Redesign

I'm thinking of making some changes here at the blog, so don't be surprised if the archives just disappear.  That would be because I deleted them.

The Perfect Infant Outfit

Stop the presses. Get out your wallets. If you're having a baby or you know someone having a baby, your search for the perfect infant outfit ends here.

The Infant Kimono Wrap by Westcoast Baby is everything your newborn needs. It doesn't have to be pulled over the head (babies hate that), there's no complicated button/snap/zipper closing system (convenient for the millions of diaper changes in those first weeks), and it opens easily for skin-to-skin contact without leaving baby completely naked or tangled up in a blanket. Also, it's oh so easy on the eyes for parents.

They're currently sold out in 'wasabi' and 'mandarin,' but with any luck they'll restock those gender neutral colors soon.

Best Children's Room Ever

I've been checking out Apartment Therapy because Amy and Dave's nifty DIY bed was featured there recently.  Anyway, through a series of clicks (what the young people call "surfing the net"), I wound up face to face with the most beautiful corner of a children's room I have ever seen.  Even better, according to its owner, it's for her two children, who share a room, just as mine will be doing in three short long months.  Mostly I'm posting this to remind myself to repaint the room this way.



As if that wasn't enough, these incredibly crafty and stylin' folks used cork trivets (!) to make functional art on the wall above their office. I will be stealing this idea one of these days when I get around to it. (Instead of random placement, I'm imagining them lined up 3 x 3 or something. In fact, this would go well not only in a home office but in a kid's room.)

Bamboo Tea Bag Box from Crate & Barrel

I don't know about you, but I have a lot of tea.  While this would not come near holding all of it, it would certainly enable me to keep certain amounts of it outside the cabinet (and therefore remind me to drink it more often).

Ways in which this would make my life better:  (1) I would drink more tea, and tea is wonderful in many ways; (2) my guests would drink tea with me (their flavor options would be right there in front of them!); and (3) my guests and I would then discuss all manner of tea-related topics.

What is your greatest weakness?

Basically the most painful question an interviewer can ask.  A friend of mine was laid off on Monday (boo!) but already had two phone interviews this morning (yay!).  He claims to have bombed both of them, citing his response the most dreaded question in the history of job interviews:  "What is your greatest weakness?"  Apparently he said "um" for a minute before the interviewer just moved on.  Probably not the best response.

So he doesn't get caught off guard by the question again, I went a-googling and found this incredibly helpful blog post.  Basically the idea is to answer the question by showing the interviewer that you were aware of this weakness prior to the interview and that you have already implemented steps in your work routine to overcome it.  The author also provides examples of how you might phrase specific weaknesses.  Not that I have any plans to be interviewing any time soon, but it's always good to be prepared.  Here's my 100% truthful answer:

I tend to become overwhelmed if I think I have too many projects going on at once. My solution to this is to create a to-do list so I can see what I have to do still as well as the progress that I've made.

The author also offers the funniest answer he's heard:  "Kryptonite."  And one of the commenters claims to have said "Chocolate cake," which made the interviewers laugh (he was hired).  In fact, a funny answer may make you a more memorable candidate if you can provide the interviewers with a genuine chuckle.  All the same, best to have a real (and honest!) answer prepared before you show up.  Feel free to leave yours in the comments.

The Declaration of Independence

We were at Milwaukee's lakefront last night for the city's annual fireworks as we are every year, and they were fantastic.  My 2 1/2 year old son, who for the first time was really able to enjoy the fireworks, kept repeating "Oh!," "Wow...," and a very awe-struck "Oh my gosh..."  My favorite comment of his though was "It sounds like a dinosaur!"  Though I hated the fireworks through my teen years (nothing personal: I hated everything), I have really come to love them in recent years (and if we ever move from Milwaukee, our lakefront gathering will be an annual tradition I will miss).  The all-American loving spirit of Frank Capra wells up within me and I always think how awesome it is that *this* is the way we celebrate our nation's birthday, with giant outdoor gatherings of all our towns and cities across the country to watch fireworks.

Josh Patashnik at The New Republic explains that he likes to reread the Declaration each year on the fourth of July to remind himself what it's all about.  Then he asked readers for their favorite grievances against King George (a key list within the Declaration, but you already knew that, right?), which I admit I cannot provide because I don't know enough about what the colonists were so aggrieved.

I'll be taking early American history during the Spring 2009 semester, so next summer I plan to have an answer to the question, but in the meantime, I did sit down and reread our nation's founding document, which I encourage you to do as well today before you head off for barbeques and pool parties and parades.  I liked the last line of the second-to-last paragraph:  

We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

Note he didn't say, we're declaring our independence from these jerks and enemies we shall be until the end of the time!  No, he was cool with just being friends if King George would be cool with that too.

You can read the Declaration, view high-res images of the original, and probably get more background info that you thought possible from the nice folks at the National Archives.

Rothko Angst Update

I have finished my paper, which I believe was far less professional than I would have preferred.  Even if it is an assignment on MY impressions, I still feel like I've used an unqualified 1st person.  Whatever.  It's MATC.  He'll probably think it's the greatest student paper he's ever read.

Anyway, through writing the paper (which, again, is more like a good first draft as far as I'm concerned), I eventually came to a conclusion (note I didn't say I came to *the* conclusion), that it's the colors that make a Rothko in the format in which he has presented them.  And these colors exude life and energy and a vibrancy which strikes me as really interesting, like if we lived in a black and white world, it's not just that the trees wouldn't be green, it's that the green itself provides the cues to our brains that the tree is alive.  (Yes, I understand photosynthesis, but I'm dealing in psychology just now.)  (And yes, I realize that our brains probably evolved in some form as an adaptation to the innate recognition of photosynthesis, but again, regular ol' neuropsychology, not evolutionary psychology.)

So if that is the case and Rothko has within his rectangles with their rough edges captured the color in such a way as to mimic the cues that color provides to our brains, maybe that it what makes a Rothko so challenging.  I see green color in a leaf-shape, my brain says "Look!  A leaf!"  I see green color in a fuzzy radiating rectangle shape, my brain says, "Look!  A...  thing!  Wait... what?"  My brain is telling me there's energy there, but it has no idea with what type of energy to identify it with.

I will think on this further and hopefully be able to more clearly explain myself at a later time.  In the meanwhile, I actually feel better.  It's as if I've released my brain from the tension created between it and the painting.  (Seriously, though, am I the only person with this problem?)

Ikea Madness

I would live in an Ikea.  I would decorate my entire house with Ikea.  Seriously, where else could you buy a light this gorgeous for $6?

Reasons I miss San Francisco

As some of you know, I used to live in San Francisco. We've been gone five years this summer. That is far too long. Below, a list of things I miss about the most beautiful city in the country:

• Various family members who know who they are.  I mean, if we lived in SF, we'd be able to be with everyone as opposed to all the hectic visiting.  Matt and I could watch zombie movies on a regular basis instead of trying to pencil them into an exhausting week of running from one place to the next.  My brother now works mere blocks from where I used to work.  We could be doing lunch!
  
• The best Chinese food on the planet.
  
• MUNI
  
• Hills (No, seriously.)
  
• Wishbone, the greatest store in the world filled with almost nothing that anyone actually needs but that everyone wants.
  
• Children's Playground.  Ok, I admit I didn't spend much time there when we lived in SF, but now that I have a small child and a second on the way, I can see myself spending lots of time there.  Strangely, the official site has no pictures of the newly renovated playground, but trust me, it's awesome.

Yes, there are things I would miss about Milwaukee.  But those are some of my favorite things about the city, and I would give just about anything to move back most days.

And that's another thing

As mentioned at the beginning of my previous post, before launching into a tirade of how I don't understand Rothko no matter how much I want to, or at least not that he can be understood from my "impression" alone, I mentioned that I also have to write about my "impressions" of the buildings of the Milwaukee Art Museum themselves.

My notes, as I crossed the footbridge into the Calatrava:

fresh air, lake breeze
brise soleil
bright white reflects well vs. dour square non organic form of veterans memorial

And I even hesitate to mention the fresh air and the lake breeze just because it's so STUPID when written down. I mean, do I think it was a coincidence that Calatrava designed this big open building that looks like it might just sail onto the lake or take off in flight and he never once noticed how refreshing the lake breeze is on a nice day? Of course that's part of it. Do I have a non-defensive way of communicating that in my paper? No, no, I don't.

No wonder he shot himself.

I have this annoying assignment for my Understand Art course in which I have to write, in 3 full pages, double-spaced, my impressions of the Milwaukee Art Museum (both buildings) and one piece within the museum.  I have several problems with this assignment:

1. I am a very lazy person and am uninterested in this "homework" of which you speak.
2. My "impressions" of the museum are completely irrelevant given that I know nothing about architecture or art.  THAT is precisely why I am taking this course.  If you like, make it the final assignment on which I can use all that I have learned to more expertly give my opinions.
3. Yes, I assume the purpose of the exercise to convince ME that my opinions on things are just as valid, especially given a little time and effort toward the project.
4. But seriously, if you were dropped onto this planet after having lived your whole life in a vacuum, you might need some background on what this building is, what purpose it serves, and what all the things inside are/mean/represent/etc.
5. I know I wasn't just dropped in through a vacuum.
6. I don't like this professor.  He pages through the text and repeats the same lecture every day.
7. Again, I'm lazy.
8. Seriously though.  I chose a Mark Rothko painting on which to expound and while the painting seems to have left some sort of impression on me, I'm not sure I can turn that impression into words because it might just be the type of thing that words can't express.  (Isn't that what art is for?)
9. I guess I could say that in the paper.

Listen, bottom line is this:  I'm lazy, this teacher isn't teaching the way I prefer to be taught, and it's summer, and I'm 6 months pregnant, and I want to know art HISTORY before I'm forced to expound on art THEORY.  (Yes, I realize he just wants my personal impressions, but I am incapable of that level of personal attachment in academic writing.)

That blue looks a little sickly on my monitor, frankly.  The colors look better in person.  

Still, the Rothko painting was the only painting in the museum that particular day that I couldn't get out of my head.  I blame Simon Schama.  Here are the notes I took while viewing the painting:

color field

abstract expressionism

non objective

ground is blue

primary colors

not sure what I'm looking at but it stays with me

man approaches impatiently looks very closely @ painting, arms folded.  don't know what he's looking for.

no purposeful brushwork

texture - N/A

brushwork - N/A

color - all there is

saturated - yes

edges of rectangles are rough, not perfectly defined, eye creates rectangular shape

stays in mind like coming indoors on a very bright day

how did he choose his colors?

I don't understand this painting but I think I'm looking for something that isn't there.

None of that is meant to be poetic or profound.  That's exactly what I wrote, except I drew a box around "choose" up there instead of bold to emphasize the artist's conscious choice to my brain reading it later.

Six days later, further thoughts:

people who say "my kid could do that"

1. they don't say "I could do that" because they know they can't or instinctively know there's something there they could not create
   
2. Painting is deliberate, edges are rough but clear - children lack the control/decision-making - Rothko knew when he was done, made conscious decision to start, how to continue, when to end
   

Alright, fine, but still I feel like I've missed something.  I still don't *get* it.  Is there anything to get?  I certainly like the painting, but it bugs me, as do a lot of paintings when I start looking at them, not just non-objective abstract expressionist pieces.  I always get the impression (oh, there's that word) that a painting is trying to communicate some thought or idea or something to me, and that I don't speak the language.

Someone please tell me what I'm missing.

Where O Where Has My Creative Gene Gone?

Answer:  I never really had it.  All you psychologists out there looking to study artists and the creative impulse, take note:  the ability to draw does not equal the ability to draw anything worth looking at.

And that goes for decorating too.  Anyone have any color scheme ideas for ye olde blog in '08?

New year, new urge to blog

Damnit, here I go again. I tried some half-assed blogging on livejournal, but that was boring and only accessible to my 5 livejournal friends.

So what do I feel like blogging about?

• Liam fucking Finn.  Holy effing hell, this album is brilliant.  Forget Rolling Stone and Stereogum actin' all fancy, putting him on their "artist to watch" lists.  I was here first, sonny boy, and he's mine, all MINE!  Oh, and as of yesterday, he can be yours too.
• gDiapers.  Do you think Liam Finn is off somewhere in the world wondering if he'll get blogged in nearly the same breath as diapers?  Doesn't matter.  gDiapers are the new best thing I've ever discovered, and I encourage all you of with baby bottoms to diaper to invest in gDiapers.  It's the diaper you can flush (or even compost!), only it's a thousand times more attractive than it sounds.  (And they're further proof that everything from "down under" is vastly superior.)
• Which is not to imply that this country doesn't do some things incredibly well. Reference: Barack Obama.  Barack Obama may be the best thing this particular country has created in a long time.  In fact, I like to think he'd appreciate me spreading the Obama love along with Kiwi indie rock and Aussie environmental friendliness.  Call it good foreign relations.  You South Carolinans reading this?  I expect you to Barack the vote on Saturday!  And all you Super Tuesday readers can do the same.  This is a pivotal moment for this country, and if he doesn't become the next president of the United States, I'm moving to Paris.  (In like 10 years, but still, I'm totally going.)

With any luck I'll expand my thoughts on these topics and much more in the coming days/hours/minutes. (We'll see how long the motivation holds up.)

Let's go CD shopping

All New Zealand, all the time this afternoon. No big surprises here, but you know, if you're feeling generous:

Liam Finn - I'll Be Lightning
Can you believe I haven't flown my lazy ass to New Zealand already just to purchase this? I was holding out hope that it might be available for sale at the show. Live at Spaceland was (and I bought it), but this was not because it's technically not out in the U.S. until January. Meh, I've had to import every other release from the man, why should this be any different? By the by, I promise to post pictures of the autographed album when I get around to it.

Eagle Vs. Shark - Original Soundtrack
It's a Phoenix Foundation album masquerading as a soundtrack! (No, still haven't gotten around to seeing the movie. Pfft.) Oh yeah, and there are a couple of tracks by other folks as well (reminiscent of the Man on the Moon soundtrack some years ago which R.E.M. mostly did, only you know, The Phoenix Foundation are at the top of their game, and R.E.M. was... not).

The Phoenix Foundation - Pegasus
Ooh, speaking of The Phoenix Foundation, why do I not own this? This is the opposite of a new album. Some months ago when they did a brief U.S. tour, I sent Matt to see them do an in-store at Amoeba. He was kind enough to get Samuel Flynn Scott and Luke Buda's solo albums for me (directly from the men themselves and autographed to me, Annie!), but alas, they had no copies of Pegasus on them. Jerks. (Ok, not actual jerks but you know.)

Fur Patrol - The Long Distance Runner EP
It has been far too long since we've had anything new from Fur Patrol. Looks like they are still "putting the finishing touches" on their third album (a phrase which means little to nothing to me after years of following many bands who takes years and years and years to get anything out). Anyway, this is the new EP which they released a few months ago, so yay, positive signs!

So that's that. To import all three direct from NZ (including shipping), it should leave you short about $100, but you'll have excellent gift-giving karma. Oh, or you could buy them for yourselves, I suppose.

DONE!

I am finally signed up for classes this semester. This was way more trouble and stress than it had any right to be:

• English
• Plagues, People & Power (science for people who don't like science?)
• Western Civ to 1776
• Music Appreciation
• Intro Psychology

Now I have to buy books, and then let the financial aid department know the exact amount for my student loan. Glargh.

But seriously, how awesome is all this going to be? That music appreciation class is going to rule. I'm so freaking excited. Look out, world, here I come!

I saw Liam Finn!

Live!

He came out on stage, and I was all, "I love you!" And he looked in my general direction into the dark theater, smiled and said, "You haven't even heard me yet" into the mic.

During Crowded House's set I mostly ignored Neil (something I thought I'd never do) and craned my neck to watch Liam's lovely, lovely face and body. Don't judge me.

And I got his autograph! I waited an hour under the Pabst Theater awning, and when he finally came out, I was all, "Liam!" And he turned around and looked right at me like, "Yes? What can I do for you?" That was kind of weird because I wasn't expecting to actually have to say, "Can you sign this for me?" But I managed to find the words and did it.

He is hotter than hot is hot. He's about my height. The pen I borrowed from the lady next to me had issues, but he managed to sign the cd for me anyway. Wanted to find some kind of excuse to touch him but didn't. Wanted to tell him I love him in so many different ways but managed to keep my dignity and fade into the background while blondie next to me made a fool of herself. Ah well.

Briefly, on other people's opinions

They say you cannot change the way other people behavior, you can only change your reaction to it. Sort of a choose-your-battles kind of thing. Example:

Last year someone I know made a very generalized derogatory comment about my taste in music. We all know that to be the highest of falsities. In the two seconds before I responded, my brain managed to process the following retorts:

1. "Nuh-uh. Your music is stupid."
2. "Ok."

Option #1 is, for most people I think, the knee-jerk reaction. I really did/do think this person's taste in music is utterly horrendous. However, by going with #1, I would be validating his opinion - if what he said really hurt my feelings, it must be because I (a) respect him or (b) respect his taste in music. Which I don't.

I realized that stooping to his level with some vague sophomoric putdown would only add fuel to the fire, and I didn't really feel like getting into it especially since he wouldn't know good music if it knocked him upside the head with a brick.

What I'm trying to get at is by choosing Option #2, I stopped the would-be argument in its tracks and put him in his place. He didn't expect me to just... take it. I took it because I didn't care. I know that I have the awesomest awesome music collection in the history of awesome, and no matter what he said to me, that wasn't going to change. He believes he's got a lot of good music too, but that doesn't threaten me because it doesn't affect me. He's welcome to listen to his music so long as I don't have to listen to it and vice versa.

Crowded House Album Artwork!

According to the website, Time On Earth will be released July 2nd worldwide with the exception of (sigh) North America which will have to wait an extra eight days.

Also: single! "Don't Stop Now" to be released June 25 in bunches of different formats. I may or may not buy them all.

Don't forget Crowded House is playing Coachella this Sunday which you can see streaming (!) at 8:55 pm PDT.

Coachella Webcast

I had never even heard of Coachella before this year, but it just so happens that nearly every one of my most beloved bands and a good number of new favorites are going to be there. So. Short of abandoning my family and hitchhiking to Indio, what's a girl to do?

Watch online, of course! (*All times Pacific.)

April 27th Lineup*
03:00 PM Brother Ali
03:55 PM Noisettes
04:35 PM Tokyo Police Club
05:35 PM Tilly and the Wall
06:25 PM Of Montreal
07:15 PM Rufus Wainwright
08:10 PM Arctic Monkeys
09:05 PM Stephen Marley
09:55 PM Sonic Youth
10:45 PM Bjork

April 28th Lineup*
03:00 PM Gogol Bordello
04:00 PM Fields
04:40 PM The Cribs
05:25 PM the Frames
06:15 PM Jack's Mannequin
07:10 PM Andrew Bird
08:05 PM the Fratellis
09:00 PM Regina Spektor
09:50 PM Arcade Fire
11:00 PM Ozomatli

April 29th Lineup*
03:00 PM Anathallo
03:45 PM The Feeling
04:40 PM Junior Boys
05:30 PM Fair to Midland
06:05 PM Kaiser Chiefs
07:05 PM CSS
08:05 PM Klaxons
08:55 PM Crowded House
09:50 PM Damien Rice
10:40 PM TBD

Remember, if that doesn't look like the whole list of acts, that's because it's not. For the complete list of acts performing this weekend (including those AT&T has chosen not to stream), go to Coachella's site. I have some other plans tonight, so unfortunately I'll be busy when Rufus is onstage, but I saw somewhere that AT&T promises to archive the performances. Rawk.

Feel free to celebrate, but please get permission first.

Happy World Intellectual Property Day, everybody! On to other things:

• Two of my favorite people sent me links today about how awesome it feels to be an atheist: The Rational Atheist (thanks Amy) and this article on an upcoming program entitled A Brief History of Disbelief (thanks Jake).
• Some Brits copped WaPo's idea and sent a classical violinist into the streets to play for the ignorant masses so they could feel smug and/or decry the sad state of art appreciation. (Ok, I have no idea what their point was. I didn't actually read the article.)
• Another Brit supposes what you have on your bookshelf is a window into your soul--or maybe it's not. She's not sure and doesn't have a clear point. Currently on the table by my couch: The Da Vinci Code (still unfinished), Anansi Boys, Story of O, and What to Expect the Toddler Years.
  
• Lost was awesome last night, was it not? Did you see Jin open that can of whoopass?
• Interestingly, if you search for "can of woop ass" on Wikipedia, one of the items that comes up is John 3:16. Apparently there's a quote attributed to former WWE wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin commonly referred to as Austin 3:16: "I just wooped your ass." I think you'll agree, the entry on John 3:16 could not have been complete without that factoid.
  
• Uh, in complete defiance and/or ignorance of World Intellectual Property Day: A radio rip of the new White Stripes single "Icky Thump"! Just make sure you buy the album on June 19.
• Oh, and didn't you know starting Daylight Savings Time early only increases the dangers of global warming?