I know I’ve already posted this one. But I love it.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think my cat is the cutest to ever live, and that she should be a model. I have big dreams for her: cat food cans, the Scoop Away box, the Hollywood Feed billboard on Sam Cooper – she could be our meal ticket. She already acts like enough of a diva, so she’s got the right attitude for that line of work.
Well, I’m hoping Trish will make her local debut in the 2009 Memphis Humane Society calendar. I heard on the radio this morning that they will be accepting submissions until July 18, after which the public will be allowed to vote which pets get to be semi-celebrities. Some more details can be found here at their Web site.
Hopefully the fame and notoriety will make her forgive me for subjecting her to the unspeakable horrors of the harness and leash I bought her yesterday. She’s due for her annual shots and my nerves just can’t handle the living hell she puts me through whenever I stuff her into that pet carrier. Usually when we get to the vet and I take her out of the carrier, she immediately runs and hides under this table in the waiting room, forcing me to drop to my knees (on the hairy, dirty floor) and try to fish her out from her “hiding spot.”
Not this time. I’m going to walk her to the car on that leash and I’m going to take her into the vet on that leash and if she tries anything cute she’ll be in for a surprise! I put the harness on her yesterday and amazingly enough she only bucked like a wild stallion for about thirty seconds before she kind of forgot she had it on. Well she would have forgotten about it, if I hadn’t kept adjusting it and telling her how pretty she looked.
For the record, no, I don’t intend to walk her around the neighborhood like a dog. And yes, I often am alarmed by the amount of effort it takes to outsmart a creature whose brain is the size of a walnut.
June 19, 2008 at 5:06 pm · Filed under Movies, Music
Last night Brian, Brooke and I went to see “The Happening.” I liked it – it wasn’t necessarily what I have come to expect from M. Night Skfasldfjdsalfadsf, but I love Zooey Deschanel and we don’t go to the movies very often.
One of the trailers was for a film called Babylon A.D. which stars Vin Diesel and looks like it’s going to be terrible. But the commercial used the song “Lux Aeterna” which is the main song used throughout the film “Requiem for a Dream” and which I’ve come to associate with diet pills, being juiced by Tappy, stolen televisions, Marlon Wayans actually playing a serious role in a film, disgusting arms…
So I leaned in to Brian and said, “I can’t hear this song without thinking of ‘Requiem for a Dream’.”
Then I saw this on Andrew Sullivan’s blog, via Kottke, via Shaun Inman, and had one of those always-amusing “Hey we were just talking about that!” moments. I present to you, “Requiem for a Day Off.” Yes. That is scenes from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” set to “Lux Aeterna.” It’s actually pretty ominous, and proves that you can find anything on the internet.
MoveOn.org is organizing a nationwide bake sale on Saturday to raise money for the Obama campaign. So far there are 667 events planned and – lucky us – one of those is in Memphis! I’ve signed up to work and to bring some of my delicious confections (provided that our landlord fixes/replaces our oven in time).
We’re having a tasty bake sale in front of the Campaign Headquarters of Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Tn 9th) and Presidential Nominee Barack Obama (POTUS 2008). We will use the funds we raise during this festive event to expand our sophisticated campaigns to convince swing voters to support Obama, and to remind progressives to go to the polls on Election Day in support of progressive candidates all across the United States. Let’s fill our bellies with home-made sweets (washed down with ice cold soft drinks!) and savor delicious election-year victory!
If you want to help set up, man a table or bring some treats, click on this link to sign up. If you just want to stop by, the event starts at 11 on Saturday the 21st at Steve Cohen’s campaign headquarters (in Midtown on Union, just east of McLean and across from Rite Aid). Hope to see you there.
June 10, 2008 at 11:55 pm · Filed under Life, Memphis
About two months ago, I decided I wanted to start riding a bike to get in shape. So I bought a pretty decent, inexpensive, basic mountain bike. Eventually when I am more confident and more knowledgeable about the actual mechanics of the bike I’ll take it on some of the trails around town. Right now, though, I’m content tooling around town and I’ve already begun seeing some of the physical benefits of my labor.
I have only one problem: People in Memphis are just poor drivers. This city has a reputation for rampant inability to operate motor vehicles, but it’s more obvious than ever when you’re the only one on the road not protected by a 2-ton metal cage.
I’ve been cursed at, honked at, had cars come so close to me that I can reach out and grab their side mirrors. And I ride on less-than-busy roads in residential areas (Colonial/Yorkshire, mainly) at dusk or later when there aren’t many cars on the road.
It isn’t as though I’m invisible, either. I have an LED headlight and tail light that are both extremely bright and always set to blink. My bike, my helmet and my shoes all have reflectors of some sort on them. I make sure I wear colors that stand out. In short, I follow all the rules.
So, to the motorists of Memphis and beyond, I beg you: Please, please please be considerate of everyone on the road. With gas prices as high as they are and climbing, the number of bicyclists on the road is only going to increase. Memphis does not have designated bike lanes, so we all have to share the road. So, I leave you with some tips I grabbed from The League of American Bicyclists:
SHARING THE ROAD: MOTORISTS
Drive Cautiously:
Reduce speed when encountering cyclists
Don’t tailgate, especially in bad weather
Recognize hazards cyclists may face and give them space
Yield to Cyclists:
Bicycles are considered vehicles
Cyclists should be given the appropriate right of way
Allow extra time for cyclists to traverse intersections
Be Considerate:
Scan for cyclists in traffic and at intersections
Do not blast your horn in close proximity to cyclists
Look for cyclists when opening doors
Pass with Care:
When passing, leave four feet between you and a cyclist
Wait for safe road and traffic conditions before you pass
Check over your shoulder before moving back
My addition: if possible, please CHANGE LANES. As I mentioned earlier, if you are close enough to me that I can reach into your window and change your radio station, that is way too close.
Watch for Children:
Children on bicycles are often unpredictable
Expect the unexpected and slow down
Don’t expect children to know traffic laws
Because of their size children can be harder to see
June 2, 2008 at 3:37 pm · Filed under Music, random
My most-listened-to songs at work, according to iTunes:
1. Feist “I Feel It All”
2. DeVotchKa “How It Ends”
3. The New Pornographers “Stacked Crooked”
4. Justice “Let There Be Light”
5. Death from Above 1979 “Black History Month”
6. Destroyer “The State”
7. Jay Reatard “Not a Substitute”
8. Broken Social Scene “Fire Eye’d Boy”
9. Twilight Singers “I’m Ready”
10. Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Black Tongue”
My ten favorite bands, according to Last.fm:
1. Radiohead
2. The New Pornographers
3. Broken Social Scene
4. Sonic Youth
5. Sufjan Stevens
6. Destroyer
7. Justice
8. The Flaming Lips
9. Iron & Wine
9. Feist
June 1, 2008 at 7:04 pm · Filed under Fame, random
Or Mariah Carey is an idiot. For the record, I lean toward the latter.
Here’s a picture of Mariah in Japan, via A Socialite’s Life. Click for the full-sized image:
In case you can’t read it, that thing she’s signing says “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time.” Has nobody in Japan ever seen “Full Metal Jacket?” You know, that movie that established “Me love you long time” as the official catchphrase of stereotypical Asian hookers? Am I the only person who finds this just a teensy bit offensive?
Last Friday at this time I was at some bar in the Marigny watching a band play with my cousin and one of her friends. We’d spent most of the day at Jazzfest (thanks to our uncle – THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU) in the sporadic rain. We watched Trombone Shorty and Stevie Wonder, admired the wares in Congo Square and had snowballs (the first in at least ten years, for me).
Then Saturday I did some serious shopping (I made Urban Outfitters my bitch) and went to Angeli’s for lunch (great veg options and one of the best non-touristy places to eat in the Quarter) we went to Game One of the Hornets/Spurs playoff series.
WOW. I’ve been to a lot of basketball games, including a Hornets game (two, counting when they came here to embarrass the Grizzlies) , and I have to say that was the most fun I’ve ever had at a game. The energy and enthusiasm are unbeatable. Even in spite of that little fire-extinguisher incident. Each attendee got a free “Fan Up New Orleans” t-shirt and a fan shaped like Peja Stojakovic’s head. After a kinda shaky first half, the Hornets came out with guns blazing and put the Spurs to bed. Tim Duncan scored only five points. CP3 got a double-double and I got a foam finger.
Sunday after breakfast we went to see our grandma (after picking up a dozen pink carnations at Dorignac’s). That was a little bit surreal – but I think it brought me a little bit closer to acceptance. And, um, how long does it freakin’ take to lay down some sod? It’s been more than two months. After that we did a bit of shopping uptown. I got some necklaces at Buffalo Exchange. Then it was home to Memphis.
Tonight, by contrast, the highlights of my evening were hunching over a grocery cart in Whole Foods, followed by pouring old beer down the sink to make room in the fridge. What a difference a week makes.
PS: Pictures from last weekend and a few from the Old Haunts show are here.
Josh at the Cove always always plays really good tunes on the stereo when he’s working. One night Brian and I were there (I think Justin was there too) and this band came on that I was really digging. I didn’t know who it was (shock, I know) so I asked. Josh told me, and then I drank more shots with the boys and forgot about it completely.
Luckily the next day when I was doing laundry, I found a napkin in the pocket of the jeans I’d worn. It said, in my often-illegible handwriting, “OLD HAUNTS. OLYMPIA.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I wondered. I have a high-school friend who’d recently moved to Olympia, but I hadn’t talked to her in ages. I then re-traced my steps the night before and remembered it was the awesome band I heard at the Cove. So I promptly downloaded their first album, “Fallow Field.” It’s straight-up guitar-driven garage rack, and it rules. It’s since become our soundtrack for our ride home when we go out during the weekends. Their second and third albums, “Fuel on Fire” and “Poisonous Times,” are great as well. In fact, “Fuel on Fire” is quickly becoming my favorite of the three.
I found out today that they’ll be playing at The Barbaras’ 7″ release party at Murphy’s Tuesday night with local band Dead Trends and Rise Up Howling Werewolf from Florence. I try not to do stuff like this on “school nights” but this show is something I can’t pass up.
April 29, 2008 at 2:59 pm · Filed under Music, Tube
If you didn’t see Feist on last night’s episode of the Colbert Report, allow me to do you a favor.
“I discovered her at a little out-of-the-way club called ‘An iPod Commercial’”:
She played my favorite song from “The Reminder.” “I Feel It All:”
I love it when he has guests on his show that either a) make him blush or b) render him speechless. She did both. The episode re-airs tonight at 7:30 p.m. central if you want to watch it on a bigger screen.
Since the Hi-Tone’s Web site is under construction and thus a hideous eyesore, I thought I’d do you Memphis folks a service and post the good acts coming through there in the upcoming months.
This Wednesday the 30th we’ve got Islands. Tickets are $8 and it’s an all-ages show. That should be good.
Thursday May 1, Jay Reatard for $7. Don’t get kicked in the face.
May 4, Holy Fuck. I know I’ve heard them on KEXP show they should be decent.
Coach and Four next Friday the 9th. I work with one of those guys, so definitely go to that one.
Then Al Kapone the 17th. His shows are fun.
Here’s one I’m really excited about: MGMT June 11. That’s going to sell out for sure. Then Frog Eyes the 14th.
My eyes need to recover, so here’s Prince covering Radiohead at Coachella. Unbelievable.
More exciting news: Sunday 80s night is returning to Dish next week. No more mashup deejays, hallelujah! There is talk of some of the old drink specials (dollar beers, what?) returning, but I don’t know any details.
In case you were wondering what's going on: the requisite 
