Category Archives: music

Apr 26

woop woop

I’ve wanted to post this song for some time, but the original version (which I like better) has a video that is god awful (the predictable half naked chicks shakin’ their junk in the camera). While looking for alternative videos of the song (maybe a live performance?), I found this remix that doesn’t have a video–just a still of Natasja. This song is an earworm. You’ve been warned.

Apr 24

Ends and Odds

David Gilmour has a guitar solo in Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts VI-IX) that curls my toes with its fabulousness. Listening to the cd on the way home from school had me pondering my love for the studio album (as opposed to the live album), and how I’d rather listen to that recorded piece of perfection over and over than listen to any live album variation of it. If you want to listen, the solo starts at approx. 2:30. The toe curling begins at around 3:58.

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I’ll be in Texas and Mexico from June 7th to June 17th. Some of you may notice that this time frame encompasses the ever important Bloomsday. Last year I made some pie-in-the-sky plans to return to Dublin for Bloomsday (I’ll go back every year! I thought to myself—yeah, I wish). Those plans didn’t work out, and I should be thankful I was able to go last year. The revised, back-to-reality Bloomsday plan included attending celebrations with friends in the Miami area, but that won’t happen either since I’ll be out of town. I did a quick search for Bloomsday celebrations in Mexico. There aren’t any (that I could find). A friend suggested I wear a Bloomsday t-shirt and make my own little celebration in Mexico. Perhaps an impromptu reading from Ulysses on a street in Juarez.

And speaking of Juarez, the workers at the center have me thinking I must be pronouncing the name incorrectly. The guys from Mexico, when they learn my mother is Mexican, usually want to know which city she’s from. I say Juarez (war-ez? hor-ez? hwor-ez?) and they give me a blank look. I write the name on a piece of paper and they’re like “ohhh! Juarez!” Yes, that’s what I said. I feel like Inspector Clouseau:
Clouseau: Do you have a REUM?
Inn Keeper: I do not know what a REUM iz!
Clouseau: Zimma
Inn Keeper: Ahhh.. a Room!
Clouseau: That is what I have been saying you idiot! REUM!
(you can listen to the clip if you follow the link)

Apr 14

writing, writing, writing…

Crafting this mini-bio/profile on my biographical subject is proving to be a challenge. It seems I have a certain amount of material–I have an hour long interview, along with notes and observations from events I’ve attended with her, some newspaper clips, plus information on her religious order–yet, when I sit down to start writing it, I’m not sure where or how to begin. For example, I’d like to create an image of her hometown, but the information I have is specific to the hometown and not necessarily specific to her experience of the hometown, if that makes any sense. I didn’t ask her for a lot of visual details regarding her home, and now I wish I had. I was focusing more on the story of how she and her family got here from Colombia, and wasn’t thinking so much about the characteristics of the physical spaces she inhabited. Perhaps it won’t be an issue once I get into the swing of things. Or maybe I’ll get a chance to see her again in time to ask for the details. She’s been in Mexico for the past three weeks, but should be returning this week. Maybe she has pictures she can show me.

On an up note: I joined a gym today. I cannot adequately express my excitement over this fact. The two selling points:

1) It was insanely (insanely!) cheap (thanks to a deal from Cyd). I’m in a bit of a money crunch right now and not really interested in taking on additional bills, but this was a deal I couldn’t pass up, and there were no contracts! And it was ridiculously cheap!

2) The gym is open 24 hours a day. Hallelujah. The best shape I was ever in was when I lived in Dayton and worked the night shift at the paper. I would work until 10pm, then go to the gym (open 24 hours), then go home and chill. I haven’t been able to get into a routine like that since I left Ohio because most gyms close at 9pm or 10pm. My late nights on campus are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so I’ll just swing by the gym on the way home from school. Granted, this means I’ll get there at 11pm or so, but I’m a night owl, and the front desk attendant said the gym is pretty dead at that time, which is the way I like my gyms.

On a completely unrelated and random note: In my ongoing efforts to acquaint my ears and tongue with Spanish (outside of trying to talk with the guys at the center), I’ve been listening to Spanish radio stations. I’ve since become hooked on a song called “Te Quiero.” This isn’t even the type of music I would normally choose to listen to! It’s like crack for my ears!