for i have seen the crash-helmet

So, after H.'s festivities locally we headed down south for the party at her mom's place, where we dined on excellent homemade Greek food, including Ahi gyros and spanikopita, with mixed fruit torte for dessert. Fun + family + guinness. After a full night of drunken family partying (followed by a smooth come-down among friends) and an eager sleep, we got up early, scrambled for water + supplies, and headed for the Gorge.




Aren't picture essays exciting? Among the pics not posted there are: a guy with a giant mullet, people with ice-hats (or, as I pointed out to Braden, just guys with bags of ice on their heads), and AC Newman's blurry head. Moving on to the music, my favs were The Arcade Fire, Joanna Newsom, and Pixies (VINDICATED!); Modest Mouse did a way better show than at DtHB... maybe because they traded the actual sasquatch (which came on stage, played the drums, and danced around) for a figurative one? Buh... arright, so that was lame. Anyway, Jem sucks, we passed on Kanye West, and Bloc Party was very awesome. By far the best of show, setting the bar for live music so high they almost ruin it for everybody else - ever - was The Arcade Fire, of whom I can only include a picture with an accompanying exhortation to see them at any cost.



And they did it without lasers. Even Modest Mouse had lasers. Imagine 8 people getting together to do what they love more than anything in the world, having more fun than you've ever had in your entire life, and rocking your fucking socks off. That's as close as I can get to describing it.

Current Music: Funeral, you better believe it.

'Tis a far, far better thing we do than we have ever done before

So, yesterday went well! For H's birthday, Braden, Jared, Hava & I drove about 45 minutes into Canada (to Richmond) for all-you-can-eat sushi, with a short side-trip to the beach at White Rock. The sushi quest was interesting; the restaurant itself is located in a Chinatown-ish district, which Jared said was where all the wealthy Hong Kong-ites moved right before the transfer in 1997, because they thought their money would be no good there anymore. It was like a cross between what I hazily remember of Monterey and Everysuburb, USA - they had 2 Future Shops, a Costco and a Home Depot, all with giant Kanji characters (ideograms, whatever) right next to or below the trademarked sign. For example:



So, after we all got full to bursting, we went home, forewent ice cream, laid down and drifted off into deeply comfortable sleep. And I'd bet everybody skipped breakfast.

Meanwhile, it's so warm around here that, just as I would expect from previous data, it smells like camping in the summer. Jesus H Velociraptor Pine Cone and a Glass 'n Fishhook Pizza. Every breath a good lungful.

I want this back... that, a good gaphic novel, and a cup full of green tea (or cold rooibos), and this summer should shape up shur-passingly.

OH - and tuesday, I made H watch Wrath of Khan, because she hadn't seen it before. Of course she liked it. (That quote is from Dickens, I guess). [it was so funny: she was really distraught when she found out about Spock; I had to tell her.]



Current Music: Primal Scream, "Movin' On Up"

postsecret

Current Music: Sleater-Kinney, The Woods [*****!]

for today i am a child...

Radical weather lately - periods of sun interrupted by torrents of rain, only to be replaced again by cautious sunshine. It's been like this the last couple days; right now the wind is ... being antagonistic. God's fucking with us. (Or maybe just Tlaloc).

Meanwhile, I'm already dancing around thinking about next saturday, when good music will cause my face to explode.

And, wednesday: the special little lady's time for face-explosion.

Current Music: Pixies, "Stormy Weather"

wacky... wednesday?

Some great links I've found:

Bruce Campbell.
get your war on.
Don't you pee on balls?
nobuo uematsu tribute performance.

And the 3 best reviews of the new Nine Inch Nails album:
first...
second...
and finally.

Current Music: John Zorn, Circle Maker

lost at sea

Humm...

"The 'piano man' was found on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, last month. He wore a black jacket, smart trousers and a tie, all dripping wet."

Current Music: Antony & the Johnsons, I Am a Bird Now

I'll take Swords for a thousand

This is what my Mum's living room looks like now. A little kitschy maybe, quaint, but very settle-able. Casey decorated it for her, and his own house is quite the space-age bachelor pad, similarly quaint & cozy. B & H & I visited them this weekend, which Mum of course really loved the heck out of. Had lots of fun, made her breakfast (french toast and mimosas), walked around the Museum of Glass (free outside area, still quite pretty). All in all, a good time was had by all. My mom's new thing these days is garage sales; when she drove us to Casey's house (4 miles form hers) she slowed almost to a stop i-shit-you-not 4 times to peer at what people were selling. It's good I guess, they both go and find strange artifacts from dark dynasties for measly coppers with which to decorate their respective abodes. Better by far than going to Ikea every weekend, in my book.

OH, and everyone is hereby obligated to buy the September (is what I'm told) "Girls of the Pac-10" edition of Playboy (mwa-ha-ha), which will feature one of H's best friends, with no clothes on. Yeah, H is ambivalent, but she tells me she's already seen her nakers, and will not tell me more. Fie.

Current Music: Six Organs of Admittance, School of the Flower

going to a place where all the lights shine on

It's been a nice but very standard couple of weeks around here, you know those kind, where you're pacing around one day and you suddenly notice the blur the last week or so turned into, which somehow - of itself - sharpens up the contrast. Anyway the soup is thinning, and things are coming along. By which I mean, long term goals are being reached, money accrued, education attained, insight developed, compassion cultivated. As for short-term goals, I'm failing a little on those: which is to say, hangin' around with the guys. Even Braden I hardly get to hang around with these days, since his schoolwork keeps him really busy. We[bp+hava+me]'re gonna head down to Tacoma tonight after work, to spend tomorrow with Moms, which should be great. Soon though, there has to be coalescence. Concrescence. Iridescence? We'll leave that up to fate.

Current Music: Raveonettes, Cops on our tail

poem of the day

Ezra Pound (1885-1972)
Ancient Music

Winter is icumen in,
Lhude sing Goddamm,
Raineth drop and staineth slop,
And how the wind doth ramm!
   Sing: Goddamm.

Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
An ague hath my ham.
   Damm you; Sing: Goddamm.

Goddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,
   So 'gainst the winter's balm.
Sing goddamm, damm, sing goddamm,
Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.


Author's Note -- This is not folk music, but Dr. Ker writes that the tune is found under the latin words of a very ancient canon.