One of those bullet pointed "where I've been" posts + my ACL photo pit pictures!

I haven't quit blogging!  I think...

Alright, here's what I have been doing:

• Training to run the Austin marathon on February 20th.  I'm at 13 miles now.  The eventual goal is to get sponsorships to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of Austin.
• Yoga.  A lot of yoga.  "Cross training" is my excuse for spending the money on classes (yoga isn't cheap... anywhere, but Dharma Yoga is totally worth whatever they charge).  
• Prepping to teach a children's yoga class at one of the neighborhood BGC clubs once a week.  I totally know what I'm doing...
• Prepping to lead the poetry club that a few English teachers want to start at my school (because I don't do enough being the club director and leading Keystone and Torch Club... don't ask me to be a swim coach because I'd say yes to that too and then I might explode).
• Working.  A lot.
• Spending more time with a boy I like than I should.  I need my free time to blog, etc.
• Reading... sometimes I go through long periods where I forget how, or so it would seem.  I just finished Holy Cow by Sarah MacDonald.  Loved it.  It was Eat Pray Love on steroids.
• Being a bad dog mom - I finally took Bella running with me today and now she has a limp.
• Going to see LUDO!!!! perform at Emo's.  (exclamation points are my own addition).
• Not dressing cute.  I'm really tired of pictures of my own face.  Plus, oddly, the more I run and feel in better shape, the less I feel the need to dress nice.  I feel great in everything.
• Working - did I mention that?  Running a program alone (I had a partner in crime last year) is a beast.  I'm probably going to get written up soon for letting some data entry fall by the wayside.  I hate data entry.
• Not playing guitar.  Bad Amanda, bad.  I probably couldn't strum a C chord after this long without practice.
• Getting ready to be the world's most awesome bridesmaid for the love of my life - Joanie!  Her bachlorette party will be here in Austin (she's in Georgia), and a champagne table at La Bare will be going down.
• Oh - and did I mention running?  We run three times a week at 7:30 AM.  I forgot what that side of the day looks like.  This means I got to bed about... now, as opposed to 2 or 3 AM like I did last year.

The best thing I've done, though, is get a photo pit pass to the Austin City Limits Music festival to take pictures for Venus.  I don't care if I'm in no way a professional quality photographer, it was amazing, and I'm so excited I got to do it and go see a festival I would have otherwise never have been able to afford a ticket to.

From the Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zero's show photo pit.  See all 69 (I totally did not submit that specific number of photos on purpose...) of the photos they published here.

Under Your Spell

It's 7:30pm, my balcony door is open and the star curtains are blowing up and out but the air coming in is hot hot hot and makes the room even hotter.  But I don't really care - I feel trapped with the door closed.  My iPod is on random and this song by the Smashing Pumpkins is playing.  One time I went to Little Rock to visit my grandmother and a boy who played this song in his car over and over and over and over that weekend, so now every time I hear it I think of those few days, the sun when it's golden, and this song on repeat.  I always wanted to think he was playing it for me.

I'm devising my fall program schedule for girls in 6th-10th grade, and it's still amazing to think I get to pick what extra-curricular clubs to offer.  In high school, I was a member of at least fifteen clubs - I'm perpetually interested in everything (but never fully invested in anything).  So far, I'm settled on:

• Girls Rock Camp
• Film Making
• Model United Nations
• Cooking
• Photography
• Sewing
• Roller Derby (Derby Brats)
• Taekwondo
• Theatre
• Yoga
• Science via a Sea World grant program
• Girls Sports League

plus a few mandatory things like leadership development programs, technology, and similar concepts.  I can have five classes a day, and since this is the last year of the grant cycle, I don't have as much money to spend as I did last year, so I've got to pick some lower budget programs.

When you were in school, what was your favorite club or after school activity?

Tired & Uninspired

My summer as a teen program coordinator/counselor are over, and it's time to get ready for the school year.  Since I'll be taking over the program at a new school, I'll have to reorient myself to everything - the teachers, navigating the school, resources, new program offerings, and of course, the students.  I'm really excited to start but have to survive a month of trainings and meetings first, (today is the one year anniversary of my job with the Boys and Girls Club).

I have to admit in terms of writing, photographing, blogging, and even thinking, I've been inexplicably uninspired and discouraged.  Fashion blogging is fun, but I feel so weird having a blog that ends up being nearly 100% dedicated to pictures of me, even if as a model, I'm second to the clothes.  Maybe my internal critic is far too harsh.  No one can argue, though, that clothes can completely dictate how you feel in them.  A blah outfit makes me feel equally blah and want to be invisible.  In wanting to amplify my current emotional state from the doldrums, I'm typing this while wearing camp shorts and Cole Haan 4" heels, (from back when I could afford the occasional pair of Cole Haan).  It's actually working.

I think a lot of my lack luster enthusiasm and thinking capacity stems from a case of PMS (TMI? oh well), and the fact that rather than feeling inspiration from other bloggers, writers, artists, etc, I often get a sinking feeling of not being able to measure up - that's terrible - I know.  Hopefully in a week I'll snap out of it.  Regardless, I wore this dress on a movie date a while back.  It was a $20 splurge from Target and I love it, except one of the straps already popped off and had to be sewn back on.

Dress: from Target
Locket: from my grandma
Shoes: Seychelles from years ago

Also, in my list of world's best music, I accidentally left off what should have been a contender for number one: The Gloria Record.  I played the EP A Lull in Traffic every night while falling asleep for a year after getting it.  They were an Austin band and I would pay them money to get back together, or something of value, as I don't really have money to pay them with.

The Long Shot & My Top Tens

So I've taken the long shot of applying to write for Pitchfork.  Probably won't happen - I do not delude myself.  I consider myself a padawan in terms of music writing, but I pride myself in recognizing how much I have to learn and improve (in all things).  The time I spent making my application wasn't a waste, regardless, though, as I compiled a few top-ten lists I'd like to share, (debate?).  I feel like John Cusack in High Fidelity making these, although he only went to five, (slacker).

My Top 10 Albums of 2010 (no order):

1. 1.       Wintersleep: New Inheritors
2. 2.       Holly Miranda: The Magician’s Private Library
3. 3.       Free Lance Whales: Weathervanes
4. 4.       Fanfarlo EP
5. 5.       The National: High Violet
6. 6.       Quiet Company: Songs for Staying In
7. 7.       Magic Man: Real Life Color
8. 8.       Band of Horses: Infinite Arms
9. 9.       Suckers: Wild Smile
10. 10.  Good Old War: Good Old War

My Top 10 Tracks of 2010 (no order):

1. 1.       Hanna (Freelance Whales)
2. 2.       Atlas (Fanfarlo)
3. 3.       Mirror Matter (Wintersleep)
4. 4.       Sleep on Fire (Holly Miranda)
5. 5.       Daughter (Magic Man)
6. 6.       My Body (Young the Giant)
7. 7.       Martha (Suckers)
8. 8.       Totuus minusta (Regina)
9. 9.       My Own Sinking Ship (Good Old War)
10. 10.   Your Love (Keane)

My Top 10 Albums of All Recent Time:

1. 1.       The Jealous Girlfriends: The Jealous Girlfriends
2. 2.       Ludo: Broken Bride
3. 3.       The National: Boxer
4. 4.       The Get Up Kids: Something to Write Home About
5. 5.       Hot Water Music/Alkaline Trio
6. 6.       Mineral: The Power of Failing
7. 7.       Band of Horses: Our Swords
8. 8.       The Format: Interventions + Lullabies
9. 9.       The Walkmen: Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone
10. 10.   Grand Serenade: Lean Times

    Let's play the High Fidelity game: do you have a top ten list of albums, bands, or tracks?  I'd love to see it.

    I really wanted to have pictures of The New Pornographers show from Friday night at Stubb's, but thanks to Stubb's discriminatory camera policy, I have none.  I drove back from Little Rock to make it to the show by 8pm.  I barely made it, (9 hour drive), had to park in way far away east Austin, had only my wallet, my camera, and a water bottle in my bag, walked the long way to Stubb's, and was turned away at the door because my camera had an interchangeable lens.  Excuse me?  By the time I walked back to my car, hid my camera under a seat, debated going back, decided to with coaxing via text, and walked all the way back, I'd missed The Dodo's, and was thoroughly ticked, and will probably hold a grudge against Stubb's for a long time, because that's how I roll.  Luckily, Ludo will be playing at Emo's, and that's a show I might have gotten over my grudge to go see, begrudgingly.

So I leave you with the ultimate hipster video and a song I really like: Totuus minusta by Finish band Regina. Complete with bear costume, and cake.  And puppets.

Blue Giant & Regina reviews

Read my review for Venus of Blue Giant's self titled debut here.

Read my review of Finland's Regina new album here.

Eclipse Soundtrack Review

I reviewed the Eclipse soundtrack for Venus, and you can read my thoughts on that here.  My favorite songs were The Black Keys' "Chop and Change" and Fanfarlo's "Atlas."  Since hearing Fanfarlo, I've fallen 100% in love with them, and they just released their new EP with "Atlas" on it.

Tomorrow we are taking 80 of our kids to see Eclipse at the Bob Bullock Museum and Imax theatre.  Is this movie appropriate for middle school??  Trying to coordinate field trips every day has been nuts and I can't WAIT for my week of vacation!







I've decided that a song is like a wave pool. Or the water of a beach, you decide whether you're a naturalist or not. If a song is good, it will be like floating in, under, and on perfect waves - like the types of waves you can boogie board on. They spin you around, raise you up, bring you down at the right time, and leave your head still swimming like you're floating in water when it's over. To me, that's a good song. What does a good song do to you? Any bands you're in love with lately? - I'm always looking for good music advice.

Matt Pond PA + Wintersleep

I really like Wintersleep, and after seeing them play with Matt Pond PA, I like that band too.  I wrote up this review for Venus Zine and took photos as well.  You can read that here.  Now go listen to "Mirror Matter," it's my favorite song!

Wintersleep:

Matt Pond PA:

It was the night of couples at the Mohawk.  I took creepy-spy pictures (that were really cute) of couples cuddling, dancing, dipping, and just being everywhere.  They are always everywhere when you're not one!  Even HEB - I vote they designate a singles shopping day, sort of like senior citizens discount day.

Daniel Johnston at Mohawk

Saturday night I was really lucky to get to go see Daniel Johnston perform at the Mohawk.  I wish I knew more about him prior to seeing the show, other than that I think about him everytime I pass the sushi place on Guadalupe with his graffiti art on it, but my copy of The Devil and Daniel Johnston just came in from Netflix today. 

The entire patio was packed and breathing in water from sweat and humidity, sort of like standing in a giant, soggy sponge.  Good shows are always worth it, though.  I've never liked being completely front row, so the new-used zoom lens I got has been really helpful and handy.

One Feature + One Review

I got to interview country/blues/R&B singer Mary McBride for Venus Zine, and it was published last week.  It was my first phone interview and I was really nervous and also paranoid my cell phone would die or cut out.  After learning the hard way that New York time is not the same as Austin time, though, I got it sorted out.  Read the article I wrote here. 

Glen Hansard is still my favorite singing Irishman, but the Villagers were good and had the added benefit of sounding a little similar.  Although the lyrics were all dark and creepy - I seem to keep getting the creepy albums.  Wintersleep was dark, too, but every time I listen to their CD now I love it more and I saw them live Monday night - GREAT.  Once those photos get posted on Venus I'll post the set here.  Till then, you can read my Villagers album review, here!

mewithoutyou at Emo's on June 15th

A while back, I bought a ticket to go see mewithoutyou at Emo's.  I thought it was poetically perfect for my first concert to see both single and by myself.  I wasn't on assignment for these photos, so I wanted to experiment taking pictures without a flash.  I set the camera to "raw" mode and upped my ISO, but raw ended up being a disaster when I got home because my computer couldn't read the files - I had to download a converter and the whole process took forever.  Anyway, these are the pictures I got.  It was hot and I didn't fight for space at the very very front, and I know that's a terrible thing to not do when wanting pictures, but Monday I'll be on assignment for Wintersleep and Matt Pond at Mohawk, so watch out for my elbow if you'll be there. 

Mewithoutyou put on one of the most fun live shows I've seen in a long time - possibly since Ludo in Little Rock.  After I'd squeezed out of the crowd to the cooler area to watch, they brought out trumpets and trombones and had a symphonic encore that I'm now slapping my own wrist for not photographing, (but by that point I also realized I'd broken my camera lens - so these are the last pictures from this lens you'll see for a long time).  I have mewithoutyou's most recent album and I like it but I don't love it.  After seeing them live I'm going to go back and acquire their discography.  So much energy on stage, (and sweat - with no complaints, unlike when I saw Modest Mouse live).  At one point, he knocked the microphone off the stand while playing guitar, so instead of stopping, he got down on the ground to play and continue singing prostrate. 

I've got my research cut out for me before Monday's concerts to work on my shots!  I can practice at Daniel Johnston tomorrow night. 

Keane's EP Night Train Review

I really like Keane.  I really, really do.  Ever since I first heard them playing in a boutique in a Spanish mall while studying abroad in Malaga.  I thought they were Coldplay, apparently a lot of people did.  When I found out they were NOT, in fact, Coldplay, I got a CD of theirs, and subsequently several others.  I like them.  But please explain to me the first track on this EP...? 

And I know it's personal preference, but I do not like hip hop interludes - sorry, Lennon.  I really liked three songs from this album, but that was it.  I hope they keep those three and move on from the rest.  The Rocky musical tribute was really too much.

Read my review at Venus Zine here.

Identity Crisis + Why My Mop Turns Me On

My blog has a bit of an identity crisis. Or at least according to search engines, it does. But I'm not going to let the mechanics of Google pigeon hole me! When I set out to write a blog, I wanted to incorporate everything that I like so I would enjoy writing it: that includes music, fashion, cooking, (although I've been a lame duck on that one), books, writing, poems... and sometimes the news, which I occasionally glance at.

I often wonder, like a kid in the corner of the cafeteria without many friends, if this blog would be more popular if I picked one genre and stuck with it - like just music stuffs, (although I'm usually the last to pick up on the "it" bands, so I'm not much of a taste maker, more someone who gets really excited and jumps up and down when I see or hear something I like, which is typically after everyone else has jumped ship), or just outfit photos, but doing just outfit photos is boring to me. Granted, I like looking at blogs that are just outfit photos, and I do have an expectation that clothes and fashion inspiration are what I see when I go to those sights, and I go to them because I like them, but it makes me realize that I give potential readers very little expectation when they arrive.  I like to think of this blog as sort of a grab bag of goodies.  (no baddies here!)

So, I can either make it a plan to make my blog popular by focusing my efforts on one genre, then doubling those efforts for more and better content, or I can keep puttering along posting all the things I get excited about.

Hey! Wait! That's my THEME! "Things Amanda Gets Excited About." Maybe I should just rename this blog?

Until then, here's an outfit picture:

and just to keep it eclectic, here's a video:





And if your name is Elizabeth my awesome coworker who brought me Sonic today, or Scott from Little Rock, you'll know why I posted this particular gem.

I also have to share this next video.  I'm going to spend a chunk of my Friday night cleaning, and if you want to know why, Sarah Haskins of Target Women will TELL YOU!  (oh no - feminist humour!  my blog is all over the place!).




I'm seduced by my cleaning products. Who needs men? (again thanks to Elizabeth for that video tip).

Ok, I'm finished feeling silly/procrastinating. My dish sponge awaits. oh-yeah.

Cee Lo Green: What Part of Forever

Ok, so you may be one of those Twilight haters, but I'm writing a CD review for the Eclipse soundtrack, and this song may just be my new favorite song of all time (for the moment).  It makes me smile.  And wiggle my feet under the table.

Addendum: my high school friend Lee just told me this song was written originally by Rob Kleiner, which is pretty damn cool, because he's in a band that several other of my high school friends have gone through, of which one guy is still in as the bassist - the band is Tub Ring, and if I get my wish, they'll tour through Austin in the near future.

Double addendum: really, copy right infringement?  You tube video sharing = free advertising. Get over yourselves, Time Warner.

Triple addendum: new video, maybe this one will stick.

Neon Indian at Emo's - photos in Venus Zine

I got a press pass to go see Neon Indian at Emo's on Monday night, and after suffering some serious heat and sweat being pressed in the almost front row, (damn teenagers staked out before me...), I really enjoyed their show.  My friend Scott from Little Rock told me about them months ago, so when the chance to cover them in concert came up I jumped at it.  I didn't do the writing for this show, but I did take the pictures.  I was having some movement issues, partially fueled by my constant worry of passing out from dehydration and heat stroke, so I'm not super proud of these pictures, but I really enjoyed getting to take them, (being old and a hypochondriac aside).  You can read the article and see my published pictures here.  

My next Venus Zine coverage will be for Matt Pond and Wintersleep (I reviewed their recent album and really liked it) at Mohawk, and then Robert Plant in July.  Then I bought tickets today for The New Pornographers with the DoDo's, and mewithoutyou to attend just for fun - four shows I'm really looking forward to.

When they hung up the shower curtain and t-shirts I'd kind of hoped there would be paint thrown.  Also, props to the damn teenagers for bringing glow sticks and throwing them out to the audience behind us... they somehow fit a million in their purses.