30.1.10

Cold Fame


View from my room, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

I woke up this morning and could no longer handle the chaos that was my room.

So the quest began.

It was strange. Usually, after letting my room go, the process of cleaning it is an affair in which I spend the entire grumbling. Utterly annoyed with myself. However, today as I cleaned I felt some of my sanity returning.

Perhaps it was simply the process of cleaning that helped me organize my thoughts and put things in perspective. Perhaps my clustered room was simply the cause of my clustered thoughts. I'm inclined to believe it was a combination of the two, with a few added others contributing to my insanity.

By and by.

Maybe if I try just a little more, I can take myself from this dirty floor.
Walk through buildings of elegance, just like you are intelligent.
But still I fall from grace with this microphone,
how'd you find yourself if you never roam?
Certainly I'm indebted baby, certainly, certainly...

I know my place, but it don't know me.


Cold Flame | Band of Skulls

24.1.10

New Genious


Randomly Yours, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

Assumptions are funny things. Sometimes.In this instance, I'll go with funny.

To start this story, it should be known that I need to go grocery shopping. Currently, I have about 6 eggs, a packet of ramen, half a bottle of wine, 2 asian pears, and uncooked rice.

Yum!

And I know what you're thinking... That's food! Some people don't even have that! --- Or maybe not. But, by and by, friends will realize a glaring omission that makes that list of food unacceptable.

Coffee. I had none.

I found myself in a catch 22. It was to cold to leave the house to buy coffee; however it was also to cold to stay in the house without coffee. I spent most of the day in my room going back forth over what to do. Stay and be cold, or leave and be cold for a short while before returning with coffee?

Obviously, there was only ever one possible outcome. So I left on quest to buy a pound of coffee and possibly breakfast/lunch/dinner/ today's-one-and-only-meal. I get to Starbucks and proceed to buy a half pound of both a bold and a mild coffee. [I originally planned to get a bold and a decaf, but what can you do when they don't have any?]

Then came decision number 2: Mexican, Greek, or Subway?

It's cold as hell [where did that expression come from? Last I checked, hell is supposed to be supremely hot] outside, so I immediately cross out Subway. I then peak inside of the Mexican restaurant, look at the menu, and cross it off as well. Finally I go to the Pita Pit, which if I'm being honest was always going to be the end decision since I had been craving it. And set off for home.

Only... as I passed a gas station I started thinking.... I'd really like some chips & salsa with my pita. And by the time I get to the cash register I have a bag of chips, hot salsa, and a bottle of orange juice.

The guy behind the counter looks at my contraband then says, "Munchies?" With a little chuckle.

I should point out that at this point it's a little after 5pm and I haven't eaten or drunk anything since Saturday. So my reply was to chuckle [may have come out a tad desperate, since I was feeling distinctly zombie-like] and agree.

He then starts ringing me up and says, "That's cool as long as you don't make it a habit."

Huh? My brain asks. Make what a habit? Then I quickly replay our interaction, look at what he's ringing up and realize.... He thinks I'm high.

How sad.

I'll admit to have simply thrown on a pair of jeans and a hoodie before I leaving the house. But I didn't realize that without coffee flowing in my bloodstream I so closely resembled someone coming down from a high.

Honestly, I might have been offended of I didn't feel like an addict going through caffeine withdraws

23.1.10

Two [hyphen] ten


The Kills, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

Big beats to write to lead to big beats to dance to.

Or at least I'm hoping Crown on the Ground - Sleigh Bells translates well at Coachella. I've been thinking of putting together a mix-tape consisting of bands I'm looking forward to seeing at Coachella. Anyone interested? Let me know.

In other news, today I did the mature student thing and went to buy my books from the Hornet Bookstore [We Sac State students are the Hornets.] Which was actually really cool. Originally, I had planned to simply buy my books before class on Monday. After all, I only have one class on my Mon & Wed schedule that doesn't start to 1:15. However, not having anything else to do today and kind of wanting to at least acquaint myself with the classes I'm going to be taking... I got them today.

Over the course of my shopping, I ran into a fellow festival junkie that also happens to be an Ani DiFranco fan. Of course, we traded quick festival stories and I was once again told that I /need/ to get to Burning Man. To which I of course, admitted that I wasn't sure I could hack Burning Man. Her response? Pish Posh! Well not really, but it all boils down to that. I'll get there eventually, it's on the list.

But back to the books, I entered the bookstore with the solid estimate of $257 for my books. I left the bookstore having spent only $230, with $20 of those dollars having been spent on misc. things.

It's crazy. At the beginning of this week I was more than a little anxious about this new semester. But oddly enough, with school just a day away, I'm excited.

20.1.10

Madness


Madness, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

Overwhelmed.

One day post Coachella line-up release and that's good word for the state of things.

Friday tickets go on sale and as is tradition, I will be buying my 3 day pass + camping ticket immediately. However, I haven't been this giddy about the initial line-up since 2007 and that's both a good thing and a bad thing.

Going in there was already quite a few bands that I'd already seen/heard of that I definitely wanted to see. However, one doesn't look at the Coachella line-up and settle for what you already know. So of course, I immediately started doing homework.

And just, wow. Seriously. Someone on the Coachella message board coined the phrase: Conflictchella. And that seems to sum it up nicely.

Just since yesterday I've discovered: Portugal. The Man | Delphic | King Khan & the Shrines | Tavin Singh | The Soft Pack | The Whitest Boy Alive | Band of Skulls | and | Sleigh Bells.

That's not to mention the bands/singers I didn't think I'd ever be able to see like: Fever Ray - This is a band fronted by the female singer of the Knife. She hates touring. | Jónsi - The frontman of Sigur Rós | and | Gorillaz - Seriously, kind of self explanatory |

It's just going to be insane. However, the good thing about wanting to see just about everyone playing is that there will definitely not be any dull points. The bad thing is, I already know the game day conflicts will be horrendous.

p.s: Stylo | off of the upcoming Gorillaz album | Plastic Beach | leaked this morning. | Gorillaz fan? | Click | here | to listen.

19.1.10

Brown Paper Packages


IMG_4624, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

130 bands | Meeting people from around the world | Submerging oneself in music | 4 nights camping on the Polo Fields | Coachella Music and Arts Festival.

Like brown paper packages tied up with string, those are a few of my favorite things.

So the line-up was announced today and it's been a steady stream of escalating excitement since. Which is slightly ironic, considering LA county was under a tornado watch until late afternoon. But perhaps, that was simply Mother Nature trying to make sense of a line-up as insanely stacked as this one.

Coachella 2010 promises to be 4 days of utter madness. A passive glance at the line up and I see quite a few bands that I've already seen. However, a second glance reveals even more that I've never heard of. A third glance highlights the fact that of the bands that I've already seen, most are bands I'd eagerly awaited seeing again.

Put it all together and it's sensory overload.

As I set out to educate myself on the bands I'd never heard of, I was assaulted by images of the campgrounds. Of the first steps past security where the first thing you see is the row of Palm trees, the Main and Side stages just visible between them. And the only thing I know for sure is that Coachella 2010 is going to feel a lot like coming home.

I See Lights - King Khan and the Shrines

14.1.10

Projection


Olvera St, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

The thing about emotions is that they are very easy to confuse.

What's more, when emotions are strong or jumbled and there are other people involved... One can never be sure if the emotions they see in other people are there own or a projection of the emotions inside of them.

An echo if you will.

This is particularly trying when one starts dealing in text messages and or emails. After all, printed words don't convey tone or sarcasm well. So when in an ambiguous situation with one person that could possibly lead to tenseness with others... The mind gets stuck trying to find the hidden underlying meanings in everything. Even in situations where a sentence could just be a sentence... It's troublesome.

This is why it is better to make friends with people individually rather then in groups.

That or I'm still giving refuge to the insecure little girl from elementary.

6.1.10

Brilliantly Union


Brilliantly Union, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

On the Train

Like on the Road except not.

So after: staying up for about 40 hours | getting 5 hours of sleep | Running around Sacramento and the Campus | going to an SGI planning meeting | getting back home at 9:30pm | Washing – Cleaning – Packing until 11:35pm | and | Waking up at 3:30am…
It’s safe to say I was exhausted once I finally got on the train. What’s more, in the midst of my: washing – cleaning – packing, I took two sleeping pills. I know, crazy. But at the time it made sense, seeing as if I didn’t take the sleeping pills I would have ended up being awake for another 40 hours at least.

By and by, I slept more on the train in then I have any other time coming in. Which, wasn’t a bad thing. I definitely needed the sleep. However, it led to a few crazy dreams. One in particular ended on a definite, ‘huh?’ note.

Ironically, this was one of those dreams where I didn’t even realize I had fallen asleep until I woke up. I was still on the train and still in the same seat. However, a few seats in front of me were a group of men talking about haircuts. I just happen to look at them in annoyance [because they were being loud and I was trying to sleep] when I realize one of the men is a father of an acquaintance of mine. Which was fine, he’s a cool guy and his girlfriend is hilarious. And then I realize they’re talking about haircuts for dogs. To be more precise they’re talking about horror stories of when they took their dogs for haircuts and got hack jobs. The dad in particular says, “You think that’s bad, Alicia and I took our toy puddle for a trim and when we came back he only had an inch of hair! An inch! We’d been growing his hair for 22 years!” Then everyone gasps, muttering about people who have no business cutting hair. Then the dad just nods looking pissed at the memory before he yells: “CURSE THAT LEATHER WEARING HAIRY BALLS!

…Yeah, like I said, it was weirdly random.


So after the hottest bus ride ever… And I mean hot as in heat, not hot as in ‘Damn that was fun!’ I find myself sitting in Union Station waiting for my friend to meet me here. It’s all good of course, because Union is positively a hub of LA.

What do I mean?

I mean, if you sat in one of the undeniably comfortable chairs in the main hall for 5 minutes… You’ll have seen just about every typical California stereotype there is. What’s more, if you’re from California, you’ll also be able to easily pick out the people who are just passing through. The tourist that will either look insanely relieved to be leaving or slightly amazed by the experience

It’s crazy.

And I just got a picture of the most awesome scowl imaginable. All in all, it’s been a good

4.1.10

Happy Hippo


IMG_4494, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

I like my happy hippo-pot-a-mus | Cloud Cult

So..... Good news or BEST news? I think today's news falls somewhere in between, but definitely closer to the best side of the scale.

What news, you ask? Why my grades of course! Because the grades are in, and I did goood this semester.

So yeah... I'm a Happy Hippo right now.

In other news, I've been listening to a lot of older music lately. And by older, I mean simply bands I used to listen to in Jr. High/High school. In particular, Neutral Milk Hotel, Morrissey [even if he's a douche], and Fuel have made a significant come back to my music library.

I think it's kind of funny considering we just ended out the decade and while everyone is looking forward I'm revisiting the past. Not that I doubt the future of music, it just never hurts to remember goodtimes.

2.1.10

New Christmahanakwanzaka Day


Holiday, originally uploaded by SisterSafetyPin.

Is now officially over. Everyone can now breathe a collective sigh of relief for making it through alive.

I really meant to do a year in review blog post on the 31st, which would have been comprised of the photo's I never got around to posting while being slightly introspective. However, December 31st saw me in the mood to do little else other then watch a few favorite movies while drinking Kalhua inspired coffee.

So? Two days later and I'm finally getting around to uploading the photos I took Christmas night during a peak of nostalgia for Christmases past when I would have been overwhelmed with holiday cheer the entire week before the day actually came. [Wow, talk about a run on] Oh well.

In other news, I went to Trader Joe's today and was a wee bit overwhelmed. So much good stuff, so little money to buy it all.. However, I went there for one thing and one thing only... Mochi Ice Cream.

What is Mochi, you ask? Only a little piece of Japanese heaven. Explain further? Well, they are insanely thin pastry balls made from rice, filled with ice cream. So far I've only tasted chocolate & green tea. However, I have it on good authority that the red bean is equally delicious.

I don't know, it's all good. I spent yesterday with really awesome Buddhas. First at New Years gongyo, then I was invited to a get together where I got to have fresh homemade Korean food. Including the insanely tasty Kimchi sushi and beef soup.

If yesterday was anything to go on, it's going to be a good year.