It's hard to look at pictures of starving kids and then think about how full my fridge is. I work with/as an advocate for a lot of hungry kids in my line of work, but these kids are dying of hunger.
I don't have a lot of money, but I gave $15 to Heifer Project, who does work in countries neighboring Somalia that are taking on refugees. I know it's not a lot, but it's something. Maybe one day I can give more. There's other organizations actually in Somalia that are linked on that web page.
I don't say "hey look I gave some money" to brag about being a good person - I'm kind of a whiny brat, like, lots of times - just putting it out there to hopefully guilt (yeah, I used the guilt word!) just one person into doing something similar.
When I was in third grade I remember pulling a book off a school library shelf about the Exxon Valdez oil spill. I didn't really understand what had happened, other than the pictures of oil coated sea otters, black, dead birds and other creatures conjured up a mix-mash of third grade thoughts on cruelty and hell.
I'm usually late to pick up on the news, but it's impossible not to follow the worsening daily reports of the recent oil disaster. It's easy not to think too hard about coastal environmental disasters in the landlocked states of the US, (I know Texas isn't landlocked, but Arkansas was, and I'm still pretty far in), but the recent pictures of brown, iridescent water, fishermen enlisting to help with clean-up since they can't fish anymore or earn money, birds with stained brown feathers being force fed, and debris collecting barriers lining beaches are all I need to see to make my stomach turn.
There's a great article with a time line of the events of the spill and a "what you can do" section at Planet Green. If that's too hippie for you, Time, CNN, the New York Times... all have stories on the oil spill as front page news. Just don't listen to Rush Limbaugh, who says "oil is natural, like water." So is poison ivy and I wouldn't walk in it.
Here, this is pertinent:
People interested in volunteering in Alabama can call the Alabama Coastal Foundation at 251-990-6002; the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program at 251-431-6409; or Mobile Baykeeper at 251-433-4229.
I wonder if I could get excused from work for this...? Now I'm really regretting not being a teacher with a summer break. Put me in rubber wading pants. I'm ready.
Today, while at work, Jonny Stranger showed me the WikiLinks Iraq video of a US military helicopter shooting a crowd of people on a street, presumably because they were all believed to be dangerous. Adding to the indescribably unfortunate nature of the whole thing, two of the people killed were journalists and two of the injured civilians were children in the front of a van coming to collect the bodies.
If you've been with me for a bit, you may remember that I'm a huge Dan Eldon fan from this post. Dan Eldon was also a photo journalist killed in Africa by an angry mob when he was twenty-four years old. In addition to images, he left behind volumes of art journals that visually depict his travels and experiences. I find him admirable and inspirational, and I always hope that my life can have an ounce of the meaning and beneficial impact that a life like his had.
My desire to have a positive impact on the world in some small way is one of the driving forces behind my decision to enter teaching and working with kids. That, and most of the time, I like kids, (most of the time - mine drive me insane sometimes - today I busted a dice-rolling-gambling circle, little twerps). My soft spot for children is why this picture moved me when I found it a few weeks ago.
One of the journalists killed in the attack shown on the WikiLinks video was only twenty-two years old, and was known for taking pictures that would break your heart in twelve mega-pixels.
It takes a special kind of guts to have the audacity to interfere on someone's tragedy with a telephoto lens, and do it so seamlessly that no interference is actually made, except for the one projected on the viewer of the picture, like us.
I'm in no way anti-military. I'm an army brat, I have family and friends in the military and in Iraq. But can we all agree that some things are just wrong?
And the final question is always... what do we do about it?
I'm trying to read every article I can find about the book and movie The Taqwacores since meeting the film maker at SXSW, and I came across this photo from a piece written by a columnist upset that Kathryne Bigelow made no mention of Iraq in her Oscar acceptance speech for Hurt Locker's best picture win, which can be seen as reflective as a national disregard for the people affected by events in Iraq on a daily basis. I don't know; this photo is some kind of haunting.
I know I am literally "tardy to the party" as far as when I arrived at the New Media Fashion Brunch on Friday, March 12th, (Indiana had to come unlock a door for me to let me in), and in that I'm just now posting pictures. I have no excuse - I've been seduced by sleep and SXSW the past week. Nonetheless, I was very excited to receive an invitation to this event that Indiana of Adored Austin put together and hosted for fashion bloggers in and around Austin.
Of course I tried on about five outfits before I decided on what, (thanks Michelle for helping!). It was windy outside and we were going to walk a lot, so I opted for flats. I got this necklace at a boutique in Granada, Spain because I loved the color. This tunic was too short after I belted it, so I put a white skirt underneath it to add length.
Tunic: Forever 21 Skirt: free from clothing swap Boots: Buffalo Exchange Necklace: Spain Belt: Thrift Town Bracelet: gift from step-sister
The food was almost too pretty to eat - breakfast treats and lunch fare laced with jelly beans and candy, and lovely displays by sponsors and Etsy Austin. And the food wasn't just pretty, there was a lot of it; when leaving to walk to the boutiques, Indiana had her purse stuffed with Jelly Belly's and chocolate biscotti for anyone who got hungry, I think that's evidence she's going to be a great mom! Our treat bags included the supplies for making an obi belt (there weren't enough needles to go around, though), as well as lots of pendants, rings, cute business card wallets, and other fun swag I was excited to find. We first walked over to the 2nd Street shopping district, and I had to leave after that to see my family, but the girls continued on to South Congress afterward. I'm sad that I missed my free cupcake! There was lots of networking and business card swapping going on, so maybe I should make my blog a business card for future, similar occasions?
Clearly I need this necklace, right? Or at least that charm.
and finally...
You didn't know I was such a Bowie fan, huh?
In retrospect, I should have taken way more pictures, but I was shy because I didn't know anyone. There were lots of lovely ladies to meet, though, so please check out the blogs of the following girls!
There were a lot more girls there, and I know I'm leaving someone off and already feel terrible, please see the New Media Brunch page for the full list of attendees, and I have to run off to work now! I hope you enjoy this lovely, warm day. Prepare yourself for the mass amounts of band photos I'll be posting next.
In honor of the New Media Fashion Brunch tomorrow, I thought I should post one of my favorite articles: Tanya Gold's "Why I Hate Fashion." My friend Elizabeth tweeted it a while back, and reading the comic lines in it is as fabulous as finding a vintage 1960's medallion print dress at Buffalo Exchange for $13, (which I've done). But reading this article is more like finding thirty of them. For $5.
"Surely I love shoes, the icons that Carrie Bradshaw worshiped instead of a god? No? I must be ill. Weep for me in my giant knickers. I am outcast."
Gold explains why fashion "died" for her, and how that death has brought her peace in her life. She raises interesting points about how fun it can seem to buy something pretty, bring it home in a fancy bag, and lay it out on the bed only to discover that whatever mystique the item held in the store has some how faded away between now and then. She also explains how fashion can't "fix" her, and essentially, she doesn't want to exist in a state of needing to be "fixed."
I don't blame her. Wanting to collect pretty clothes is just as infectious as wanting to collect tea spoons or glass telephone insulators (I have one). The problem with clothes collecting is that the object of display is yourself - and making oneself presentable everyday can be an occasion of stress. Not that I've ever had a melt down over what to wear, changed my clothes five times, or been late to work because I can't decide if I like a pair of trousers on a particular day. Ok, maybe I have, and maybe I need help.
But fashion, like whittling, is a hobby. And I like my hobby. I have other hobbies - writing this blog, strumming guitars, starting a glass telephone insulator collection. Lennon likes to play World of Warcraft, (NERD!). To each their own.
In between all of Gold's funny quips, she does bring up the sad story of sixteen year old Megan Moore who was killed by a train when she slipped and fell in her high heeled shoes on a station platform.
Megan has glamorous predecessors - Lady Randolph Churchill also experienced death by high heeled shoe when a broken ankle caused by a pair led to gangrene and a botched amputation, and Isadora Duncan was famously strangled by her silk scarf when it caught in a car's tire.
Since we'll be walking a long way tomorrow, I think I'll wear my sensible flats, and maybe avoid superfluous length in accessories.
(and just FYI - I hold playing World of Warcraft as the standard by which I judge all of my own insane obsessions to be normal. Sorry, honey).
On Friday I am giddy excited to attend the New Media Fashion Brunch and boutique crawl, sponsored by Indiana of Adored Austin. I follow all of these girls' blogs, so I can't wait to meet them in person.
Indiana
My one rule for myself before the boutique crawl is: no spending between now and then! My step-sister Courtney also invited me to a party at her new house in Bryan this weekend, so it's looking as though I'll have two amazing weekends in a row. I've got my mind made up to make it happen.
So Dallas, Copperas Cove, Bryan... Shreveport, LA, all of Arkansas... all got snow this year, and we only had one measly day of barely flakes. I have been bitter, as you may remember.
Until now!
I woke up this morning to Eirik yelling "Guys! Guys! Look outside! It's snowing! The flakes are so big they look like feathers!" I ran downstairs; Lennon rolled over. When I got outside, I saw this glorious scene:
Good gracious, there was a lot of snow, and it was sticking! I had an 11 o'clock meeting I did not want to drive to, and lucky for me it was canceled. Unlucky for me, AISD was not. So I got dressed and ready to go outside and take pictures! Warmth may not have been my ultimate goal in this outfit, but amazingly, I wasn't cold It might have been that I was wearing three shirts and a sweater.
Skirt: Fossil Knee socks: Target Boots: Hunter Oxford shirt: J. Crew (I'm wearing two shirts under it, so I was well layered). Cardigan: Land's End Locket: Grandma's Scarf: Grandma's
I took a video when I first went outside, because I was that excited. You can tell by Eirik's face that he was equally in glee. And I ended up being right about not going to work - all after school activities were later canceled. Now I get to sit here and do weekly numbers reports in my jammie pants, (my favorite work attire).
Eirik went back outside and took his own video. At first it made me want to fall asleep because it's quite peaceful, but then he starts to talk, and peace is replaced by laughing at him :)
And then we had to take more pictures, because that's what you do when you've almost forgotten what snow looks and feels like.
I look like an elf. Visiting a gnome, (they had the beards, right?).
Bella looks wistfully towards the door, thinking we are insane. Lennon enjoys buying hats that emphasize his ears. I like forced couple pictures in various elements. Next: hurricane.
Now Bella is just looking ticked.
Ok, maybe it's actually cold out here. So let's walk to Which Wich. (Which we did).
I know I'm not really a heads-up-neat-event type-blogger, but I'm really excited about this one! My after school program runs a sewing class called "Project Runway" and our girls were invited to a Go Green Fashion Show at the university in San Marcos before Christmas, and I didn't get to go. I was quite sad, (but not about missing the long car ride). That show was a vintage revamped extravaganza as well, and my girls got to model some skirts they made from old jeans as well as walk in some of the clothes made by the university students.
Having missed out there, I do not plan to miss out on the Fashion Freakout at Mohawk tomorrow night. I even twisted Lennon's arm into going by promising him we could hit the Dog & Duck Pub after, (not exactly a sacrifice on my part....). I bought our tickets in advance, but Tolly is giving away two tickets at her blog, and winning those is way more cost effective than purchasing online, (although there's only a $2 difference between buying online and buying at the door).
At midnight it's my birthday so if you're there come say hi to me :)
I read in Time yesterday that there is talk of reaching a peace agreement with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"Peace" you say? Hoorah!
Wait...
I'm reminded of the quote "we don't negotiate with terrorists." If there is talk of giving the Taliban license to rule, then apparently we do negotiate with terrorists? And I don't mean "terrorist" necessarily in the "we blow stuff up" way, but in the, "only half of the population are human beings" sort of way. If somebody showed up at my door, told me I had to forget everything I've learned and drop the dream of a PhD, cover up my face everyday, hand the car keys over to my male keeper, and stay home bound all day, I'd call them a terrorist.
The New York Times published an article today about the worries being voiced from international women's groups about the backslide in Afghani women's rights that could occur if the Taliban were given full control of the country again. There's quite an uproar, with good reason.
Last year I saw the movie Osama about a girl living with her mother under Taliban rule. Her father had died and women were not allowed to work, so the mother dressed the girl like a boy and sennt her to work. When all of the boys in the city were rounded up to go to Taliban Day Camp, it became evident things were not going to turn out well. I cried.
The girl who plays Osama, Marina Golbahari, was interviewed after seeing the film, and she said she had a difficult time watching it because it reminded her of when the Taliban ruled. At thirteen in a Taliban-free time, she enjoyed going to school and living in the house that was purchased for her family by the film's director, even though it leaks. She has done several short films since this feature, but her father does not want her to do any more because it is "immodest."
There's other change afoot in Afghanistan: the first all girl metal band, Burka Blue, is alive and well, despite music being also viewed as "immodest." I'm curious what will happen to the girls should the Taliban be coerced into a "peace" treaty.
So the difficult question, in summary, remains: who would experience the peace of a peace treaty with a group like the Taliban? The women who will be pulled from school, returned as wards to the men in their family, possibly beaten, possibly killed for behavior viewed as improper from a woman?
I don't like war, I don't like killing, (who does...?), but I also don't like the idea of a "peace" that potentially benefits only half of a population. That's actually pretty sorry, and I hope it doesn't come to pass.
There's no such thing as pseudo-peace. Sorry, feds.
And if you're interested in women's rights and portrayal in media, About Face is a great web site to check out. Just FYI.
If you know me, you know I have a thing for fish. Pictures next to this dive shop mural were inevitable. Lennon has once again bumped our Dallas aquarium trip back - so now instead of going on my birthday (two weeks, oh my goodness I'm old) - we're going over Valentine's weekend. If he flakes, he's going to fry like fish in a pan! Or maybe that's a bad simile to use in front of my gilled friend...
Our beautiful Sunday morphed into a chilly Monday. But Sunday was prime for a puppy walk and bike ride. I was dying of thirst the whole day. Hm, I wonder why after Saturday night's escapades on Sixth Street?
Shirt Dress: Si Style Leggings: Charlotte Rouse Shoes: Converse All Star Fishy Mural: I'm 98% certain the name of this place is Royal Scuba
Speaking of fish, thirst, water... I read an interesting blurb in Vegetarian Times about a town in Australia that has voted to ban all sales of bottled water.
One of the major concerns of the residents of Bundanoon, Australia, was that the water company would fill their city with trucks and other evidence of excavation, suck up all the water, drive it north to Sydney, bottle it there in a large plant, then drive it all the way back to sell it to them.
I call this post "Water Wars Part Two" because I mentioned the controversies of polluted ground water in the US, as well as stolen water for bottling and soft drinks in rural India a few months ago. It made me go out and buy a Brita tap filter, which promptly blew off the sink nozzle when water pressure was applied. Back to Target it went. Now I just toughen up by drinking my water straight from tap to Eco-Canteen, (super cheap at Walgreens!).
The New York Times also wrote about Bundanoon's 99% unanimous decision to ban bottled water, but quoted "industry groups" saying (whining?) "It is unfair to single out bottled water when many other consumer goods — like disposable diapers and imported produce, cheese and wine — have an equal or greater impact on the environment."
Here is my answer to that:
Disposable diapers? Try reusable, sewable nappies from LuckySprog.com. Oh, and that adorable baby in the pink nappies? That's my high school friend Adrienne's daughter, Charley. Adrienne is living every American girl's dream: she studied abroard in the UK, married a handsome red head with an accent, and now lives overseas with hubby and baby. (At least that was my dream!) And she DIY's her own Earth-saving nappies and sells them all over the world. Pretty cool. She also gave me the first beer I ever had. That gives her prominence in my catalog of life changing events.
Imported produce and cheese? Say hello to your local CSA. I hear rave things about Johnson's Backyard Garden. I'm joining as soon as I have the extra bucks saved up to pay for the four weeks in advance ($32/week).
Wine?Make your own damn wine! And yes that is the (switch wine with beer) motto of Austin Home Brew supply. Lennon's beer is fermenting in our closet right now. Expect photos soon.
And while we're on the subject of eco-friendly, I want these Skoy cloths, a less hokey ShamWow which would solve our roommate dilemma of who's turn it is to buy the paper towels next.
Back to the water, I understand that not every city has drinkable tap water, (after all, not every geographic location can be Arkansas...), but the city of Bundanoon plans to put in filtered fountains throughout the city that people can fill up giant, reusable jugs with. This is not an odd proposal to me, as I used to visit Hot Springs, Arkansas frequently and people were always filling up jugs at the natural spring fountains all along the main drag.
I suppose my number one motivation for being concerned about the planet's well being is selfish, in that I want to have kids, raise them, and then see my grand kids all grow up to enjoy fireflies in summer (hard to even find one in Little Rock now, so depressing), golden leaves in autumn, and not worry about the coastlines collapsing into the sea. I don't like fish that much.
It's also important to note how cool it is that a small town stood up for something they believed in, gained national attention, and kept a corporation from mowing over their streets and water supply, (now if only we could help India have that same voice when talking to the Coca-Cola company).
We are all a bit riled up in this apartment about the Supreme Court decision to take away spending limits on corporations, and Lennon has already brain stormed ways to make a case and sue the Supreme Court on several occasions for infringing on the individual rights of actual humans over corporate entities. While this is all talk, (mostly), change and recognition all has to start somewhere - look at Bundanoon.
Working until 8PM is not always conducive to participating in the range of events that occur between the 5 o'clock and 8 o'clock hours. Events I typically miss include book signings, church dinners, early concerts, trivia night, and happy hour, . So while I get to sleep in every day, I miss a lot of the good stuff that goes on in Austin, including the Austin Area Interreligious Ministries Spirituality Book Club that I have always wanted to go to, and finally got the chance this past Monday!
If you haven't heard of AAIM and believe in any sort of divine presence, whether as an abstract, theoretical concept, or a blue man with lots of faces, you should consider their mission statement and visiting their website: "Think globally, grow personally / AAIM unites faith and cultural communities to foster respect, partnership and transformation in service of the common good." Congregations of all faiths and beliefs participate in AAIM events, lectures, and holiday celebrations, and the book club on Monday was a great example of that: thirty-seven people from a wide spectrum of religious backgrounds (some of them straight and narrow, others meandering, and everything in between), gathered on the top floor of Book People at 7PM to talk about theBhagavad Gita with three representatives from the Austin Hindu Temple.
I've read the small book three times between high school and undergraduate school, but that was several years ago, so I was sadly rusty on my memories of the book's substance, aside from the notes I'd penciled in the margins of my copy during a professor's lecture. The basic "plot" of the book is this: there is a Hindu warrior about to go into battle, when Krishna, the avatar of a Hindu god, appears beside him and gives him a semi-lengthy talking to about life and how to best live it. Gandhi was a fan. Most of the questions and discussion centered on the concept of Karma Yoga, or the result of a person's actions, and the necessity of balancing action, inaction, and knowledge. I personally related this to my slothfulness/inaction at getting out of bed in the morning - a few good prostrations with gratitude to the Earth after the alarm sounds might get the blood flowing.
The Gita scholar who led the discussion was Dr. Madhi P. Godsay, and if you have any questions about the Gita or Hinduism, I highly recommend contacting him. His email is: mpgodsay@yahoo.com. The pastor of my church, Greg McDonell, facilitates the book club and to reach him or get on the AAIM book club email list: greg@cpcaustin.org.
Pastor Greg sent this clip from Karen Armstrong's forward: "Imam Rauf's book has a positive message. It helps Muslims and Western peoples see a way out of the present impasse, in which atrocity leads to retaliation, attack to counterattack, to preemptive strike and a new spate of terror. If we are to break out of this vicious cycle, we must learn not simply to tolerate but to appreciate one another........The blazing towers of the World Trade center symbolize, perhaps, our collective failure to pass this test. This book shows that the only possible way forward is by the assiduous cultivation of mutual respect. It should be read, but then - even more important - it should be acted upon."
Also, this just in from Pastor Greg: "I am so excited to report that good friend and founder of the Institute for Interfaith Dialog (www.interfaithdialog.org), Gunar Arslan, Ph.D, will be joining us for our discussion on Feb. 8th. I am also in hopes that some of our Muslim neighbors will join us as well."
I doubt I will have that Monday evening off, so please someone go and then report back to me on your thoughts and incites gained from the discussion!
Speaking of mutual respect and karma yoga and loving our neighbors, here is a list compiled by CNN of ways to help Haitians and all affected by yesterday's earthquake: Impact Your World.
Aside from the innate tragedy of losing people, it stands out to me, especially, when stories hit the news of soldiers dying, since I'm from an army family with friends in every branch. Or, when stories hit of journalists - writers - who have died in their profession.
The perils of journalism are not unfamiliar territory, especially after the book and movieA Mighty Heart, chronicling the kidnapping of American and Jewish journalist Danny Pearl, by his wife, Mariane Pearl, was released.
The part in the movie that broke me was when Angelina Jolie, as Mariane Pearl, was asked what she wished to tell her husband's kidnappers. She had her hand on her belly and said simply, "I'm pregnant." The story is like the Titanic, in that, the viewer knows he's not going to make it home, and their baby will never meet his dad, and they won't get to raise the child together. It's impossible not to speculate that these are the fears going through her mind, and to not suffer knowing that those fears became actualized.
Not long ago, I was laying in bed reading when my roommate, Eirik, came upstairs to visit. He noticed a book of Lennon's on the shelf, pulled it out, and told me I needed to put down what I was reading and start on this book instead.
The book was The Journey is the Destination, a collection of journals and art by Dan Eldon, compiled posthumously by his mother and sister. Being a huge fan of art journals and not knowing anything about this guy, I liked the book immediately when I saw that the pages were vibrant collages of writing, photography, clippings, and paintings.
Eldon was a British citizen who grew up in Africa, and developed an intense compassion for people suffering from hunger, war, displacement, and lack of medicine. He loaded up his friends into a land rover and drove across the continent to deliver food and supplies to people in refugee camps, (twice), and documented everything he encountered through words and art. Not long after, (when one dies at 23, there's not enough time for things to take long), he was hired as a photojournalist, and traveled to the scene of a bombing to document the destruction and the effect on the people. A mob turned on him and several others, and they were all stoned to death.
This is one of his photographs:
A movie about his life is in the making, and I believe that Harry Potter's Dan Radcliffe will be portraying Dan Eldon. I can not wait to see this, and I certainly hope that Hollywood doesn't muck it up. I want to share a few of his journal images that I found online:
"The most important part of vehicle maintenance is clean windows, so if you are broken down, you will enjoy the beauty of the view." - Dan Eldon
The thing I want to take away from this is the reminder to be brave. In travel, in art, in career choice, and in the practice of compassion. It seems a fitting memorial, that when someone who lit up the world with their work disappears, to amplify our own lights, both out of necessity and in their honor. The saddest thing of all is the thought of the world going dimmer each time someone with a strong heart goes out of it too soon.
Before I wrote this post I was starting to clench my muscles and jaw over past relationship drama, but letting things like that darken my day would not be putting their lessons into practice, and what good is inspiration if it is not acted upon?
One of the blogs I check regularly is Waging Nonviolence, and I can't help but re-post this video they highlighted from Story Corps. The animated video illustrates the words of WWII veteran Joseph Robertson, who fought at the Battle of the Bulge, and his memory of shooting one German soldier, that has stayed with him for over sixty years. Coming from a military family, having gone through ROTC, anti-violence to the point of vegetarianism, etc, etc... stories like this stand out as critical to highlighting the psychological affects of war, which, while still following the Ft. Hood story closely, seems even more important to bring into the public sphere of consideration. And no matter what you think about war - you should familiarize yourself with Story Corps, because it is just THAT awesome.
I've been in Killeen, Texas since Tuesday for a conference with the Boys and Girls Club. Going to Killeen was a treat because my dad and step-mom live there, and they just moved into a really swanky new house that I got to stay in. It's also the last city that my mom lived in before she had to come up to Arkansas, where she died at Springdale Hospital. My mom, my dad, and I had also lived in Killeen/Harker Heights when I was in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, (they later moved back when I went to college), because my dad was active military and stationed at Ft. Hood.
Now, both he and my step-mom work on Ft. Hood as civilians, my step-sister's husband is deployed active military, and I have a few friends who are military, deployed, or about to deploy. My dad left TDY yesterday, but my step-mom was at work today and one of my step-sisters was on post doing some paper work. I got a text message from my step-mom today around 2PM that said there had been a shooting on post, she was ok, and that the post was on lock-down, (and yes, it's called a POST, and NOT a base - dear media, please stop calling it a base). She and my step-sister didn't get to go home until 8:30PM.
It's terrible to think of such a familiar place (or ANY place) facing violence and heartache. The media kept reporting that no children were harmed during the shooting, but, hello - lots of soldiers are PRACTICALLY children, 18 - 23 years old. The last I checked, not many details were released, but they do know the name of the primary shooter - a 39 year old major in the US Army, Muslim by birth, about to deploy, psychiatrist, (on anti-depressants?), and the victim of harrasment, (unspecified, but open to easy speculation), in the work place.
When the news broke on TV, everyone at the conference gathered around this one TV in the BGC rec room, with this sign beneath it, as the BGC, along with many schools in the area - including the elementary schools I went to - are "adopted" by military units. We used to have field days on post where we got to explore helicopters and tanks, try simulation units, and eat the M&M packets out of MRE's.
I suppose what I am getting it, is that today was terrible, and my heart breaks for everyone affected by today's events. Ft. Hood has always been good to me, and I hope that it recieves the same good energy from the rest of humanity right now.
A couple of weeks ago, Booooooom.com ran a fort building contest in honor of the then-upcoming movie, Where The Wild Things Are. Unfortunatley, by the time I discovered this beautiful project, there was less than 48 hours to construct the world's greatest fort and submit our photograph. Eirik and Lennon guffawed at my eagneress to meet the deadline, but Eirik did a 180 change of heart after he saw the movie, and decided that our next game night should instead become PJ-Fort-Wild-Game-Rumpus night. And so it was.
Our fort may not have been quite as artsy as some of the booooooom creations, but a fort shoved full of friends is a hundred times better than a fort with random objects d'art... like squiggly balloons. Although, squiggly balloons are pretty cool.
The casualty of the night was the support beam of my couch, which split in the middle when someone stood on it to nail up part of the fort's ceiling, so this weekend, my lovely roomies are going to do their best Bob Vila impersonations and fix it, or the lady of the house will be very displeased.
As the evening died down, Merritt Fields was coerced into playing a song for us. By this time, I had gone upstairs to bed since I'm old and have to work during the day. But when it became apparent how amazing he was, I had to come back downstairs. He played three songs - a Fleet Foxes cover, a cover of Just Walk Away Renee, and then an original. Now, I'm scanning MySpace furiously, hoping to find a page where he has uploaded tracks, but no luck yet.
The creepy thing is, as I sit in Bennu coffee shop - which, being open 24/7, as I just learned - makes it my new official place, (Dear Flightpath: demerits for closing early) - the Four Tops cover of the song came on over their Syrius radio, and I'd never heard it before last night. And it didn't JUST come on, it came on at the EXACT minute I opened up Merritt's photos to crop and collage them. Now I need to go pop in I Heart Huckabees. Or, look up the tabs to learn to play the song, as it's now stuck in my head.
Before going any further, I suggest listening to the You Tube video of the song so you can hear it as you read further, and then imagine it a million times more heartbreaking, acoustic, and in a fort with fairie lights at 2AM. Eirik described Merritt well when he said "Merritt's scary talented."
This week there's a lot going on in Austin since Saturday is Halloween. It's been a busy week between meetings piled higher than the stack of clothes on my bedroom floor, the Keep Austin Beautiful awards luncheon (woot for getting an invite), calling police officers to break up a fight, and attempts at being social in between, so I hope I can muster the energy to make it out, (there's no way I'm missing the Elephant Engine High Dive Tour), and this large chai on an empty stomach is definatley helping - I'm already starting to pulsate.
Thursday - The Gossip played tonight at Emo's, and even though I missed it, I have to give them a nod because Beth Ditto hails from Searcy, Arkansas, which is right next to Cabot, where her sister was a sophomore/junior while I was teaching there, which is two-degrees-of-seperation-cool.
I'm actually going to declare it the night of Arkansans, because Hayes Carll played at Stubb's, and while he may be a Texas native, he's a Hendrix College Alum and thus, officially claimed.
Saturday - It's Halloween, so you damn better where a costume wherever you go. One of my co-workers, Jewels Barschow, will be playing guitar and singing at Jovita's at 6:30, so I'd highly recommend going there for dinner. Afterward, it just wouldn't be Halloween without the Rocky Horror Picture Show, this year live at Emo's.
Sunday - Gogol Bordello is playing at Stubbs, but I hear they are sold out, which will really suck if it's true, because I LOVE Alex from Everything is Illuminated, and the soundtrack is pretty cool, too. Sunday is also the Texas Book Festival, which I shall be exploring after church. My church is doing a special Sunday concert with a forty voice choir performing Requiem during services. Sunday morning is going to be amazing.
Monday - I don't know what exciting things are going on, and I shall probably stay home and recuperate.
Tuesday - It's open mic night at Ruta Maya. Maybe I'll polish up my cover of Flightless Bird to torture a crowd other than my poor roommates.
Wednesday - FREE ICE CREAM at Amy's from 3-7PM for their 25th anniversary. Need I say more? They were founded in 1984, and yes, I'm really good at math.
Also, Rakim is going to be performing at Emo's, who I was informed today by our S.O.U.L. Sessions instructors, is THE best emcee alive, and they shook their heads, frustrated, when I misspelled his name four times trying to write it on a memo to see if I can pull some strings to get my kids a Q&A with him during sound check. On such short notice, I'm skeptical, but we do have amazing board members, so I'll cross my fingers.
What are your plans for the week?
This is Alyssa and I making our best metal faces at the Straylight Run concert at Emo's on Tuesday - because that band is totally metal. Alyssa and I went to high school together, (eight years ago - oh my goodness), and didn't reconnect until I moved to Austin. The last time I saw Straylight Run was in the Dickson Street Theatre in Fayetteville, Arkansas, while in high school, so it felt full circle. The show was great - I love it when I can sing along to the old songs and the underage crowd can't - but seriously dudes, where was Michelle Nolan??
I also find it serendipitious that at the end of the show they played Something to Write Home About over the PA system, and when I last saw Straylight Run, they were opening for The New Amsterdams, and I also bought Get Up Kids tickets for November 18th at Emo's that same afternoon. I will be the screaming fan girl at the front of the stage during that show, so be warned and don't get in my way - we're talking top five favorites of all time here.
