~somatherapy

So I've shifted my creativeness to something that doesn't make me feel guilty about not constantly doing it.

The 920 Quintet
waterfountain
Trio

That's all.

Listening to: I Fab Thee - Rheostatics
Watching: Serenity

The exam went well, except for my brain deciding to make a rapid exit through my nose about 2/3 in. So I'm done writing and it's after I spent ten minutes comparing answers with my lab partner that I'm in the men's washroom to cleans my snot-covered hands - ew.

I'm at the sink, getting my hands wet, when I hear a crumpling of paper and plastic in the stall behind me.

Strange. I'm pretty sure toilet paper is still made of... well, not plastic.

There's no mirror at this sink, so I didn't see him coming out of the stall when I turned around and became the unwilling participant in a thirty-second stare-down with what looked like a student - he was my age - whose lips were black from Oreos, holding the now-empty bag of cookies. I'm not sure what to say, so I say nothing and just return his stare.

He makes a move towards the door and I resume wiping my hands with the paper towel I forgot about when confronted by cookie-face. I can't think of anything else to do but watch him leave. He looks back again with wide-eyed paranoia and I instinctively - not sure why this is an instinct - stop wiping my hands again, as if hand-wiping might be considered an insult in the culture of closet (washroom?) Oreo fiends.

He finally makes his awkard exit, getting bumped by the door as he slides out of the washroom.

I stand here with a blank expression on my face for a few seconds, wondering if I should just camp out here or risk going outside and getting murdered by someone so embarassed by their love of cookies that they had to hide in a washroom stall to indulge it, but my sudden desire for those same cookies drives me to the insane notion that maybe I could fight him off.

I finish wiping my hands and leave, filled now with another awkward moment for the memoires and an incredibly anticlimactic story.

My Listening
Recommended Listening ...
Strange Geometry - The Clientele
Motor Hotel Love Songs - Jason Collett
In The Reins - Iron & Wine and Calexico
Beehives - Broken Social Scene

I don't want to make this into some kind of weird annual tradition of mine, but this year the whole Rememberance Day thing is particularly poignant for me. Nothing's changed in my outlook, I still have nothing but respect and thanks for everyone who's fought and who is currently fighting to let me keep worrying about what brand of cereal to buy, but it feels like I'm in a lingering minority. I mean, come on, plastic poppies are like what? A quarter? There's really no excuse for not wearing one to at least fake some respect for what people our age and younger have gone through.

"At some point one of the voices becomes familiar: - Well Robbo, you've really fucked it up this time.

We are torn to pieces in a woman's dress, stuck in a hedge and we hear Toal talking to us, and in our present circumstances it has to be conceded that he may have a point."

- Irvine Welsh

Listening to: Broken Social Scene
Watching: Jarhead

September is shaping up to be a busy month for music and - ideally - my camera. I've already taken in Metric and The Stills at the U of O frosh concert, and I'll be seeing them again on the 30th and 17th respectively.

Tonight is Xiu Xiu at SAW, but I don't think that's going to happen. I've got Controller.Controller this saturday, then Alexisonfire and The Used on sunday. The plan was to see Sigur Ros on the 18th, but it turns out good shows sell out fast. Who would've thought?

Then October has KMFDM (!!!!), Broken Social Scene - hopefully with Stars - and the possibility of seeing Franz Ferdinand. Oh, my medication.

That is all. Carry on.

[update #1]
Controller.Controller were excellent. I posted one of the pictures from the show, but on the whole I'm not really happy with what I got. Luckily I talked to the bassist at the bar after the show and he mentioned they'd be back in mid-October and that I should get more shots then.

The show yesterday was also pretty good. The highlight was definitely Alexisonfire... for me, at least. Everyone apparently was there for The Used, which were also good. It was weird seeing a concert from so far away - we had seats as opposed to floor tickets - but nevertheless enjoyable.

[update #2]
So the Stills were on the menu last night. I've gotta say I enjoyed them a lot more than my frosh week experience. Probably because I actually saw them head-on, instead of hearing them from backstage. The opening band was great too. Check out Most Serene Republic.

On a related topic, I just heard Jessica Simpson's latest song on TV and holy man is it ever shit. "Didn't steal your boyfriend" or whatever. Terrible. Just, I don't even know how to express it more. Honestly, if you think THIS is good then I've got a whole bunch of REAL music for you.

[update #3]
The Golden Dogs are one of my new favorite bands. The earlier show was so good I had to come back for more at midnight! Not much more to say other than that. It was very much a Piebald-like situation for me, where I went in knowing them very little - in this case not at all - and came out a huge fan.

The evening was otherwise also very interesting. Met some new people. It's all good.

[update #4]
Holy freaking god. Metric was amazing.

It's a little bittersweet though, knowing that they're going to have their ass kicked in a little less than a week by KMFDM.

[update #5]
While KMFDM was outstanding, as expected, I definately enjoyed their concert last year - to the day, btw - much more. Could have been that it was the first time I saw them live, could be that they played only older stuff. I don't know, I'm not a doctor. Anyway, the show was amazing. I'm just kicking myself for not bringing my camera. Never not bringing it again. I'm serious this time.

As if I don't have a show until Broken Social on the 20th. Ah well, it's probably for the best.

[update #6]
Getting "Grow Up and Blow Away" was like Christmas in October. Playing directly into the indie stereotype, I like Metric's older stuff much more than the new albums. If you haven't checked them out then I highly recommend you do, but start at the beginning. Or start wherever you want. Really, it's up to you.

[update #7]
Broken Social Scene were amazing. Likely the best show I've ever seen. Just watching and listening to them play made me smile. I was grinning like an idiot the whole show. I mean, two members from Do Make Say Think for crying out loud! It's like they pick members from my favorite bands and throw them together to delicious results.

I took some pictures, and I like one so far. It's probably to your left.

[update #8]
It took me a while, but I finally found that quote I like so much:

"sharpness and the reliance upon thinking that sharp defines a good photograph is only for the bourgeois" - Chris Weeks

Also stopping by to add Hidden Cameras to the list.

[update #9]
On the one hand the Hidden Cameras were amazing. On the other hand I swear that Lesbians on Ecstacy sound really good on their album. I've rarely experience such a complete difference, at least in the type of music I've been listening to lately, between studio and live sound. I mean, they were really bad. Catchy, jumpy, I'd've probably danced were I in the mood, but not spectacular.

In other news, I've been listening to New Buffalo's CD a lot lately and I can't recommend it enough. She opened for Broken Social Scene when they were here and I sort of liked what I heard, but now that I've given her a better listen I'm hooked.

[update #10]
Time to start a new journal you say? Not a chance.

It's many months after the fact, but upon second listening it turns out Nine Inch Nail's latest album With Teeth is actually really good as opposed to really bad. Go figure.

[update #11]
Controller.Controller was really good, just like last time. Well, maybe not JUST like last time. I think last time was better. The opening bands were... there. The first one I liked, the second one not so much. Don't get me wrong, I like chick rock as much as the next guy. Maybe if the bassist reminded me a little less of someone who has a tendency to grate on me and maybe if that same bassist wasn't a fucking emotionless robot. Honestly.

Saw Jarhead yesterday. Quality film. I can't express to you how glad I am that Jake Gyllenhaal is now no longer Donnie Fucking Darko. I hate the crap out of that movie. Or maybe I just hate everything that goes with that movie, namely the teenagers that discovered movies can actually be complicated and seem to think Donnie Darko stands out as the only film of its kind. I suppose the root of the problem is that most teenagers are completely retarded.

[update #12]
While I'm not entirely sure why I hate Ashlee Simpson so much,
this helps to remind me.


Next up: My Chemical Romance (?), Reel Big Fish

My Listening
Recommended Listening ...
EP To Be You And Me - Broken Social Scene
Louden Up Now - !!!
Folkloric Feel - Apostle of Hustle
X-Amounts - Controller.Controller

"At some point one of the voices becomes familiar: - Well Robbo, you've really fucked it up this time.

We are torn to pieces in a woman's dress, stuck in a hedge and we hear Toal talking to us, and in our present circumstances it has to be conceded that he may have a point."

- Irvine Welsh

Listening to: Coney Island - Death Cab For Cutie
Reading: The Rum Diary - Hunter S. Thompson
Watching: Blood Simple

While my last update managed to entertain the children for a while, I think it's time to move on.

Caught Eppiphane at the Rainbow Bistro tonight and brought back some new additions to Human After All. Eppiphane were excellent as usual, but the opening act was just spectacular. Very reminiscent of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but with more of a funk edge. That boy can play a mean guitar. I have the option of seeing them again this coming Friday, but I think I'm gonna go for Feist and the Weakerthans instead. While on the topic of bands, I'm stupidly excited to see Metric at the U of O frosh and then again at Capital City. September and October are going to be busy months for shows.

Anywhoo, I trust things are going well. I hope this finds you all in good spirits and even better clothing.

[update]
I think the first release of Human After All is going to be entitled either "Nothing But Love" or "Eight Days A Week". Thoughts?

Recommended Listening ...
Plans - Death Cab For Cutie
Thrills - Ellen Allien
Abbey Road - The Beatles
We Only Love You - Halou