flurry

Sandhill crane migration:

wake time: 3:15am; drive time: 2.5 hours; temperature: miserably cold; experience: the kind of bizarre/amazing experience that just makes you laugh.

more info, click here

hastings, ne (or thereabouts)

note: colors digitally enhanced

character building

take that!

so, next time you are inclined to make fun of me for living in omaha (you know who you are), please remember that the now richest person IN THE WORLD chooses to live here.

January.

andrew bird "soldier on" ep: his albums, I think, are becoming less musically interesting (but not less good) - incorporating fewer styles. the first song on this ep is a good example - ignoring the pizzicato introduction, it's just a straight up rock song. I still love the songs in 'mysterious production' more.

The Field "sound of light": I still don't get it. please, someone explain what people like about this stuff. NOT recommended.

hello, blue roses "the portrait is finished and I have failed to capture your beauty": I love dan bejar's (weird) lyrics, but who is this female singer? boo. I have to say, it sounds nothing like destroyer or swan lake. I'm not actually recommending this at all, but thought I'd put out this warning to bejar fans: this is nothing like his usual stuff, and might be kind of bad (unless you like bad folky female singers). NOT recommended.

The Honeydrips "here comes the future": sounds like belle and sebastian + good electronic music. recommended.

The Magnetic Fields "distortion": noisier music than I'm used to from the magnetic fields. some old magnetic fields flashbacks, like in "old fools" (sad, melodramatic melodies with witty lyrics). it might sound different, but it's still them/him (for better or worse).

Michael Hurley "ancestral swamp": sort of a cross between m. ward and nick drake. kind of makes me want a front porch and a rocking chair. also tumbleweed. recommended.

vampire weekend, self titled: clean, "oldies" sound. it's just good, catchy pop music. recommended.

uci

this place feels like a cheap vacation. give me some freezing rain.

uva

stretched

...involving snow, the car in front of me slamming on his breaks, skidding, swerving, spinning, the median on I-80, several lanes of oncoming traffic, and my car's final resting place: the ditch on the opposite side of the interstate. me? unscathed (amazingly), though disappointed that it took 45 minutes before anyone stopped to see if I was ok. that includes the police car that drove by while I was sitting, shivering in a ditch. (read: I've lost faith in the humanity of all travellers on I-80).

also, I'm not sure that trick where you're supposed to turn into the skid works. I think it's a weird lie, because I tried it and it definitely did not help.

he's really impressed by himself

well, I never thought I'd say it, but I actually miss Madison, Wisconsin. (gasp!). don't worry guys, I haven't gone completely crazy, I still miss Chicago too (quite a bit).

hm..what's he aiming for? (in his defense, I was covering the corner pocket with my camera)

note: photo digitally enhanced

as it turns out

____ ______ has that effect on everyone

person, place or thing

____ ______ is a real thorn in my side.

grievances

dear cat,

you're a good friend, but I'd appreciate it if you'd stop puking all over my apartment. also, I realize you get lonely during the day when I'm gone, but sleeping on my face at night isn't a good solution. please feel free to make friends with the robocop doll in the corner of the bedroom.

thanks,

me

has anyone else noticed that it's unbearably cold outside?

favorites of 2007

1. radiohead "in rainbows"
2. the avett brothers "emotionalism"
3. okkervil river "the stage names"
4. low "drums and guns"
5. bon iver "for emma, forever ago"
6. the national "Boxer"

7. electrelane "no shouts no calls"
8. arcade fire, "Neon Bible""
9. spoon, "ga ga ga ga ga"

10. beirut "the flying cup club"
11. the shaky hands, self-titled
12. phosphorescent "pride"
13. bright eyes "cassadaga"
14. the rosebuds "night of the furies"
15. caribou "andorra"
16. grizzly bear "friend" ep
17. feist "the reminder"
18. augie march "moo, you bloody choir"
19. dan deacon "spiderman of the rings"
20 explosions in the sky "all of a sudden I miss everyone"

most disappointing: interpol
most over-rated: burial
most under-rated: the shaky hands