Notes from a weekend.

Amy Sedaris said she liked my owl necklace and wanted to steal it. Her gay mafia communicated this to me. Do not speak directly to the Amy Sedaris.

This was a weekend of terrible customer service. A weekend of Polish diners, subtly themed emo bars, and outrageously themed Southern restaurants. A weekend of starting dance parties in 24 hour diners in Alphabet City.

Staying out until 5 am, only to marvel at the Christmas decorations on the walk home from the subway. These nights make me feel like a nouveau Holly Golightly. Avoiding awkward encounters with boys at bars simultaneously while flirting with the hipster bartender; wandering into your friends at the diner at 3 am and promising you're not drunk but that you're just here to dance!

Apartment number three smells strongly of cooked eggs.

I-D-K! my B-F-F, Jill.

You guys! I've been half-heartedly attempting to post for the past month about my experience seeing the Broadway (jazz hands!) musical, Spring Awakening. But I've been struggling to accurately explain how ridiculous, uncomfortable, and BAD this musical was. I was also informed that no one ever says truly scathing remarks about Broadway because there is an underlying knowledge that because it is a for-profit, mainstream "art" it will inherently suck. Which is probably true. But if we're being fair, I've seen enough low budget definitely not-profiting art that blows too.

A couple weeks ago, I became OBSESSED with finding others on the internet who loathed Spring Awakening as much as I did. And there's about 2 people in the universe that are willing to say it on the internet (and I'm one of them). There are about 9375203958 Rent fanatics that are willing to bash Spring Awakening as part of their effort to hold Rent up on high. The two are apples and oranges, really, so it seems unfair, but for the sake of feeling part of a larger movement, I'll take those snobby Rent-heads as being on my side on this one. I like Rent, but I don't like Rent because its better than Spring Awakening.

I hope this comes up in Google searches: Spring Awakening sucks.

Enough about that.

I've been overloaded by music lately. Here's what I've been listening to:
Justice - Cross (electrono dance fun)
Candie Payne - I Wish I Could Have Loved You More (noveau Dusty-esque 60s pop)
DJ Vinroc - No idear of the name of this album. Its weird as all get out.
Japanther - Stuffed Up My Huffy (Brooklyn noise-rock-pop goodness.)

Since October I've been saying I can't wait for it to be January and for everything to calm down, but I may have spoken too early when I thought that January would be calm. Because it will be a busy month indeed! I hope by admitting this, the gods of busy schedules will take some pity on me.

Also: hooray on being 97% finished with holiday shopping! hooray for the Bust Craftacular tomorrow! hooray for NYC! (this city only gets better and better.) I bought myself this for Christmas and am upgrading the memory to 4gb (for work purposes, so not really a present at all!)

And hey, is your life complete without having seen this? I think not!

!!!

I owe a million thanks to everyone who sent birthday wishes my way! I had an awesome day playing at the Ripley's Believe It Or Not in Times Square, watching Broadway stagehands picket outside the Lion King, and went to some crazy performance art in the East Village (more on that later because suffice to say, I have seen some really *weird* art before, but this is filed under WTF?).

Actually, let's talk about the performance art right now.

In the center ring, we have Brooklyn, noise-rock, experimental, whatever whatever band, Japanther. To your right, old man spoken word artist. To your left, a low budget, animatronic dinosaur. And dancing all around, two girls outfitted in your favorite American Apparel ensembles. Now throw it all together. My understanding was that this was supposed to be a "rock opera" about the death of the animatronic dinosaur and then in death, he questions his understanding of all his philosophies about life. Yeaaahhhhhhh. In a really weird way, I enjoyed it, even if I didn't quite get it. Japanther make some great songs, so there's that.

It was a fun birthday. Thanks friends!

Things I <3 (this week):

1. Music with woah-oh-ohs
2. My music collection from the late 90s/early 2000s (hello Pedro the Lion!)
3. Veronica Mars, girl detective supreme. I'm sad this show was cancelled. Although the third season has gotten a little O.C. for me, its still a smart show.
4. Drooling over 24" iMacs.
5. These fun wallpapers at Nama Rococo. That Sixty-Eight in Mellow Orange! (of course, orange is my obsession these days)
6. Friends visiting. Living in New York City.
7. My bedroom.
8. Apple cider.
9. Nina & Finland

In the depths of winter, I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer. -Albert Camus

On Radiohead's new album:
Swirling love, treacherous love, knock me on the ground love. Its Radiohead, so its certainly not love in any conventional terms. 'Videotape' is sublimely heart wrenching.

On Napkin, my cat:
After two years and a move to our new home, Napkin has decided that she wants to be a snuggly cat after all. She's always been the cat that chills next to the action, but now she's my best coworker.

Everything else:
I was made for the fall. Also, due to a horrific haircut this week, I will be wearing a hat or headscarf for the next four months. Does anyone have any haircut horror stories? Share them please.

My recommendations for things to do in New York City:
1. Broadway show
2. Dinner at the Rainbow Grill
3. Staten Island Ferry
4. See a rock show at Irving Plaza
5. Hang out in Washington Square Park
6. Empire State Building
7. Greenwood Cemetary in Brooklyn
8. St. John the Divine cathedral
9. UCB Theater

Also this:

Friday funny!

Also, here's how my Fourth of July went:
Free New Pornographers show, rain, Mexican food, Killer Flaming Dr. Peppers, blueberry vodka made up holiday drinks, pushing strangers, karaoke, Snape IS the half blood prince (right!), and then being too intoxicated to remember any of it.

All those times I did all those things, remember? Purely a photo post.

Minor league baseball mascots LOVE me. No idea why. Its not my baseball knowledge...


The Statue of Liberty gives me the creeps. She's all green and moldy looking. And from France.


That's Datarock. They're from Norway. They give out shots of wildly strong coffee.


Hey Lily Allen. Thanks for not cancelling your NYC show. I think you're adorable, as always. Love, Jen


Oh hey, remember that time we went to the formerly Polish nightclub and THIS girl dressed in- whatever that is smeared in fake blood danced on stage to the techno music ? Yeah, that was kinda weird.

Stuff on *my* cat.

And the blurry version.



Aaaaaaaaand, this is how my cat sleeps. Don't you love how her little back legs look like turkey legs? Actually, the whole thing makes me feel a bit dodgy.

Words + visual aids.

% Bjork's new album, Volta

% Home made iced coffee + water with lemon and cucumbers + popcicles

% Photos from France

% Summer, summer, I am here to win you over.

% Paying someone else to do my laundry

% GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY IS PLAYING A FREE SHOW AT MCCARREN POOL THIS SUMMER.

% Watching reruns of old Scripps National Spelling Bees on ESPN2 (Samir! You're my boy!)

% International dance parties (alternately: How I became the United Nations of International Dance Party Friends)

% Smoosh opening for The Pipettes on June 5th!

% Dresses and dressing up

% Not traveling for three weeks (alternately: staying in New York for three weeks in a row!)

French wine, cigarettes, baguettes, French wine, fondue, French wine, French wine, French wine, croissants, and French wine.

Bon jour!

I returned from France yesterday and I've barely had a moment to catch my breath, but I wanted to tell you how I am still alive (although the climb to the top of Notre Dame almost killed me!) and that I have photos coming soon.

Lately in my life:
Red wine, white wine, cheap wine. Baguettes. Croissants. Chocolate filled croissants. Three am drunk food (chocolate filled croissants slathered in Nutella). Big hills. Cigarettes. Tap dancing. International dance parties. Sleepy afternoons. No sleep. Wine. Wine in baby bottles. Fondue. Marriage proposals from Frenchmen. Photos. Walking. Wine. Cigarettes. Baguettes. Wine. Wine. Wine.

I also squeezed in a trip to Lyon to visit with the incomprable Mike van sleen, who sends well wishes and hellos to all of you in Pillowland.

I had the most spectacular holiday, which I will endlessly discuss with you soon. Right now, I have to get ready for the arrival of one, Mark Schwaber, who is here with the band, Spouse, to perform in Brooklyn and also at Sirius Radio and Air America this week.

Three stories of interest currently. Discuss.
First transgendered prom queen?

Jerry Falwell dies possibly from shock of the aforementioned transgendered prom queen.

Two kids broke into the Smashing Pumpkins rehearsal space. I know one of those kids. And you know what? If you commit a crime, you should go to jail, no matter how much of a jerkbag Billy Corgan is.

La Dolce Vita.

So, let's get right to it. In bullet points, for your reading conveinence and because that's quicker and I'm not feeling particularly literary at this juncture:

*On Saturday, I moved to New York. The city. And despite rain and generally crappy weather, Hi, I love it here.

*I work from home now. And while you might be inclined to think that working from home means watching soap operas and mid-afternoon lawyer shows, it does not. It does mean I can wear my jammies to work (I have not yet) and that I get to have 1 of 2 cats sitting on my lap as I work. Whereas before, putting on clothes and driving to an office meant getting into work mode, now its a mental process. Sadly, I'm even busier now working from home than when I was working in an office. It doesn't make sense, but that's how it works.

*I saw Smoosh last night. They are 2 sisters who are very small and both under the age of 15. And they rock. And I hope you check them out.

*I'm going to be in Illinois next week. And that means two homecomings in as many weeks. And I find that slightly overwhelming. But I generally find the next 1-2 months overwhelming in terms of scheduling. But you know me, and you know that in an eery way, I *like* being this insanely busy.

Okay my darlings, that's all I have for today.

Secret confessions of the tiny morsels of a joyful life.

It is entirely possible that the sunshine and warm weather and running my toes through the itchy grass on my one hour escapes from work gulping back green tea alternating with Diet Coke has caused me to listen to pop music and female vocalists almost exclusively lately:

+Rudebox by Robbie Williams
I have love for Robbie Williams because he's defiant and rebelious and that Gallagher fellow from Oasis called him the fat dancing guy in the British boy and. So not true. And those Gallagher brothers are complete morons.

+Traffic and Weather by Fountains of Wayne
This band always comes full forced with the great lyrics (although, to be fair, I thought Stacy's Mom had kind of weak lyrics, but still catchy as hell and an awesome homage to the Cars), and their new album is poppy and the sounds are lush and I just like them, ok?

+The Pipettes by The Pipettes
I dig these girls- I'm also going through a big female vocalist phase right now and I can't get enough of the hand claps and the 1960s girl group revival.

+The Bird & The Bee by The Bird & The Bee
Something about the synths and the pretty lady's sweet smooth singing evokes Ella Fitzgerald singing Desafinado. That kind of statement sounds mighty crass, but I am all about it this duo from Sweden, or wherever it is that synthy-pop duos are born.

+Mes Amours by Edith Piaf
This woman sounds like she led a wild life and I would have given anything to have seen her perform live in the 1950s. This is generally the album I start my morning with at work, its gentle but vibrant.

+Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem makes me want to have a dance party in my living room (or perhaps more appropriately, my kitchen which has more open space for dancing although the last time I was dancing in the kitchen, I broke my wrist in the 3rd grade- simply the mere beginnings of my clutzy nature). How you feel about Sound of Silver probably depends on how you feel about LCD Soundsystem. I feel extra crispy good about LCD Soundsystem so I am ALL ABOUT Sound of Silver.

In other news:
My days consist of working so hard my brain gives out on on my body by about 3pm most days, then coming home to make dinner and pack another box full of clothes or other junk I toted all the way to this state. My time to get myself together and Back to NY! is getting down to the wire as every day passes- most of next week is really out of the question since I'll be out of town then hosting my mum for Easter weekend. Per usual, I'm staying calm like its nothing and will probably be shoving things into beaten up boxes like its no big deal April 13th.

I think from now I'll just ruffle baby powder in my hair instead of washing it. George Washington wig style, everybody!

And now it is warm enough that I can stop at the coffee shop on the way to work each morning and order "one large, Iced Coffee please with room for cream," but they know that about me now. Instead of speaking of coffee, the girl who wears cute hats and I talk about the music they play- the other morning it was "the new Shins, don't you think its great?" and the morning before that....well, I don't remember. But I remember liking it even at such atrocious hours as 7:45 am. Maybe I will make them a CD, those friendly faces at the coffeeshop, although, maybe they'd find that presumptious. Or maybe I'll start giving one copy of my weekly mixes to one random person every week. Just to spread musical joy in the world. Yes, I feel a project forming.

There's a lot going on in my world right now, come share it with me.

I am not watching awards shows tonight, and I am okay with that.

Since November, I've been getting paid to travel and write a book. The two aren't really connected, that is to say, I am not writing about traveling. I am writing and I am traveling. Mostly writing. So I sit at my computer and tippity-tap away, music in ears. Since November. That's what (counts on fingers, NovemberDecemberJanuaryFebruary) four months? That's nearly half of a human baby's gestation. And I absolutely cannot wait for the day, the very magical day when this book that I am writing will be complete.

Because as it stands, its depressing the hell out of me. Its sucking out my life force. I come home from work at night and my glazed over eyes don't want to think about anything. I don't want to be creative or produce anything of substance. Watch movie, zone out, fall asleep.

I'm a zombie. Minus the undead issue.

And yet, in two weeks, when I've birthed this book and its done and finished I can't help but think I'll be just a little sad. Spending four months struggling and loving and coddling this book and after the party we're having to celebrate its completion and my transition into foremost authority, I think I'll feel a bit relieved AND melancholy. Its my book, my project, my four and a half months of workingdreamingeatingbreathing about this book.

But those are feelings that are still two weeks away. For now I am feeling excited and tired and nervous and anxious and bewildered- there are some fairly major happenings besides this one project in my life. Big things I am too nervous to talk about right now. Major life transitions that cause me to talk to myself in my car and in the bathroom mirror as I attempt not to smudge the eyeliner under my eyes.

I'm a creature who craves positive reinforcement. So every step of the way lately has been about rewards: yes, you can have a Cadbury egg, yes, you can have a glass of wine, yes, you should wear a super cute outfit today. I'm also making a concious effort to spend less on the unnecessary things in my life so that I can enjoy the fun things- CDs, concerts, summer vacations to far (and near) lands. I look forward to start sewing again soon. I love sewing far more than knitting because I am a creature who relies on instant gratification. I've picked out the patterns (big and small) and the fabrics and I am so so excited. I'll keep you updated on my progress with those things.

My frigid fingers are struggling to keep up with my writing stride this evening. When my head craves writing, I follow because its a crap shoot when it may happen again. Even at 150 wpm, my fingers cannot keep up. My head is full of thoughts, my lungs are short on breath, my ears and my heart are full of beats. I slept with a wide open window last night and it felt refreshing to wake up to sunshine and birds chirping.

My music playlist lately:
The Get Up Kids - Something to Write Home About
The Fratellis - Costello Music
The Teddybears
Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion Soundtrack
R.E.M - Greatest Hits
LILY ALLEN, obvs.
iPod shuffle because it hurts to think.

Things I dig about college towns:
JIMMY JOHN'S.

Sidenote
This is a big week for me and the direction of my life, you guys, and although I can't talk about it right now, will you please think of me? Will you please keep me in your thoughts? Will you just remember that I could use some positive thinking right now? I cannot tell you how much it means to me and how much I am trying to send my positive thoughts to all of you too...