Monday, March 31, 2008

moody monday

Hey Today-

I want to say eff you! but my mom might read this blog so I won't. I still kind of mean it though. You're not the worst day ever and counting my blessings naming them one by one, I am glad I rode my bike to work and I have a pocket full of Cadbury eggs and most of my take home test is done...but I'd still like to just go home and get back in bed.


-Emily

Friday, March 28, 2008

kicking television

I have missed awesome TV since the strike and although it's all coming back I have been reduced to watching terrible, terrible shows like Cashmere Mofia on the network sites (please don't ever bring up in a public place that I've actually watched Cashmere Mofia). It's like Sex and the City if jr. high school girls were doing the writing and bought all the clothes at Sears and all the jewelry from Claire's.

But hulu has kind of changed my life this week and will carry me through until I get to Danny's to catch up on the last few episodes of America's Next Top Model and until 30 Rock starts up again.


What did people even do before the internet?

Thursday, March 27, 2008

yelle

I watched this over and over this afternoon...it's fantastic in every way.

american tune

Every since the adorable Ms Beckie posted about a particular American Idol contestant a few weeks ago, I may or may not have become a little obsessive about it this season. And I think it was coming anyway because my sister-in-law's maiden name is Archuleta and she lives in Murray, so about 3 times a day she gets asked if she's related to that little David Archuleta kid (she's not). So I kept meaning to see what all the hype was about anyway, but after I watched what Beckie had posted I couldn't stop with just Brooke White and David Archuleta (give it up for Mo-mos!), I of course had to watch clips of everyone. Mason at work watches it religiously so Wednesday and Thursday after I've caught up via YouTube clips, we discuss...you know our feelings, our disappointments (why is Kristy Lee Cook still around?), our hopes, our fears, our dreams.

Today I also Wikipediaed all the past seasons, so as it turns out, I know a lot about American Idol past and present if anyone else needs a catch-up...

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

time stops

Last week was Spring Break which for me meant no classes, just work. My quick trip to California came at the beginning of the time off and once I got back I had 5 days of working without the nagging of school work in the back of my mind which was lovely. As the week drew to a close though, that terrible feeling of having to return to a load fuller than full snuck up on me and felt really heavy.

On Saturday, aka my last night of freedom, I had plans to go to the José González concert I'd been looking forward to for a while. I had a full day with roommate birthday activities and party preparation so I made it to the University of Utah Ballroom just before he went on. Chairs were set out on the dance floor and people had turned the couches from the nearby study area toward the stage for more comfortable seats. José González came out on stage alone at first and played a bit by himself. The lights were soft and colorful and illuminating him from behind. Occasionally those lights projected shapes onto the ceiling all around the giant ballroom chandelier and looked particularly beautiful. Eventually two others joined him and their voices and instruments perfectly complimented his for the rest of the evening. For me, not only was it great music but the performance was reassuring somehow, like taking it all in made me feel peaceful enough not to worry for a bit.

I had a nice Easter the next day with my family, though Sunday night I didn't sleep well with the anxiety of Monday invading my subconscious. But as is usually the case, yesterday came and went smoothly and the reality of life is that it comes day by day and not all at once as I had convinced myself it would. And all day I knew that when night time came, I was going to see Explosions in the Sky who is a favorite and a band I seem to listen to a lot these days.

They were absolutely charming in their appreciation and conversation with the audience and when they were playing it was like all of us were in on something really personal even though there we stood in a venue full of people. None of their songs have any lyrics but those four guys just produce so much intensity it's breathtaking. And as I had felt calm at José González, I left Explosions in the Sky with a kind of composed resolve about the rest of this semester.

I don't put that much stock in every band I see of course but there is a kind of sound that is quiet enough to be a peaceful companion yet powerful enough to command your full attention and I got to take it in twice in the last few days.


It's my top because it's so awesome
and this is just a favorite.

Monday, March 24, 2008

lost and safe

I found my debit card. It had slipped into a perfect debit card sized hiding spot between the passenger seat and the console in my car. It took me two sweeps to finally see the little sucker.

I also happened to find this guy:


It's from October 2004, clear back before the YouTube existed. I was two months home from my mission and visiting Katie in Boston. We went to the Head of the Charles, watched the 5th (or 4th?) game of the World Series, visited Paul Revere and ate cannoli. It was such a treat.

Also, I remembered pants for the gym today.

Friday, March 21, 2008

I forgot my pants

I went to the gym at lunch and I guess I forgot to throw jeans into my post-workout bag. Fortunately, I always have an extra pair of yoga pants in my bag so I've just been lounging at work the past few hours.

Unfortunately, I seem to have lost my debit card between the gas station stop and getting back to work (if I don't find it this makes the third one since November).

candy girl

The past couple of years members of my family have observed Lent. While it's actually a Catholic kind of thing the purpose behind Lent feels pretty true to non-Catholic me and this year my brother pointed out this nice thought from the Wikipedia entry:

The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer—through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial—for the annual commemoration of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I can get on board with giving up some kind of vice in order to prepare and focus more fully upon the meaning and reason we celebrate Easter so participating in Lent has become a nice tradition.

Every year I end seem to give up something sugar related because I eat a lot of it. This year starting Ash Wednesday, which was February 6th, I stopped eating candy for the 40 days until Easter Sunday (candy meaning really just candy, I don't include baked goods or cookies in with it). But candy by itself is brutal enough because during the period of Lent, let me remind you that both Valentine Day and Easter come in all their candied goodness. And Easter candy is the best of all holiday treats since candy of all kinds magically appear in egg-shaped form, not to mention the various Easter specific delights.

So while I'm not going to stuff myself full of candy on Sunday defeating the whole purpose of Lent in the first place...I am still very aware that we're T-minus 2 days until I can curl up with a bag of the love of my life again. Hello Beautiful.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

california stars - second round

About six years ago Christopher and I helped move Katie to California the first time she moved there. Driving a van full of stuff to Huntington Beach was one of those experiences that was fun, but is way more fun to look back on. Mostly cus Christopher was SO grumpy the whole trip so that's funny now and then one night he and I built a nest out of suitcases and boxes and stuff and pretended to be asleep in it when Katie walked in (I realize that is NOT funny, but you'd be laughing right now if you were Christopher or Katie). The three of us thought it was hilarious. Also on that trip one of us, I believe Christopher, had recently come across an EP with that 'California' song by Phantom Planet on it so we listened to that a lot on the drive and didn't really know any of the words except the chorus when he's like "caliFORNIA! Here we cooooooome!" so we sang along with that really loudly.

The long, stupid point is, ever since that trip I just always think of that chorus when I write out the word California.

That's it.

Sorry, but I spent 20 minutes writing that out so I'm not getting rid of it now.

Anyway...MORE LA PICTURES!!!

take that, Spoon Me

more Jacob, this time at the beach

Do you see the specks low to the brush? They were flies and we realized were sitting directly in their gross path.

Wayfarers Chapel

I think a mean trick the Wrights played on one of their sons was naming him Lloyd. Because inevitably when you say "Oh Lloyd Wright designed this chapel" the person you're talking to is going to say "You mean Frank Lloyd Wright?" And you have to say "No...I mean just Lloyd Wright." Like those kids didn't already have too much to live up to, you name the one who is going to end up being an architect Lloyd.

But just Lloyd Wright did a fine job with the chapel and from it you see this, which is pretty amazing.

I'm lucky I had such a great Los Angeles tour guide with me.

california stars

So the first couple of days in LA went something like this...
Jeanine and Nate

Jeanine and I were companions together in an Armenian ghetto for like 5 months. She woke me up in the middle of our first night in the area because a guy in the building next to us got stabbed by mobsters and his apartment was on fire. Great.

Beckham

neighbor friend Marian

babies

traffic

hoity-toity tickets to the LA Philharmonic at the Disney Concert Hall (we got hooked up)

Jacob and ascot

Frank Gehry (incredible)

downtown

Rothko at LACMA


I don't remember who this is, but I loved it.

favorite new Picasso
very cool Matisse paper cut exhibit

and lamp posts

Monday, March 17, 2008

stars

Yep, a 6:35am flight out of LAX is as sucky as you think it will be when you're buying the ticket.


But the days in California that proceed that ride home make the stupid morning worth it.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

electric feel

My brother Christopher loves bicycles. He has since he was a young teenager and he encourages everyone around him to develop a love of all things two wheeled for economical, ecological and recreational purposes. Me, I just like anything that people say is cool. So I love bikes too!!! This past fall I got a great deal on a sweet one from my friend Marc...who is the other person I know willing to kill kittens for bikes. It just needed pedals and a seat but since I wasn't about to ride to school and work in the cold (sorry environment), it's waited patiently in my room all these months until I deem weather conditions suitable enough to comfortably commute.

Last night I finally went to the Salt Lake Bike Collective to get everything I needed to make my bike fully functional.


The Bike Collective is a funny place because there were both hipsters and homeless people co-existing and then a couple guys who just look like nice Mormon dads. Some hippie kids wandered in and out and I noticed a pack of girls who look like they could punch me in the face. But everyone was nice because of mutual bike love!!

Christopher and Mike go like every week and Logan has been building a bike the last couple of weeks so they were all there to help me (read: do all the work).

Mikey Mike spinning


Christopher fixing


Logan rummaging


Final adjustments


$18 later my bike is ready to go (and oh so sexy).

a slow dance

I thought I'd check on my laptop too...


1. Your Hand In Mine (w/Strings) Explosions In The Sky 13
2. 7/4 (Shoreline) Broken Social Scene 12
3. Boy With A Coin Iron & Wine 12
4. Crosses José González 12
5. Challengers The New Pornographers 12
6. Spoon Me Ohm 12
7. Scenic World Beirut 11
8 Walk Blind Melon 11
9. True Affection The Blow 11
10. Home Explosions In The Sky 11


I've had my computer for just about 6 months so it makes sense the numbers are lower. I listen to Explosions in the Sky when I do homework so there is a lot of it on the list (and I listen every time I watch a Friday Night Lights episode too). And that Peter Gabriel song I binged on a while ago is farther down the list with 10 listens...I'm pretty sure just all that night.

But no overlaps with my work list, not even the same artists. I'd be interested in seeing other people's top lists, you know, how the age of a library and general listening conditions affects what songs are played the most.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

let it ride

I just accidentally clicked the Top 25 Most Played list on my work computer and think I am kind of surprised by my top 10 results.


1. It's Not Happening The Be Good Tanyas 101
2. Blame It On the Tetons Modest Mouse 51
3. Float On Ben Lee 50
4. Title and Registration Death Cab for Cutie 48
5. Are You a Dreamer? Denison Witmer 48
6. Airline to Heaven Jeff Tweedy 48
7. Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! Sufjan Stevens 48
8. Love At First Feel Mark Kozelek 47
9. Sweet Illusions Ryan Adams & The Cardinals 46
10.Caravan Van Morrison 45


It's not the actual songs so much as the count. Cus really? 101 listens to that Be Good Tanyas song? I guess I'm in year 4 on this computer and I did probably listen to it for a week nonstop once, but still...that's twice as much as the next one. The other songs mostly make sense to me (that's a random Sufjan Stevens though), looks like I am drawn to quieter music here.

Sheesh, I spend a lot of time at work.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

my so-called life

I still feel this way.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

goin' to acapulco

I am at least six months to a year behind on all things movie and music so just this week have I been listening obsessively to the I'm Not There soundtrack. I still haven't seen the movie but I am slowly working my way through all the Oscar nominated stuff (of 2006).

But I like that Bob Dylan quite a bit and I like covers so this stuff is right up my alley. This particularly is getting my attention this cloudy afternoon and it further proves to me that I'd kiss Jim James right on the mouth if presented with the opportunity.

Here is the original
for reference. The first time I ever heard it I thought Dylan said something about humping the well when it breaks, but it's pumping, which really makes far more sense.

Friday, March 7, 2008

the times they are a-changin'

Six mini bakery cookies are just like one regular sized one right? Right.

Daylight Savings this weekend means I get an hour sucked out of my usual (lately) 9 hour night (maybe I have mono? not really). But it's cool cus it means daylight, DAYLIGHT. Already it's 5:45 and the sun still isn't setting which means I start the weekend not feeling like I've crawled out of a creepy cave by the time I leave work around 6:00. And tonight Danny and Damian and Janelle and I are going to an art show in Provo and eating at a fancy pizza place so all the more reason to get the H outta here before it's dark.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

really die hard

JOHN MCCLANE!!!! Is there anything he can't do?! He's like Jack Bauer, except he started doing it in the 80s, so he's Jack Bauer before Jack Bauer was Jack Bauer.

-The tunnel car/helicopter scene!!!
-Roast on villainous ninja lady
-Kevin Smith you big goof!
-I like how in the last chase scene when McClane is just following the van he still has to do a massive amount of damage and run over tons of cars...and I didn't know you can pop a wheelie in a semi truck.
-John McClane really does say yippie-kay-yay mother(youknowtherest) in every movie!!!

I'm not sure how to rank them cus in the first two they are like talking on VCR telephones and there are lots of shoulder pads (and the whole weird naked karate thing) and the last two are newer and there are computers and cell phones. But going purely on quality I think this is how I feel:

1. Die Hard
2. Die Hard: With A Vengeance
3. Live Free or Die Hard
4. Die Hard: Die Harder (also, worst title ever)

Thanks to everyone for supporting me through these two days. I may not do anything very important or worthwhile in my life, but I sure know how to watch movies at work.

DAMN! That was MY gold bar!

Okay, so I definitely liked With A Vengeance because Samuel L. really stayed consistent with his mothereffers and that is important to me. And also Jeremy Irons was the bad guy and he was great. But two things, 1) seems like there are a lot of good guys and a lot of bad guys who can't actually hit anything they shoot, and 2) I'm surprised that all the gold in the world is just kept behind metal bars that a tractor can push down.

Live Free or Die Hard is also really great so far because at least the villainous female in this one is getting to speak and also there are frenchie goons.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

honey, this is the 90s

Okay I was wrong about the side kick guy in the last one, I guess I just wanted another Carl Winslow. As for the end, here is what I think:

***SPOILERS***
-I can't believe the good guys turned bad!!
-I can't believe John McClane saved the day!! (yes I can)
-fuel fire to guide the planes, brilliant!!
-Like Holly I wonder why does this always happen to the McClanes?


I am on the 3rd one now, Die Hard: With A Vengeance and it is my favorite already because so far Samuel L. Jackson is awesome and when he says the f-word it really sounds like he means it. And I haven't looked on IMDB but please bless that the bad guy is Jeremy Irons.

yippie-kay-yay mother(bad word)

When I went to visit Sterling and Megan in Baltimore this past fall, it came up over dinner one night that I had never seen Die Hard (or Die Hard 2 or 3 or Live Free Or Die Hard). Up to that point I had never thought seeing the Die Hard movies would increase my quality of life. However, Sterling and Megan insisted they would so we went immediately to a Blockbuster and rented the original Die Hard and watched straightaway. Luckily for me, Sterling and Megan both knew when all the best lines were so I didn't accidentally miss any of them ("Take THIS under advisement, jerkweed!").

And you know what? It really is a great movie because everything makes total sense and it is really realistic and I appreciate that kind of honesty in a movie.

So at my office we have a bunch of movies on the server and there is a folder with ALL FOUR DIE HARD MOVIES!!!! Currently, I am 40 minutes into Die Hard 2: Die Harder and here are my thoughts so far:

-Thank goodness John McClane is in New York right now!!!
-But oh no his wife is on a plane!!!
-I opened another window over the screen for a couple minutes and only heard gunshots the entire time
-I feel another funny, black sidekick coming on...

Sunday, March 2, 2008

keep calm and carry on

About a year ago I ran across this blog. There used to be less going on (sometimes style blogs feel like THEY'RE YELLING AT ME with all the pictures and boxes and links and such). But even though she's shifted and changed the blog, I've always enjoyed her photos and taste and approach to style. Some time ago she posted about a poster and then shortly thereafter started to sell it on Etsy. I love it because it's a reproduction of a poster that was originally posted all around London during World War II. That history is meaningful, it's message is nearly perfect and the simplicity of the design and font is beautiful...all great reasons to have something in your home. Plus, Victoria prints them at a size that fits a particular IKEA frame, so it's possible to have it nicely put together as soon as the poster comes through the mail (since my mom owned a custom frame shop for years and we could frame even like gum wrappers in expensive mattes and frames, I'm pretty particular about it all now). I kept intending to buy one, but my sister Katie finally took charge and gave me one for my birthday in January.



I hung it in the dining room and though it's higher than I normally like pieces to be, I like it there because it has its own clean space to stand out while still connecting with that shelf and the rest of the room. And all that green...I could live in a world of just that green (not really). But it is definitely my favorite thing right now.