Achtung Baby!

downtowntrain

the downtown trains are full with all those Brooklyn girls
they try so hard to break out of their little worlds
+ Tom Waits - Downtown Train - Storytellers

In remembrance of subway misadventures and being with my favorite Brooklyn girl last week. The less said about being out and about during the "Valentine's Day Winter Storm" and a terrible airport experience thanks to Jet Blue, the better.

getting into the season

+ He-Man & She-Ra - A Christmas Special

+ It's a Wonderful Life
    // "It's A Wonderful Life" in 30 Seconds
    // Alfred Hitchcock's "It's A Wonderful Life"

+ Mickey's Christmas Carol

+ OC/The Chrismukk-huh?

+ kiss kiss bang bang

+ Elektra Lives Again

+ Christmas 2006 Mix @ whokilledthemixtape

Fall 2004 Nostalgia

U2: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Original Release Date: November 23, 2004

Lost
Season 1, Episode 1: September 22, 2004

World of Warcraft
Release Date: November 23, 2004

The Incredibles 
Release Date: November 5, 2004

Tegan and Sara: So Jealous
Original Release Date: September 14, 2004

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas  
Release Date: October 26, 2004

Halo 2
Release Date: November 9, 2004

House M.D.
Season 1, Episode 1: November 16,  2004

2004. I miss you.

Crawling From the Wreckage

Like VN [1] I believe in Fate and this is my current Fate: I have suffered a disastrous data loss. Sometimes hard drives go Kaput. This particular hard drive happened to contain folders with names like "Photographers", "Waiting for a Quote", "Songs in search of a picture" and on and on. Know what I mean jelly bean? All the files I used for this blog ( like an archive of all the little 100x100 icons on the left and right ) and files, notes and ideas I had yet to use. Like in the R.E.M song: "Let's begin again.."

[1] "Nabokov was a monomaniac and he persistently worked-over one big, complicated theme: fate's cruel capriciousness." VN COLLATION #14

bookshelf

[ underneath the Christmas Tree ]

[ Sexy Finger Champs - "I had sex underneath the Christmas Tree" ]

+ "What Do You Get A Wookie for Christmas When He Already Owns A Comb"

Pacific Purr vs the Atlantic Ache

She says Hi from the Pacific Northwest.

My view of the Eastern Seaboard.

Amazon List of the day: "Graphic Novels Are For Chicks Too!"

out for the week

I'm going to New Orleans for the week. I'll leave you with this:
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine Torrent

NEW YORK POST: GIRL, INTERRUPTED

March 6, 2005 -- LOCKED away in the Sony master vault, or maybe Fiona Apple's sock drawer, is an album that's gathering dust - and the kind of momentum that might push the mystery disc into rock mythology. Apple was the teen-age waif who took the rock world by storm with her debut album, "Tidal." Her single "Criminal," released when she was only 19, won a Grammy and propelled her to multi-platinum success.

An indie darling, Apple dated filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, and released her second album with an 83-word-long title, usually shortened as "When the Pawn ..."

It tanked.

Her third effort - the mystery disc - is titled "Extraodinary Machine," and was completed almost two years ago in May 2003.

But it was never released.

Frustrated Apple fans have taken to the Internet, lobbying for the album, calling it a masterpiece.

A Sony insider said the fate of "Machine" is no mystery - reporting that the artist and label agree that the record isn't ready to enter the company's catalog.

Sony execs say the album was never officially delivered. "We join music lovers everywhere in eagerly anticipating her next release," a company official said.

Apple, now 27, was not available to verify that claim, but a complete tape of "Extraordinary Machine" - ready or not - slipped out and is now in the hands of 25-year-old radio deejay Andrew Harms, who has been playing its 11 tracks on 107.7 The End, in Seattle.

Speaking to The Post from his offices, Harms said, "This record is amazing - a brilliant piece of music, unlike anything I've heard from Fiona Apple.  [ REST OF ARTICLE ]

+ Jon Brion Interview in which he talks about the album

Apple contemplated never recording another album. Then, in the spring of 2002, Brion and Apple met for their weekly lunch. Brion had recently been ejected from a five-year relationship with the comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub. Making matters worse, the breakup occurred while he was scoring Paul Thomas Anderson's ''Punch-Drunk Love.'' Rajskub had a large role in the film, and Brion spent hours watching his ex on celluloid. Now finished with the score, he was at loose ends.

''Please, please make another album,'' Brion begged Apple. ''I need work that can save me.''

Austin, the place 20 somethings come to retire at

So, you are coming to Austin for SXSW...."How do we (heart) Austin? Let us count the ways"

+ See You in the Pit

WishList

Flashback: 1985 Toy Catalog

My Xmas Wishlist
Or
Gifts I'll give myself if none of my friends realize I have a WishList
Or
Suggested gifts for people who share my taste

Neil Gaiman's A Short Film About John Bolton
ARKHAM ASYLUM ANNIVERSARY EDITION
The Book of Ballads
Live Flesh

For that little pinko commie on your list:

For the foreign film fan on your list:

Wong Kar Wai's "2046"

I Luv Halloween

The above is from a card I got from my #1 fan. I even got a Donnie Darko pen! You are jealous and you know it. Been partying up all weekend with my pals. The girls were good and evil and my buddy was Ed from "Shaun of the Dead". My friend Chad had a noose around his neck and a shirt that said "I voted": He was a hanging chad.

I don't know why "I Luv Halloween" didn't come out, but I like the art.

As far as scary movie watching, I'm going to watch The Kingdom II. A few Halloweens ago there was a Kingdom marathon at a local theatre and it was great. I think they alternate between The Kingdom and Twin Peaks. At one point there were rumours of a Criterion DVD edition of The Kindgom. I wish it came true.

that golden year

I had a great and very happy birthday, my pals are great.

a-licious

a-licious is one lovely and swell girl and today it is her birthday. Actually I call her "evil little woman" most of the time. Here are some choice quotes from conversations with her:

Me: Why don't you get massage?
Her: I want a tranqulizer and I want to leave the planet.

I said: I'm making Valentine mixes for my ladyfriends
she said: "ladyfriends"? what are you, 80? ladyfriends? hahahahaha

J: I heard you only have Strawberry Shortcake underwear?
a-licious: I wish!

A: "stop!, I'm laughing so hard my heart hurts"

A: "Next thing I know I woke up naked with cookies on me"

June

What joy have I in June's return? My feet are parched--my eyeballs burn, I scent no flowery gust; But faint the flagging zephyr springs, With dry Macadam on its wings, And turns me "dust to dust." Thomas Hood

Art: Tomer Hanuka

oh yah

I'm moving, so I'll be offline for a few days.

Questions, You'll answer, I'll read.

Once I had a penpal named Jade. I lost touch with her who knows when, but I'll never forget the questions she sent me shortly after our correspondace began:

Are you religous? If mother theresa was an agnostic and still did everything she has done where would she go when she died?

Age mentally and physically.

Do you believe in determinsim or free will? Why?

Do you are with Heideggar that we are all born into a facticle situation in which we must embrace our situation as inconceivable that it be something else and move on from there--that everything that has happened in your life to this point had to happen and it could be no other way and accept and take full responsiblity for as actions in your life? Why?

Do you perceive yourself more as the ubermensh (Nietz.) or the knight of faith (Kierkeggard) if those were your only options? Why?

Do you think the good of government should supercede the good of the republic? Why?

What is the one thing you want to accomplish in this life?

Do you think humanity will survive another two thousand years? Why?

What experience in your life has had the singlemost impact on who you've become?

What is your philosophy on life?

What do you want to be remembered for?

How do you perceive society at large, women and their role in society, men and their role in society, and minorities and their respective role in society?

Based on the addictions of most great artists, writers, poets, musicians etc., do you think it's possible to become a great visionary of your art without external inducements? Why? (i.e. Jimmy Hendrix, Edgar Allen Poe, Kurt Cobain, William Borroughs, Henry Miller etc.)

Nostalgia is a Disease

All month nostalgia seized me. I kept thinking of spring of 1994 and after I cleaned out my box of letters I actually found movie ticket stubbs from that particular time. I wish I had found my Pulp Fiction ticket, I totally remember that night.

Finding the box of letters made me miss actually receiving them. Pre-Internet boom times were so..tactile.

I realized that last week marked exactly five years since I moved to Austin, and funny enough all week I was thinking about leaving. I was in a funk.

Mail Call

Picked up some instantsunshine mail this morning. Among the items included:

Two marvel figures join the toy brawl in my cube.

Lost In Translation Post Cards!

Thanks Tim.

P.S. I'm hoping this is a trend and mail from starbody isn't far behind.

Things that cheered me up this week

Nellie McKay on Whole Wide World with Rita Houston

Yum.

LIT Scarlett Poster came in the mail. Hot.

Too many new magazines.

A co-worker won an iTunes song on his Pepsi and gave it to me. I got a Norah Jones song.

I was in a crummy mood on Monday and I cought an episode of the [ chappelle's show ] and all was better afterwards.

( chapelle show Slate Article) I saw the above icon here.

And to end such a great streak, I'll go see Spoon tomorrow night.

Closet

Items I found in my old closet at my parents house.

Nifty keychains circa 1995

The Nintendo Advantage controller crica 1985

Viernes

A fine Friday, new shirt, lots of new bootlegs, a test of my upcoming "Live Tracks" Mix, my friend Sara May is coming over for the weekend, and best news of all: Apple came through and will be sending me a new laptop next week.

V-Day Post Game Round Up

[ Wally Pleasant - Love Is ]
[The Postal Service - Against All Odds ]

{mp3s offline}

Valentines 04

Set List for Mix CD all the right girls got:

My Baby Just Cares For me - Nona Simone

Won't U Please B Nice  - Nellie Mckay

I Belive In A Thing Called Love - Edson

Simply Irresistable - rilo kiley

It's a Man's World - James Brown

Never Tear Us Apart - Tom Jones + Natalie I.

Teenage Love Song - rilo kiley

I throw my toys around -  No Doubt + Elvis Costello

Let's Play Life - Wally Pleasant  

Maps - yeah yeah yeahs

Love is everywhere I go - Sam Phillips

Touch Me With your love - Beth Orton

Beautiful - Rosey 

Endlessly - Muse

So Alive - Ryan Adams

Lost At Sea - Eisley

Sea of Love - Cat Power

Nothing Compares To U - S. O'Connor

I touch myself - The Bens

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Emm Grynner

Here's to Love - Ewan McG.+ Rene Z.

February Stars

backround: NiteAngel - Love 1120 wallpaper
lyrics: Foo Fighters "February Stars"

{e-mail}

From: "jill" Date: January 26, 2004 4:51:44 PM CST Subject: love life

love my job
walk into work
10:35am this morning
only 2 of 9 people are here before me
and the White Stripes Elephant is blasting upstairs
i stomp up the steps in rhythm to Seven Nation Army
and my day begins as it should...and when it should...

Happy Monday
love you all!
jill

A great email from Jill. More people should write about their good days instead of whining about their crummy days.

TO: Underage employees of Ben Brown International

TO: Underage employees of Ben Brown International

"That 24 year old guy was hitting on you because he can't get with anyone his own age. And do you know why? Because all the 24 year old girls are dating 30 year olds. And do you know why they're dating 30 year olds? Because when they were 17, they dated a 24 year old, and it left a bad taste in their mouth!"

First Weekend

An exeptional weekend concluded with me in bed suffering a bad cold. Regardless, it all started Friday with dinner at P.F. Chang's with Sara May. It's our favorite place. Well worth the hour and half wait. Thankfully the wait was aided by a well made Mai Tai. At this point I'm sort of doing a tour of all P.F. Chang's in Texas. Only four more to go. Saturday was Rachel's birthday party. Among the things I got her was an Alias magazine that made her go bonkers. All my friend's are Alias geeks...finally. Also at this swell party I got to hang with Abby who I had missed seeing the last few times I went home. Our geeky synchronicity moment was discoverring we both had the same PowerBook.

All is quiet on New Year's Day

What do I remember about 1994? Tori's "Under the Pink". Hearing "Famous Blue Raincoat" for the first time and get into L. Cohen. The death of Kurt Cobain and the rise of Hole. It was also the year I got online. The year the world noticed The Internet ( a.k.a The Information Superhighway, thanks to all those damn commercials with Anna Paquin one of which can be seen here) oh, and I graduated High School as well.

New Year 2004 Celebration at Times Square QTVR

Year End List Per Request

Per Tim's Request I've filled this out.

· Best Book that you have read this year

It's a tie and they're graphic novels: Animal Farm and Endless Nights

· Album of the year

Muse: Absolution.

· Concert of the year

Deathcab For Cutie

· Video game of the year

SSX3 (PS2) & Halo (PC)

· Most influential/inspirational pop phenomenon

Uknown.

· Movie of the year

Have you been reading this here typepad? It's "Lost In Translation" of course.

· Most memorable moment of 2003

Too many moments with Colleen to list.

Alias Toy

My buddy Chepo got me this for Chritsmas.

Xmas Card

Rachel sent me my first Christmas Card of the season. Click to see:

Pages and Memory

Monday's are a terrible exercise in depression. I don't know why. To cheer up I go get magazines because they are an addiction. Tonight I picked up the 5th anniversarry issue of BlackBook. It took me back. I remember the first issue I ever got while waiting for a showing of Henry Fool to start in Dallas.

Spooky!

I can't find my spooky toy :(

Dear You...

You are getting sleepy.
You want you to come over and sing "Nice Dream" with me.
We shall dance around in our underwear.
You will Watch "Red" with me while we drink red wine and only speak French.
You will bring me Sushi and comic books.

A trilogy of 3's a co.

So I realized that for three nights in a row I had dinner with three different couples. I wonder if the couple-friends from back home can't wait to once again make plans for four instead of juan solo. Something has to change. I don't know what. I will have to confer with Brooke who is a good cheerleader for me in these manners. For some reason I thought of the names of the first three girls I ever liked and they are all weird: Nilka, Zuleika and Sonia. My mum put in my jackass dvd copy thinking it was kangoroo jack. I wasn't around to see her reaction.

(3) Ft. Worth Pics

Will Return Sunday

Well, Soon i am off for the weekend. out of town. it's couples weekend...Colleen + Thomas...Tim + Mojo..Me and...Me and...whoever i'm cought snogging with tonight.

Sunday Morning

Sunday morning, praise the dawning
It's just a restless feeling by my side...
Sunday morning and I'm falling
I've got a feeling I don't want to know

Too often, Sunday spells silence around here. I perform a one man play called "How can I make this Sunday be lazier than the one before?" I sat around, picked some songs for the October Mix, and kept fine tuning The Current Crush mix. I decided I want to serenade someone with The Beatle's "This Boy". If only I could play guitar. If I only I knew who to sing to. The other night I sang some Rufus for the pirate while driving. Sunday is over. For some reason it is hard for me to fall asleep Sunday nights. What I want is to go run around. A little strawberry wine with some Tom Waits and "Motion Picture Soundtrack". I'll even sing "If you wear that velvet dress" if I get really drunk.

Anyways, write me. you. now. don't wait. say hello.

Consumption

well, Kim likes lists so here's one. All the stuff I got yesterday:

+ Rented: The Osbournes Season 2 and Scarface Annivesarry Edition
+ Downloaded: Hulk and LXG DVD's
+ Bought: Age of Mythology: The Titans and Halo for the PC.
+ Bought: Supreme Power and Y: The Last Man comics.

When I got home I didn't know where to begin.

Luna Lounge

I'm going to start making my posse of girls wear this shirt.

Decade in an instant

I opened my mailbox and there it was: Esquire's 70th anniversarry issue. Ten years flashed before my eyes. I remember getting the 60th anniversarry issue at a hospital, and I still have it. I know it had some nifty articles but I can't remember any of them now.

Anyways, my current state of being:
I love the fall.
I had a glorious weekend.
I am well rested.
I have a lot of plans.
I am happy this moment.
I have a lot of work to do this week but I'm not bothered.

Weekend

Saw American Splendor at the Angelika in Dallas, it was everything the hype implied and more. I was struck by how many things Harvey had in common with the Steve Buscemi character in Ghost World.

Quote of the weekend:
Rachel "I was going to get you a birthday card but I haven't been to the grocery store"
Me: " So what you are saying is ' I would of gotten you a card but I didn't need any milk this week' "

Lost In Translation opens September 19th, same weekend I'll be at ACL Fest. blimey. I hope we get it here in Austin because I'll find the time to go. I picked up BlackBook without even realizing that Scarlett was in it. Also, Sofia Coppola directed the new White Stripes video.

bday

Happy Birthday To me. I was born in Santurce which is right next to Old San Juan, Benicio Del Toro was also born there.

I sleep two hours | Insomnia | 6am, my parents call and sing over the phone | rush to work, the earlier I get there the earlier I can get out so I can come home and try to sleep | Immense stress and frustration at work | sigh | finally escaping work and napping at home | snuck in some Soul Calibur 2 while waiting to get picked up for dinner | Chad & Jen finally meet Colleen and make jokes about how they thought she was my imaginary friend | first thing I got at the restaurant was a pina colada, I’d been waiting for it all day | Coconut shrimp + mango frozen margarita = yum | Chad pokes fun " Let's see, you are his friend so you must be seventeen?" | later on Colleen has a delayed reaction to his comment and I crack up laughing, she goes "How many me’s are there?" | I make them drive me to Book People so I can get some magazines | home, sleepy, tired, zzzzzz | Also, 10 years ago U2 performed one hell of a show that was broadcast on the radio, I love that show.

Uno

Once at Sara's graduation I realized I had been at her High School one as well so this was the full cricle. A wedding shall be next I imagine. I busted open my X-men UNO cards this weekend. It comes with a Mutate card that you can use to get rid of your current cards for new ones, or make someone else do it. On top of that, because Sara May's boyfriend can do an excellent Christopher Walken, whoever used the mutate card got to also decide what accent or voice impersonation every player would speak in. We did Walken, Snoop Dog, Scottish, Korean, Katherine Hepburn, and at one point I busted out with my Gollum and freaked everyone out.

Blimey + Connections

Kim had Neko Case on her TypeList and I downloaded a few tracks and loved what I heard. So then I come to find out Neko will be in Austin this weekend. Carolyn mentioned Rilo Kiley in an email, I downloaded some, liked it, then Dani sent me her mix cd and sure enough even more Rilo that I liked. They're in Austin tonight as well, I just read. There hasn't been a show that has made me go dowtown in AGES, for weeks I haven't had the pleasure of going out and about, and here they are and I will miss them because I have to go out of town for a graduation, an important one so i'm not all mad about going, just mad about the timming. Hell, before I found out about the graduation I was supposed to show some old high school friends around town, guess where I would of dragged them too? These damn shows of course! Damn it.
:: Cursing Begins::

How I Feel Today

Strawberry Fields Forever

I live in these apartments called Abbey Road. The street I live on is called Penny Lane. The administration decided to put this up:

I hadn't even noticed. Last week when Lela and Kathleen came over to watch Sex and The City, they pointed it out. It was the first time I saw the show with someone yelling out "show some dick!"

Friday I'm in Love

Nick Cave Interview from Creem, thanks to Kim for the heads up. Without meaning to, my Music DVD aqusitions shall continue with The Cure: Trilogy DVD. My ticket for ACL Festival arrived, yet I know no one who is going. Looking fowards to R.E.M., Spoon, The Dandy Warhols, Bright Eyes and Liz Phair.

Sushilicious

Longhorn Sushi. Very orange and named after our college team.

The second "Fables" trade paperback comes out today. I've been waiting for a while. I think the cover is gorgeous:

Pez

Randomly, from clicking on a link from 10000K, I ended up on the homepage of a photographer who took a Cat Power picture I used in one of my collages. Neverwhere is coming out on DVD, I barely remember watching an episode or two. DVD aquisition: Bjork: Royal Opera House. It is filmed really well and it has its highlights but there's too much Verperstine songs for my taste. That's my Wolverine Pez. I think I got it from Lela along with X-Men chocolate.

Postcards

To end my very stressfull work week, I'm accenting my cube. It wasn't until now that I noticed that this week's themes made it to my wall.

Neil's creation Tim Hunter + Andy and Alfred postcard I got from Carolyn.

Japan + Andy's Superman postcard I got from Brooke.

And a new collage, of course.

Swimming to Japan

I need to get Neil's new cd, which reminds me; I guess it's been like 10 years since " Angels and Visitations" came out. I love that book. The size of it, the art. He needs to do another one like that.

I guess I have a very loose interpretation of work, because I think that just being alive is so much work at something you don't always want to do. -Andy Warhol

While looking for magazine pictures to scan I kept running into Andy Warhol curiousities so I created a gallery to hold it all together.

I really want to go to Japan.

Eisely had an article in the Chronicle. I hope they come to Austin soon, or I may just see them in Dallas if I end up going up there to go see "Swimming Pool"

Two Good Links

Go Robot Go Video
Great Sandman Gallery

Personality Test

Hey, you're a Critic!

You're complex and thoughtful. You look beneath the surface. You're good at chess (or would be if you played). Pondering deep thoughts sounds better to you than going out on the town. But you can be so critical and introspective that even positive qualities can seem like faults. The truth is that you have a very perceptive, gentle spirit.

You carry quite a few burdens on those little shoulders of yours. Sometimes the world seems so gloomy that you just want to crawl up in your cozy bed and sleep it off. That shy nature of yours means you like to be alone watching romantic comedies, preferably ones starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. Chances are you hate arguing and other tense situations, which can leave you feeling helpless and confused. But there's a part deep inside you that's aching to make some serious bucks. You just need to figure how to go out and grab it.

You hate chaos at work and prefer a structured environment. You avoid co-workers who talk loudly or brandish sharp objects. Sometimes you feel undervalued by your boss, but everyone notices your motivation and talent. You wish you dressed snappier. But you're an original thinker, and people will respect your judgments once they get to know you

Mail again

International Mail week continues with mail from Brooke in Berlin.

The two postcards that came along this week. (Wharhol & Picasso)

I got Mail

I got a mix cd from my pen pal in Spain. Cool. I want more mail this year!

This space

The ambitions to dump various levels of creativity here are dimished by frustration with the large amount of old material I have to go through and put here. I would devote all weekend to it but tomorrow I'm going home for Rachel's wedding.

Begin The Begin

1993. Zooropa. Sara May. Its ten years since then. I think I remember New Year's Eve 1983 being fun, my parents and I went to a neighbor’s house that had lights all over her big backyard patio thing and good food. Then I went home to a late night marathon on channel 9 New York of honeymooners and Marx brothers movies. This year I went to Chris' and it was quite fun, with Austin there visiting.