OK. I’ve been getting much more into solo Lou Reed. I recent won 100 bucks off my dad on a bet. We were talking about Lou Reed, for reasons I’m not sure why. My father has never expressed any interest let alone knowledge about the man. Which is why I won. He proceeded to promise me that Lou Reed played on a studio record with the Eagles. I’m pretty sure, if memory serves me right, that I laughed in his face. We called our phone-a-friend, my dad’s former colleague, life long friend and known-to-be genius, also my god father (not sure why I have one, also he’s the most Jewish man I will ever meet): Danny Gold. He works for the New York Times and used to edit Frank Rich. Enough said. In a nut, I was right. I am a Coney Island Baby.

Preferably tied for first with Wilco, but that remains to be seen, the Velvet Underground is IT. The beginning of punk, housing four original geniuses, the biggest asshole in music history (we love you Lou) and the greatest (chick) drummer EVER. period.

Check out All Songs Considered. As from the first link above, they have interns review classic records said interns have never heard before. (Can you even imagine never hearing your personal favorite and getting to hear it for the first time over again? It must be like magic.) As you’ll guess, it was the first, The Velvet Underground & Nico, the most OVERRATED of all VU records but still you cannot ignore it. Either way, keep up with All Songs Considered. They are no underground like Pitchfork (they’re hiring!) and they aren’t the new rave of national breaking news (ahem rollingstone.com, that shit is real, at least for now.) I’d call it a middle ground. After their ‘Best Opening Tracks’ show, they asked for listeners’ favorite closing tracks. I was too late to join to mention that my favorite is Oh! Sweet Nuthin on Loaded, but at least I’m getting it out here.

All I’m saying here is– it’s never too late to get into the Velvets. And, if you’re ready for some real emotional discourse and disturbance, Lou Reed himself. Warning, it gets strange.

I’ve been reading. Now, as I plan not to go on to graduate school (anytime soon) I can read whatever I want. Since we graduated I’ve read three books, one of which was To Kill A Mockingbird. Something I was supposed to read in 9th grade for Mrs. Stass, but never finished. Its the first novel I’ve read in over a year and I thought I would read Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye too, but got through ten pages of Holden’s whining and couldn’t take it any more, just like the times before. Since my birthday passed and usually all I receive is books, that’s all I’m doing now. THANKFULLY (and finally) I’ve discovered David Foster Wallace and I am taking my time with one of his collections of essays, Consider the Lobster. (Riley- check it out.) I’m also blown away by this book Angeline gave me called Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. He’s the guy who wrote Everything is Illuminated- which I’ve never read. Foer’s writing is excellent and the subject matter discusses food and the idea of eating animals- I just read the section where he makes a perfectly normal case of why eating dogs should be accepted in America and would fix some serious problems- is interesting to everyone. Because everyone loves food and everyone eats food. So this concerns you. I’m also part way through a book called Closing Time, about a guy who grew up in the Philadelphia housing projects in the early 60s. I’ve never seen a vocabulary like this, it made me feel bad about myself and I had to put it down for a while. His writing structure is also overwhelming. Not to mention the subject matter is heavy.

So why am I telling you all of this? Well let me just way one more thing. I am interested in Infinite Jest the 900+ page novel by David Foster Wallace. I’m going to go hand out in Borders today and read it, see if I can do it. (If anyone wants to book-club it with me, lets talk.) I think I can do it, but then again, its also a novel. And we all know how I feel about fiction. I can handle To Kill A Mockingbird because it’s excellent. And probably one of the only classics I’ll ever truly love. In fact, he’s a story about how wonderful it is and why maybe you should get a 50th anniversary copy of it yourself and read a good story, again, or maybe for the first time. It’s just a suggestion.

This past Wednesday a few of us traveled to the beautiful city of Scranton, PA to see WILCO. You’re probably thinking that nothing as magical as WILCO could ever exist in a city such as Scranton….but it did! It was a place much smaller than the State Theater! Their first time playing IN Scranton, it was a sold out show in a ballroom, specifically a Masonic Temple. Never before have I gone to see live music and stood still and just watched musicians play. They are completely mesmerizing. With no opener, they played extra long and Tweedy was extra chatty. At one point he even asked us to shut up and pointed out some kid’s “douchey-ness” because he was on the phone. It truly was phenomenal.

I figured out the WILCO formula. We all love their records in full, but live they play them usually out of order. One of my personal favorites, Forget the Flowers, was included along with other lesser-knowns like She’s A Jar.  They did play stuff from their latest- which isn’t the best (actually it’s probably the worst of their records.) But by the end of the evening, everyone was incredibly happy and satisfied. I would never change my first WILCO experience for anything in the world: perfect venue, perfect people, perfect band, perfect night.

Never before have I loved a band like I love WILCO. And I always said I don’t love anything enough to have it permanently tattooed on my body, but I’m reconsidering….just kidding mom.

My brain is still in WILCO LAND and probably will be forever now that I’ve breathed the same air as Jeff Tweedy. Now I have unfortunate duties of finishing and starting projects so I can graduate. So we all can graduate. Holy crap, it’s April 5th.

This is really damn cool. Simple, beautiful photographs of performers and stars we’ve loved over and over this year. The Oscars are coming up, with co-hosts (an unusual idea and I think one of the first, or only time they’re doing this) Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin…how can you lose?! Sunday March 7th –next Sunday!!

Check out today’s New York Times Magazine, its the feature.

Another famous author died yesterday, Howard Zinn. I’m sure you recognize this:

It has been around since 1980 and I am almost sure that every single bookstore has at least one copy of this book. Yes, its one of those. Reading one chapter is overwhelming let alone cover to cover. It is dense, tremendously well done and in the category of the life achievement. Although he died suddenly of a heart attack at 87, he lived a fulfilling life.

After speaking about this with others I’ve given myself some time to think. It is sad that these great American minds are gone. But now it is time for new Americans of a new generation to have new ideas. You are an American. And you have ideas. Have you explored a new idea yet?

I now bring these words to you from a new world I was exposed to today (inquire within for story.) Go out and do something and make yourself a part of something completely different than you and what you are. Write something new. Write anything, compose. Tell someone something you’ve been meaning to say. And be well.

Lately I’ve been on a karma kick, trying to do good and pay it forward. I feel wonderful and I can only tell you to do the same.

Also, I am blown away by this. Yes, another free download from our friends at notdrugs (bookmark this.) Its Ithaca and its remarkable.

Sorry friends, for those avid ‘cant readers. After spending time setting up shop on my sister’s pull out couch in Cambridge and then making room in my sister’s bed in Steamboat Springs, CO- I’ve been blowing off radio break staff and traveling.  Inadvertently, I’ve spent no more than four consecutive nights in any one place this entire break. With plenty of time to think I’ve had a lot of realizations and crazy adventures. Its been a great time for all involved.

Last night was the Golden Globe Awards. Here you can find a slide show of all the winners. Its the best, quickest way to get your information. Also, the New Yorker lets me fall in love with it every edition. A personal fave, if you’ve never read his writing I recommend it. Woody Allen pops up every once in a while and it just makes me glow. Even though he married his adopted daughter (which is totally weird and unacceptable) I still love him.

look at that face

Also, I’ve tried to read Youth in Revolt but it didn’t work out. Pawned as a journal then realizing it was actually fiction, I just couldn’t do it. But my sister’s excitement about the movie makes me think I should give the typecast Michael Cera a chance. Debroah Soloman did. Her ‘Questions For…’ column surprised me with this. A great interviewer at that, here is her latest…check it out.

Life has been all over the place. Home in JERRR SEEE and then back to the homeland of Ithaca tomorrow. Will be there indefinitely. (Well, maybe to Buffalo soon too.) I need to plan more adventures to see Wilco (sadly for the first time, but not the last) in Feb. and Dr. Dog by the end of the month. –If you haven’t started listening to Dr. Dog you’re crazy and our friendship is at risk. They are playing Syracuse on Jan. 30th and I am definitely going. Any fans who want to join, must. Their youtubes aren’t the best. But check them out: they pride themselves, or categorize shall I say, with dissonance, harmonies and minor chords. A favorite of mine, I can’t help but pass it along.

This semester brings shenanigans – so lets have some fun, eh?

the title still remains a mystery

I am unsure of whether or not I have ever mentioned this man on this blog. I do know that I have lent his books out (and not yet gotten them back….) and recommended them to people for reading because I know certain individuals, Riley especially, would really enjoy his content, writing and overall demeanor. He has been one of my favorite writers since eighth grade and I have been seeking him out since. The summer before I went to college I had the pleasure of seeing Chuck Klosterman in person in a Philadelphia Borders Books, hearing him read, and even talked to him (but not enough.) He signed my hard copy of Killing Yourself To Live: 85% A True Story with the sentiment “Sarah, Stay Alive- Chuck Klosterman.” Hopefully he will stumble upon this and go on a book tour again so I can rightfully make lots of conversation with him.

Famous for Sex, Drugs and Coco Puffs, CK has been chronicling popular culture, media, and its history for almost a decade. Born in Minnesota and having grown up in rural North Dakota he was fired from SPIN for reasons I am still unsure of, writes occasionally for the New York Times Magazine, had a column in Esquire and contributes to ESPN. His latest book that I literally finished less than ten minutes ago is called Eating the Dinosaur. After having finished it I can still say that I still have no idea why it is called that. But I can say it is probably some of the most interesting writing of his and is creeping to become my new favorite. It is an almost-sort-of grown-up-yet immature philosophy about everything you never thought you cared about, or knew existed. Klosterman writes about why time travel is a meaningless conversation. It helped me realize that the only time I will talk about time travel in the future is to address its complete silliness, tell people about said silliness and maybe pull out some theoretical questions (which he is hilariously famous for.)

Basically is what I am trying to say is you should be reading his writing. All of it. Particularly you Riley. I will gladly lend some books out if only they are returned. As a writer and reader I know that any unconventional form of writing (like CK) is motivational. Mainly, writing is motivational, so why not share?

GOOD magazine: start reading it (if you haven’t already!) Here is a link to their homepage. The topics that they have put together are a listography including: the environment, design, culture (already posted) and of course politics. You may think that they sound boring, but even ‘design’ surprised me in how interesting and important design changes have been in the last decade.

Fellow IC students and, well let’s be honest, superior bloggers from notdrugs have also been sharing their end of the year lists and some Christmas fun. Check it out.

The New York Times will always be it. At least to me, it is the end all be all of a news source. And if you creep around enough on their website you can find some pretty interesting stuff. The online version of the Times is the best example of how (and why) modern papers are better off online: free, easy to use, an endless plethora of information, and did i mention free?  My personal favorite are their interactive features. This summer at the 40th anniversary of Woodstock we couldn’t get enough of them. This hails from the op-ed area, my other NYTimes favorite. Every once and a while they feature art, graphs, charts and visuals in the ‘op-ed’ (opposite opinion) that can simplify information. ‘Picturing the Past 10 Years’ is a chart with doodles and images on a yearly time line. With such a small space there is a lot going on.

click the pic to enter the caption contest for this cartoon

And of course there is the New Yorker. An old favorite, I’ve realized that this magazine is like play time for grown ups. It has some of the best movie review writing (the latest) and well, some of the best writing overall. And what other publication can you think of with a national cartoon caption contest for adults (you all know that I love me some adult imagination and cartoons, or as some readers prefer mature instead of adult?) Here we have a ‘What Do You Call It?’ about naming our decade. And ‘2009 The Quiz‘. Also a great contribution from readers, its readers’ photos from the decade.

mmmmm vegetables

These are just some of the things I personally enjoy, like the above And now I’ve realized that I don’t need an excuse to post about food, health and nutrition. So here’s something new: the C.E.O. of Whole Foods John Mackey has something to say. Check it out.

Hope that everyone had a Happy Christmas, etc. Also- Happy New Year!

What this means is, I’ve found another. This one hails from GOOD magazine. If you have not heard of, or do not read GOOD- you should be. Its one of those things.

Also, go here and subscribe to some free podcasts to listen to on your (long?) trip(s?) to wherever you may be going. There is nothing better than human stories, I promise.