Zion National Park in Utah was great. Beautiful. I totally recommend a visit. Jesse and I were there (and Vegas) June 12-21. I have been meaning to write this up for a while. A lot is going on. (The careful reader will note the foreshadowing)
Zion was not too crowded. We saw a pair of introduced condors, which was a highlight for me. By-and-large the two day hikes we did were pleasant and not too strenuous.
However, we did one two day trip called ‘The Narrows’ which requires 14 miles hiking down the middle of the Virgin River. When we did it the water temperature was 59 degrees which is colder than it sounds after the 4th hour submerged up to your waste. The river has a bit of a current and the riverbed is covered with slippery rocks about the size of thanksgiving turkeys, so every step is a turned ankle waiting to happen. I fell a couple of times and got wet down to my bones. My recollection of the trip is of being cold and wet and grouchy, but Jesse tells me it was beautiful and reminds me that we were passed by a troupe of boy scouts, so how bad could it have been. (I’ll post pictures soon that support his version of the story.)
I live in Fort Greene, Brooklyn now. The move was a bit of a pain, as they always are, but I survived. The new hood is great. I’m about a mile from Prospect Park and I run, bike and play disc in the park pretty regularly. Getting to practice is quick and easy for once. I live above a stop on the C, which I can feel gently rock my bed as trains pull in and out of the station if I listen carefully enough. The neighborhood has lots of bars and restaurants and I am very happy to finally be in Brooklyn where most of my friends live.
I went to see the Staten Island Yankees with Patricia for the 4th of July. That was pretty awesome. We rode the Staten Island ferry to the game and watched the fireworks from the ferry on the way back.
My fellow founding gastronaut Benji Pauker was on my favorite show, the Jon Stewart show. Check him out: (He’s the smart American at the end.)
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=231547&title=jason-jones-behind-the-veil
I read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close . It was pretty good and reminded a bit of the The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The book has some quirky affectations with pictures and edited pages and even a section in numeric code, but if you look past all that the story moves along at a good clip.
I went to see Wilco on July 13 at Coney Island. I love the new album. However, something about a title album at this stage seems odd. Even a title track. It’s like he’s painted himself into the painting. The show was the largest I’d ever seen and the band played for over two hours with lots of stuff from YHF, Summerteeth and of course the new album.
The Mets are KILLING me. I am done with them. The Wimbledon Gentleman’s championship was amazing. I’m going to the US Open in a few weeks. NFL training camps are underway: Go Eagles!
Showing posts with label Wilco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wilco. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Impossible Germany, Unlikely Japan. Incredible Melbourne.
I saw Wilco again on Wednesday night. I saw them at a venue formerly called the Metro where Sarah and I went to see the Shins in the Melbourne CBD. It was a great show. Some of the tracks were downright country, and on others they RAWKED it with a Kid-A style light show.
This show was critical to my returning home from Rimini. I needed something to look forward to or I might just have run away from home and I built the show up in my mind to epic proportions. Wilco delivered.
They played for 2 and half hours and played fan favorites from AM (Casino Queen, Passenger Side) Being There (Outta Mind, I Got You, Sunken Treasure, The Lonely One) and Summer Teeth (She’s a Jar, Via Chicago, Shot in the Arm, How to Fight Loneliness). There wasn’t too much from YHF or even Sky Blue Sky.
Jeff was in a last-day-of-school mood and dedicated every song to one of the roadies like he was signing their yearbooks. I had a great time and bought a swell new t-shirt to stave off the impending t-shirt shortage of 2008 (Al Gore’s new pet cause now that global warming is all sorted out).
Here’s a pic and a wack tiny video. You get the idea.
Going through a Johnny Cash Phase?
Since you are procrastinating at work (I know it and your boss knows it) I’ll offer these up as well:
Please check out this skit that Matteo suggested with Gob from arrested development.
And this list from Kimmie that is spot on like lime Jello.
Also, check out this typo that Jesse found on ESPN where the #s 1 and 5 are reversed. Hello? Proofreaders?
(Boos and tears to G-Town for losing to Davidson in the 10-2 game. What the hell?)
Okay, it's 4 AM. I'm going to try going to bed now again and see if the jet-lag gods will shine down upon me.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
My Date with Jeff
On Wednesday (18/4) I went to the Palais theater to see Wilco. It was really easy to get there on the 16 tram. The theater was on the beach in St. Kilda.
There was a little mix up at will-call and it took me a few minutes to get in. Once I got in I went upstairs and started looking for my seat. I was getting all frustrated because I couldn’t find it and I thought the show was about to start. I finally found an usher who told me to go downstairs. Down there, I found another usher, who walked me all the way up to the 6th row, dead center, middle aisle. Perfect seat. Perfect. Could not have been better. Aisle is key so you can lean around a tall person if necessary. (It was a little weird to see them in a theater with seats, rather then just general admission. There was less dancing and the crowd was pretty subdued.)
The show was incredible. I think it was the second show of the world tour. (They were in Brisbane last night). Jeff was really funny. He kept making jokes about starting a show in the southern hemisphere where no one knows who they are. For some reason he thinks all Australians are pirates and led the audience in a call and response of “Arrrr!” [You would have excelled here, LP.] I did not get all the pirate jokes. He talked a good bit through the set.
[ Special to Marc - I suggest you burn all these tracks onto a cd or playlist for Paige and put it on one night after O goes to sleep and you guys can relive the show.]
Here’s a couple of terrible pictures I took at the show. There were signs everywhere that said “No Photos. Violators will be Ejected”, and you know me, I follow authority. I do not want to be ejected. Still I tried to snap a few, but I guess I can’t work my camera in the dark and I couldn’t figure it out there for fear of getting caught. You can sort of get the idea. (Jeff looked great. He was wearing some kind of Johnny Cash goes hiking outfit with black pants, a black polo shirt and a black jean jacket.)
Anyway it was a great show. Be sure to check it out when it hits your hemisphere.
There was a little mix up at will-call and it took me a few minutes to get in. Once I got in I went upstairs and started looking for my seat. I was getting all frustrated because I couldn’t find it and I thought the show was about to start. I finally found an usher who told me to go downstairs. Down there, I found another usher, who walked me all the way up to the 6th row, dead center, middle aisle. Perfect seat. Perfect. Could not have been better. Aisle is key so you can lean around a tall person if necessary. (It was a little weird to see them in a theater with seats, rather then just general admission. There was less dancing and the crowd was pretty subdued.)
The show was incredible. I think it was the second show of the world tour. (They were in Brisbane last night). Jeff was really funny. He kept making jokes about starting a show in the southern hemisphere where no one knows who they are. For some reason he thinks all Australians are pirates and led the audience in a call and response of “Arrrr!” [You would have excelled here, LP.] I did not get all the pirate jokes. He talked a good bit through the set.
They went on at 9:06 and left the 3rd encore at 11:36. That is the longest I have ever seen them play. I kept some notes about the set list for a while and then I got sick of that, so here’s some of the songs that were played (The new album is pretty well represented*):
- You are My Face*
- I am Trying to Break Your Heart
- How to Fight Loneliness
- Impossible Germany*
- Remember the Mountain Bed
- Side With Seeds*
- War on War
- When the Roses Bloom Again
- Jesus Etc.
- Hate it Here*
- Theologians
- Walken*
- I’m the Man who Loves You
- Hummingbird
- California Stars
- Late Greats
- Heavy Metal Drummer
- Poor Places
[ Special to Marc - I suggest you burn all these tracks onto a cd or playlist for Paige and put it on one night after O goes to sleep and you guys can relive the show.]
Here’s a couple of terrible pictures I took at the show. There were signs everywhere that said “No Photos. Violators will be Ejected”, and you know me, I follow authority. I do not want to be ejected. Still I tried to snap a few, but I guess I can’t work my camera in the dark and I couldn’t figure it out there for fear of getting caught. You can sort of get the idea. (Jeff looked great. He was wearing some kind of Johnny Cash goes hiking outfit with black pants, a black polo shirt and a black jean jacket.)
Anyway it was a great show. Be sure to check it out when it hits your hemisphere.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
fo-fo-fo
One of the great things about today is that I know the date. While tomorrow might be April 5th or May 4th based on where you are from 4/4 is nothing to argue about. I look forward to Cinco de Mayo. (Maybe I will try to have another Margarita.)
I have been working 8 AM – Midnight, with lunch at my desk and no dinner break. It’s about as awesome as it sounds. Stress is near maximum. I’ve eaten all the skin off the ends of my fingers. It’s pretty gross. I have a constant low grade headache that spikes on conference calls and when anyone speaks to me. Stupid huans! Woo woo. Every day I get assigned X things to do urgently, and achieve .4X of those things. I am a frog sliding deeper into the well every day. No worries about getting bored. I seem to have about 5 people who think I report to them. None of them are shy about delegating action items. As long as I keep trying to do everything they ask, all this will probably persist. If only I weren’t so conflict averse... I’d rather eat the wrong order than bring it to the waitress attention that I ordered the grilled cheese, not a calamari platter.
I never played D&D, but I wish I knew the lingo, because I would drop a line right here about needing two sleep potions. So there.
My employer (who I’ll never name again here) has recently expanded it’s corporate policy to prohibit employees from having a blog. Though many of my readers are co-workers, I’m hopeful they won’t report me. I think the intent behind the policy is to stop us from disclosing any corporate secrets. They needn’t have worried, as I don’t know any.
Imagine if I started blogging about corporate methodology. I don’t even think my Mom would check Courtneyspondence any more. “Another best practice is writing things down…”
One final point about work is that my good friend Amy Cooper’s husband’s baby brother is about to come from Dublin, Ireland to work with me. DON’T WORRY SIMON: It’s won’t be as bad for him as it is for me, I promise. As a ‘non-executive’, his hours are tracked and he’s not eligible for overtime, so while I’ll likely continue to work to midnight each night, he’ll need to leave by 6:30 or so PM every day, which is reasonable. I’m looking forward to having someone around that I know and someone that I trust. Paul is super smart, so having him on the team should make my life a little better. I am getting sick of cutting the meat into safe bites for the ponce who reports to me now.
Tragically, the Hoyas lost. Final 4 is pretty good though. Pretty good. I think the team might be decent next year, too. We didn’t play great against Ohio, but it wouldn’t have mattered as there was no stopping Florida. No stopping them. (From the accounts I read of both games.) Does U of K have a coach yet? Is it weird that I think Joquim Noah looks a little like my sister?
How much do Macs suck? Okay they have better commericals, but try using one. I am using my powerbook right now, so I can’t put links into this post. Ability to hyperlink text is not exactly a new ask. I’m only able to use word because somebody awesome who lives with Dave Marino gave me a copy, not to get her in trouble for the student exemption. ( I’m a student, of sneakers. )
That’s about all the complaining I can fit into this post. Expect more.
On the up side, pieces 4 and 5 of mail have arrived from the US: YAY! made my week! Super thanks to Ali Kling for a PERFECT care package of exactly what I was missing. Also super thanks to Tim, Alex & baby Nina who sent me 4 cliff bars, one for each day of the upcoming nationals tourney and a reminder to be sure only to eat them in my 'glycogen window'. I’ll try. I bet they only feed Nina in her glycogen window.
Things are pretty good right this second too. I am home in 301. I have on a track suit. I am blogging and listening to Iron + Wine, Kings of Leon and drinking a glass of champagne. Does anyone (Curtiss?) know how to get the cork back in the bottle. I only want a glass. It’ll go flat…
Also. In a few weeks, I'm going to see Wilco. I bought a ticket today. I had NO IDEA they were coming, but Hootchie sent me a clue and I jumped on it. And you all thought he was good for nothing... I guess this'll be my 7th or so time to see Jeff Tweedy. It's an assigned seating show. that'll be one night to leave work before midnight.
I have been working 8 AM – Midnight, with lunch at my desk and no dinner break. It’s about as awesome as it sounds. Stress is near maximum. I’ve eaten all the skin off the ends of my fingers. It’s pretty gross. I have a constant low grade headache that spikes on conference calls and when anyone speaks to me. Stupid huans! Woo woo. Every day I get assigned X things to do urgently, and achieve .4X of those things. I am a frog sliding deeper into the well every day. No worries about getting bored. I seem to have about 5 people who think I report to them. None of them are shy about delegating action items. As long as I keep trying to do everything they ask, all this will probably persist. If only I weren’t so conflict averse... I’d rather eat the wrong order than bring it to the waitress attention that I ordered the grilled cheese, not a calamari platter.
I never played D&D, but I wish I knew the lingo, because I would drop a line right here about needing two sleep potions. So there.
My employer (who I’ll never name again here) has recently expanded it’s corporate policy to prohibit employees from having a blog. Though many of my readers are co-workers, I’m hopeful they won’t report me. I think the intent behind the policy is to stop us from disclosing any corporate secrets. They needn’t have worried, as I don’t know any.
Imagine if I started blogging about corporate methodology. I don’t even think my Mom would check Courtneyspondence any more. “Another best practice is writing things down…”
One final point about work is that my good friend Amy Cooper’s husband’s baby brother is about to come from Dublin, Ireland to work with me. DON’T WORRY SIMON: It’s won’t be as bad for him as it is for me, I promise. As a ‘non-executive’, his hours are tracked and he’s not eligible for overtime, so while I’ll likely continue to work to midnight each night, he’ll need to leave by 6:30 or so PM every day, which is reasonable. I’m looking forward to having someone around that I know and someone that I trust. Paul is super smart, so having him on the team should make my life a little better. I am getting sick of cutting the meat into safe bites for the ponce who reports to me now.
Tragically, the Hoyas lost. Final 4 is pretty good though. Pretty good. I think the team might be decent next year, too. We didn’t play great against Ohio, but it wouldn’t have mattered as there was no stopping Florida. No stopping them. (From the accounts I read of both games.) Does U of K have a coach yet? Is it weird that I think Joquim Noah looks a little like my sister?
How much do Macs suck? Okay they have better commericals, but try using one. I am using my powerbook right now, so I can’t put links into this post. Ability to hyperlink text is not exactly a new ask. I’m only able to use word because somebody awesome who lives with Dave Marino gave me a copy, not to get her in trouble for the student exemption. ( I’m a student, of sneakers. )
That’s about all the complaining I can fit into this post. Expect more.
On the up side, pieces 4 and 5 of mail have arrived from the US: YAY! made my week! Super thanks to Ali Kling for a PERFECT care package of exactly what I was missing. Also super thanks to Tim, Alex & baby Nina who sent me 4 cliff bars, one for each day of the upcoming nationals tourney and a reminder to be sure only to eat them in my 'glycogen window'. I’ll try. I bet they only feed Nina in her glycogen window.
Things are pretty good right this second too. I am home in 301. I have on a track suit. I am blogging and listening to Iron + Wine, Kings of Leon and drinking a glass of champagne. Does anyone (Curtiss?) know how to get the cork back in the bottle. I only want a glass. It’ll go flat…
Also. In a few weeks, I'm going to see Wilco. I bought a ticket today. I had NO IDEA they were coming, but Hootchie sent me a clue and I jumped on it. And you all thought he was good for nothing... I guess this'll be my 7th or so time to see Jeff Tweedy. It's an assigned seating show. that'll be one night to leave work before midnight.
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