Merry Christmas

This is my christmas card. My brother said it looks dark and sordid. But it took me forever to make. So...MERRY CHRISTMAS.



Okay, I made this from a step by step photoshop tutorial, not that it was easy, I have Gimp not photoshop, so I had to translate all the steps, which was difficult. You think maybe I should have left out the grungy old photograph part?

Coachella

With the imminence of a new year, I have recently been musing over this past one; 'tis the season right. Honestly, I reflect semi-normally about my life and probably would not feel comfortable attaching my name publicly to the results of this soul-searching, but I do like the idea of having a chance to pontificate about all the awesome things I did this year. So, along that vein, the apex of 2008: Coachella. Not really. That's a bit shallow, as this year has brought rather radical changes (graduation, oregon, a sort of realization regarding the human condition which challenged everything I knew or thought I knew and completely effected me, that sort of thing). But I do want to talk about Coachella, as it was "awesome.

Okay, Coachella is a 3-day inundation of music, modern art, sex and drugs, and American Apparel attire at Empire Polo Field in Indio, California, a couple hours outside of LA in the desert. FYI, I don't want to illicit concerned responses regarding my behavior at such an event, I do refrain from the sex and drugs and much of the American Apparel. I had such a good time, better than I envisioned by far. Thousands of people, hundreds of bands (probably closer to 80 really), 3 tents and 2 stages, 12 pm to 12 am (unless you're Prince and then you play til like 2 in the morning), 3 days in the sun, and 3 nights of camping in the desert. It was incredible, and wait until you see the line-up.

It was so hard to pick who to see, and who to cut, so many good bands. Highlights: Roger Waters, how could he not be. He performed for about 45 minutes of random stuff, old pink floyd songs, new stuff, etc. He sang Pigs and they had this graffitied pig balloon through the crowd, insane. Then they set up, and he did Dark Side of the Moon. Epic. Justice, sure they're a little played, but it was the last set of the weekend, everyone was crammed into the dance tent, feeling good, dancing with anyone, a good time. Kraftwerk, they turned to marionettes while performing robots, very trippy. Aesop Rock, they're as good live as recorded, and I love them, the lyrics, poetry, philosophy. Tegan and Sara quibbling on stage, they are sisters, and talking about sunburned breasts because H&M clothes are cheap. Rilo Kiley. Goldfrapp, she looked like a cult member from the sixties, they sang their hits and were fun. The Ed Banger crew, always fun to dance to, especially with hundreds of other people. MIA...all I wanna do is...pww, pww, pww...and take your money. Prince covering Radiohead, seriously. I could go on for three days worth of memories. Oh, and don't forget the Do Lab and the art, it is a music and arts festival. The Do Lab is a club set up like an Oasis (the show's in the desert) in the middle of the venue (which was huge) with live shows and a DJ all day and night, what an f-ing good time. Coachella '09 countdown: 124 days, oh yeah! I'm going to end this blog with a photo montage of Coachella '08 (I didn't take all these pictures).

Us and Them

Earlier tonight I watched a documentary on Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon. I guess I have Ms. McLaws to thank, as earlier I had read her post on the Beatles and it got me in the mood. Either way, pink floyd always leaves me in a very introspective mood. On top of this it brought me right back to Coachella, a 3-day music festival in the desert, which headlined Roger Waters this year. Even as I'm writing this I can't decide if I want to focus on Pink Floyd or Coachella...okay Pink Floyd, but my next post will be on Coachella, it was epic. I don't have much I want to say, you guys can opine on the band for yourselves, discuss lyrics, philosophy. Instead, I only want to suggest that if you ever find yourself innundated with feelings (maybe weird, indescribable or normal feelings) or maybe like you have something to say but it's trapped in your own head or you're really normal that's fine too, try listening to Pink Floyd; pick an album (my suggestion - Dark Side of the Moon, and that's not cliche), turn out that lights, listen, think if you want. It' cathartic, almost transcendant. The picture's Roger Waters at Coachella. Listen to the song at that bottom (Us and Them - Dark Side of the Moon).

A Glass Door Fell on My Face

Okay, it was only a cabinet door. But it really hurt. I have a record player, and I was sitting at my laptop on the floor in front of it trying to hook up some speakers, and then the door of the cabinet fell on my face. It hit be directly between the eyes, and now I have a rather deep cut across my nose bridge and a nice black eye. Yay.

Why I Love Living In LA

Here's another reason why I love LA: Downtown.

(ps I added a few pictures that I took on film)