a white, fuzzy, baby seal.

I remember when I was around 10 years old I went through a breif but enjoyable phase where I loved Jackie Chan movies. I would rent them constantly. I'd seen every single one that was carried at the local video store (this was when my family lived in Vancouver) Some of them I'd seen 2 or 3 times. I loved them. But somehow, that love had been lost in the sands of time.

As had my love of baking. I used to bake all the time. I had my own perfected recipes for different cakes, cookies, muffins, bisqiuts, honey buns, among many many others. What's most weird is I don't like eating what I bake for some reason. I guess I'm losing my sweet tooth as I get older or something. But I love the process, and making things I bake look pretty when I present them.

Baked goods have a very very short shelf life in my house. In fact, most any food does. I don't get it. I generally eat like a bird, but my family eats like they've been starving for three days. I cooked around 30 cup cakes today. Five were eaten before I even got around to making icing. I stashed six after I finished icing them in case I'd want to eat them or share them with friends. I think there are ten left sitting on the counter. I'm not even sure if I have any muffins left....

The icing I made was great though. Not to brag or anything, but I'm proud of it. I wanted to try something a bit different, so I added a tiny hint of raspberry jam to one batch, blueberry jam to another, and lemon juice to the third. I wound up with pink, purple, and yellow crowned cupcakes.

I also cooked a green curry, with shrimp, broccilli, sprouts, peppers, onions, and chives, all served over japanese rice. It tasted nice, but I couldn't eat much. I've had no appetite today, and have felt quite sick all day.

Being sick is especially not cool right. I need to be in peak form by Friday for recording. Hell, I need to be in peak form RIGHT NOW so I can get prepped for recording. I should try and sleep now, but I'm not remotely tired, and want to listen to the new Shins album.

Oh well....at least I have delicious baked goods that will soon be gone....how sad. I make them only for them to be destroyed...

Thursday, February 01, 2007

How sweet it is...!

Big things are happening to my car this week. My tape deck is going to make an epic return. But first, I need to figure out how to re-wire it and hopefully not cause a fire or electricute myself. And tomorrow, the ol' fox is getting a new muffler system installed. I'm also planning on somehow jimmying my glove box so it will actually stay closed. This is all in careful preperation for next week.

What happens next week you ask?

(you probably didn't, but I asked so I'll endulge myself by answering my own querie which I already know the answer to)

Well....

Josh and I get to drive to Vancouver and record...!! PRETTY KEEN. But we have to take my car. And that requires fixing the tape deck, getting a new muffler ( just so it doesn't fall off during the drive or somehting of that sort) and, for the purposes of air-coefficiency (very important) and asthetics (even more important) make my glove compartment capable of being closed. I should maybe also do something about the heater, so that the fan will actually stay on. But it's probably going to be balmy in Vancouver, so it seems slightly less urgent.

Maybe I should clean the car and remove all the flower petals, gum rappers, and bottles of wine from the backseat area. All in good time I suppose....
 
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