You do it to yourself
Just you
You and no one else

This post is primarily to update the "Just" video link. The video, and partly the song. "Jesus, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

I'm waiting for the Stone Word to fall. Tell me, tell me, tell me the answer cause you may be a lover, but you ain't no dancer. Helter skelter.

References galore! I should make footnotes to this update!

Well behaved cats rarely make history. True. But neither to ill-behaved ones. However, they enrich our lives.

• "Just" Radiohead
  

It's like the domino theory of stupidity.
Isn't that obvious to everyone?

Isn't there some self-help adage that there are three tripods to your life, and one of them will always be suffering at the expense of the other two? Am I thinking of Bridget Jones? Or this? Well, my professional world is ROCKING! But some personal matters are another thing entirely. A friend is offering to tell me what's wrong with me, and I wish his email would hurry up and come because I'm ready to know. What is wrong with me?

A bit sad

signed,
:(

• "Chambrain" Space Ghost: Coast to Coast
  

*transport, motorways, and tramlines*

Listening to "Let Down" (Radiohead) on the bus. Life is good. Well, life is OK. Life is bearable. Oh, life.

Woah. Did NOT want that to happen

OK, I don't know any of the lyrics
I just like the name of the song
And also the band
New Orleans bands are making a comeback!
Check out The Generationals and Hurray for the Riff Raff, seriously!

Saturday I was enjoying some wine while I baked a cake. I was separating eggs because I had to fold in the stiff whites, and I got confused (too much wine?). Anyway, long story short, I took a big drink of egg white. I almost threw up. Ask my mom. I was on the phone with her at the time.

• "Brunch with Rocco Fancypants" Egg Yolk Jubilee
  

And I've been makin' promises I know I'll never keep.
One of these days I'm gonna leave you in your sleep.
I have to go when the whistle blows-
The whistle knows my name.
Baby, I was born on a train.

Another Monday. Another week to look forward to:

• Problem set due tomorrow
• Accidental date tomorrow
• Midterm Thursday
• Waiting for an email that will probably never come
• The continued search for a reason to stay in Austin
  

But:

• Seeing Whip It for free
• Trip to Sam's Club with N
• 2 radio shows (one with just Stephin Merrit songs)
• Skipping ACL

And this morning:

• Waking up in time to cook breakfast and make an espresso
• lready being cleaned up from the party last night

And going to work counts as a good thing. I like my job. I wish I could do something like this forever.

• "Born on a Train" Magnetic Fields (Stephin Merritt)
  

we hope your rules and wisdom choke you

breathe
keep breathing
don't lose your nerve

Baked a cake today. 6 layers (at final count).

Going to a party tonight. A dance party, so I don't know how long I'll stay, what with the inability to dance.

Went to see Surrogates last night. It was OK.

I'm OK. I'm fine. Being happy all the time is exhausting.

• Exit Music (to a film) Radiohead
  

All the hopes that you've been holding onto for so long
And the fires you've been chasing down now are all gone
I can tell you are a long way from the one you love
Ohh the night it takes so long to fall

Tonight is my yoga/dinner/movie/radio show combination. Do you know I can't type the word "radio" without actually typing "radioh" and backspacing? That comes of writing about Radiohead too damn much.

Census tract codes really will be the death of me. And/or my boss's computer which has frozen up for the 15th time trying to load the data I need.

Am a bit tired today, even though I only went to 2 of the 4 bars on the agenda last night.

But it's a glorious day--perfect temperature. I got to wear boots and my blue velvet jacket. OK, so I look a little like Austin Powers in it. So what? He was cool back in 1997.

Have been taking a lot of people-pictures lately. They're on Facebook mostly, of course. Because of the faces in them.

"Egads! My tooth!" (this is a random reference to 1996. Not even the people there would remember it. Don't feel like explaining. It's not that funny.)

• "In the Night" Basia Bulat

Another funny boxing quote

Me: sorry I keep punching your fingers!
Charlie: this is a funny place to apologize for hitting someone

the awesome things

She fell in love with the drummer,
She fell in love with the drummer,
She fell in love
I miss the innocence I've known
Playing Kiss covers, beautiful and stoned

I continue having red letter days. A postcard life. Or at least, a blog-update life.

Today's coup was marked by an excellent GIS map (after hours of tedium, to be sure, but at least it came to fruition partially, though census tract IDs may yet be the death of me) which even the executive director noticed. And he has started slowly but surely to acknowledge me as a human being, which is awesome. My boss took me to lunch for my birthday, and we got Ethiopian. And she said I was doing a really good job, in order to counteract the opprobrium I've encountered from my research advisor.

Tonight I will make s'mores with my friends. Tomorrow I will see 2 bands play and get drinks with some other friends. Friday, yoga, dinner, and a movie. Saturday, a party. Sunday, a party. Oh, at some point, a problem set must be completed, but I'm not sure when that will be. There are so many more important things in life than school.

And today it's raining, which I always love even though it often gives me a headache. Not today. Not on my watch.

• Heavy Metal Drummer, Wilco
  

Radio podcasts

Glitter on the west streets
Silver over everything
The glitter’s all wet
You’re all chrome

I have had to put a password on my radio podcasts (right). Ask me for it if I didn't manage to include you in the spam email that got it to you.

I've had a lovely couple of weeks. I don't know why, just because I guess. Things are enormously easier when I can stay awake for the entire day.

Boxing continues to be a joy, the first time exercise has been so, excluding yoga, which is too soft, thought it's nice to buffer the boxing between with yoga. I have developed a Friday ritual of going to yoga with a friend and then getting stuffed-crust pizza and talking about boys. Which seems to defeat the purpose of yoga, the letting go of material things and attachments to people and whatnot.

I've found myself wanting to take care of the people around me. And having them to take care of. A friend that's depressed. A friend that's homesick. I want to fix them, and I feel helpless. One of them doesn't drink alcohol, so even the leftover wine from my party isn't an option. But dinner in a couple of weeks is, at a restaurant of her home country, so that's what we'll do for now.

Anyway, that's all for now. Updating for updating's sake. Send me your address, I'll send you something. I'm stalking post offices now. And I'll probably explain why in the postcard I will mail you.

• "Heads Will Roll" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
  

A case of the Mondays

My mind's just put on boxing gloves
My heart refuses to fight it

So tired all today. Meant to get lots done and then crash, but here I am doing nothing at all, listening to music, but not new music in a productive, responsible way. No practicing for the presentation tomorrow. I did manage to wash my hair, a few days overdue. And read some letters I got. And am washing my clothes.

Blah. Even though I was looking forward to relaxing, the thought of coming home today struck me as awfully boring. I didn't have anything fun to do, nor did I especially want to do the things I ought to do. Hence, the place is a mess, making me feel even crappier about my life at the moment. I should feel this way. It's just tiredness. Always tired. The only time I feel ready to go is when I'm out with friends. Wow. Am I becoming an extrovert? HAHAHAHAHa that is the funniest thing ever.

• Title Fight: Heart v. Mind, Darren Hanlon

Music...errr....Fridays?

This doesn't have the alliteration of Sirena's theme posts, but I am bored right now, and I just want to share this alphabetical list of the favorites that put on my phone, rather randomly. I'm really enjoying listening to these songs in alphabetical order. This morning I started out with "Shot by Both Sides" by Magazine, which really doesn't seem like a song I would like, but I love it.

• (Nice Dream) Radiohead
• All Together Now The Beatles
• Belleville Rendez-Vous from the movie
• Big Exit PJ Harvey
• Birthday The Bird and the Bee
• Bulletproof...I Wish I Was Radiohead
• Casimir Pulaski Day Sufjan Stevens
• Chicago Sufjan Stevens
• Cracks in the Canvas PJ Harvey (closest link I can get, but it's available on my Radio Shows website, if I get my bandwidth back soon)
  
• Drops in the River Fleet Foxes
• Elegy Balmorhea (also available on my Radio Shows website, if I get my bandwidth back soon)
• Favorite Adventure K's Choice
• Frontier Psychiatrist The Avalanches
• Got My Mind Set On You George Harrison (this is the version of the video I like)
  
• He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot Grandaddy
• Here It Comes Doves
• Hide and Seek Imogen Heap
• High and Dry Radiohead
• I'm Looking Through You The Beatles
• I'm Sticking With You Velvet Underground
• If I Needed Someone The Beatles
• "In the Absence of the Sun" Duncan Sheik (this is a scavenger hunt, and this is one I just couldn't find)
  
• It's Summertime The Flaming Lips
• Knights of Cydonia Muse
• La Femme D'Argent Air
• Let Down Radiohead
• My Love The Bird and the Bee
• Mykonos Fleet Foxes
• Nobody Told Me John Lennon
• Nowhere Man The Beatles
• One Johnny Cash
• Paper Planes MIA
• Planet Telex Radiohead
• Polaroid Millenium Superior
• Pounding Doves
• Sexy Sadie The Beatles
• "She Is" Sufjan Stevens (this is a scavenger hunt, and this is one I just couldn't find)
• Shot By Both Sides Magazine
• "So Bad" Shearwater (Absolutely gorgeous song, available on my Radio Shows website, if I get my bandwidth back soon)
• Some Velvet Morning Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood (WTF?)
  
• Street Spirit (Fade Out) Radiohead
• Such Great Heights Iron & Wine
• Summer's Gone Feeder
• Supermassive Black Hole Muse
• Teardrop Massive Attack
• This is Love PJ Harvey
• We Float PJ Harvey
• Why Not Smile? REM (could only find the clip)
  
• You Held the World in Your Arms Idlewild

I don't know how you'll use this list. Go to ones you haven't heard in a while? Go to ones you've never heard of? Process the ones that you love and ignore the others? For me, it always depends on what mood I'm in when I'm suddenly dumped with a lot of new music. But there it is.

"Here we are in Falling Rock again!"

My grandparents are awesome. And I'm not just saying that because they gave me money for my birthday.

I just finished my problem set, but I had no idea what I was doing. So I just wrote a lot. I am familiar with this method from being a TA, and it's freaking annoying for the grader, but I'm doing it anyway.

I went out to Lake Austin Spa today (seeing many a "Falling Rock" sign along 620). It was heavenly. That's the only way I can describe it. There was a light breeze, and a gentle sun. I fell asleep once during a head massage and had a nightmare, from which I started awake, and scared both of us. But besides that, it was all perfect. And it ended with my very favorite esthetician in the world giving me a free sample of something very, very expensive. Bonus of bonuses.

And tonight, during the problem set time, my cats have been distractingly adorable. I took pictures, which of course I will post somewhere. Maybe on Catbook (the feature within Facebook). Also, I bought Wilco tickets finally. And tomorrow, after boxing, I will probably go dancing.

Trying to keep the "all about what I'm doing" entries short and sweet. I will come up with something entertaining soon enough.

• My grandmother, unclear that the warning sign was not a signpost for a new town.

Hold on, hold on, keep holding on to me
I will love you from the bottom
No one holds you better than me.

The party went swimmingly. Special thanks to my mom and dad for helping me give it. There are pictures on Facebook. I also had an extra special show Friday, and a few people called in told me how much they liked the set. Today, my toes are still numb from wearing the crazy shoes. I went to yoga, and we did these funny squats, and he kept saying, "You should really be feeling this in your toes." I smiled smugly and held the pose longest of anyone. Been ridiculously productive at work, despite shooting pains in my shoulder. Yoga teacher helped with that, though yoga itself made my back hurt (again, I am falling apart).

Anyway, it is now officially my birthday, and I feel blessed by some higher power at the moment. Good family, good friends, good cats, good city, good ice cream, new phone, computer possibly not broken, subscription to the Economist, cards to open, new Twilight T-shirt and trading cards, a fridge full of wine. And a giant problem set to finish tonight. Sigh.

Despite that, it is The Best Birthday Evar.

• The Bird and the Bee "Birthday"

pics

from my shopping spree

omg lol this update! is so girly!

This is kind of about you
And this is kind of about me
But one day, we'll float
Take life as it comes

Party plans are finally coming together. I think there will be many people there, which is exciting and terrifying to think of. I'm listening to the songlist (because of course I'm playing DJ; or, iTunes is, with my careful supervision), and it's starting my day off right.

I went on a shopping spree yesterday (well, for me). I got (brand new, not thrift shop): two pairs of shoes (4 inch heals...STUPID!), 2 dresses, and a shirt. At Strut, a place I've been hearing about, and indeed, it is adorable, and relatively reasonably priced for a boutique type shop.

Hey boy won't you take me out tonight
I'm not afraid of all the reasons that we shouldn't try

• "We Float" PJ Harvey (secondary quote The Bird and the Bee, "My Love")

Days are just drops in the river to be lost always
...
Years ago, birds of a feather would arrive nightly
Gone you know, held to another like clutched ivy
On the shore, speak to the ocean and receive silence

I think, after all that, I am going to drop Russian.  I
really like a leisurely
lifestyle, and I won't have that while stuck in campus
for 8 hours twice a week.
So, that's that.  Whatever it may hold for my future,
it holds delights and wonders
for my present.  I stay in boxing.  I keep the radio
show.  I plan things like this
super awesome party this weekend.

And to you Russian Housers: guess who's coming!  Sasha! 
(Alex, not Alexis, sadly).
We've lived in the same city for 6 years, and I've never
seen him.  But that's the
wonder of Facebook.

• "Drops in the River," Fleet Foxes

Live your life until love is found
Or love's gonna get you down

I was listening to Darren Hanlon because I was very happy. But then I realized I was happier than that--I am Mika-happy.

• "Lollipop" Mika

I was stronger
I was better
.....
Let it fall
Let it fall

Chiropractor helped. Two migraine pills helped. Yoga didn't help. Wine didn't help. Narcolepsy pills didn't help (HATE those things). Shower didn't help. Saigon Sorbetto helped. Radiohead helped. Rain and thunder helped. Grocery shopping helped.

Radiohead really helped. Listening to old b-sides. Making me cry tears of joy and sorrow.

• "How I Made My Millions" Radiohead

The moment's already passed
Yeah, it's gone
I'm not here I'm not here

I am physically falling apart. I haven't been able to sleep all week because my backache wakes me up. Tiger balm, a bolster, Aleve, ibuprofen, and an ice pack don't help. My stomach hurts right now. Probably from a combo of the medicines and eating a frozen burrito on an empty stomach. I did thaw it out in the microwave first.

So much for my impressive sleeping skills.

• How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found, Radiohead

sleep study results

I officially fall asleep fast enough and consistently enough to be called "extremely tired," or some such non-clinical sounding term. I have twice the dreams that you do, too! And I don't move, not once, all night. Even with 50 electrodes pasted to my head. So, long story short, I'm being treated for narcolepsy.

I saw the Fruit Bats last night with A. A and I tried to separate out the real vampires from the fangbangers, and also identify what A and J labeled the "try-hards" when they were in college. I love the concept of a "try-hard"! Tired today, more so than usual, but it was worth it. Also, boxing was worth dragging myself to tonight because awesome things transpired. This weekend has filled up nicely, with yoga+pizza kicking things off tomorrow at 6. Don't forget to tune in at 1am tomorrow night to kvrx.org (or search kvrx on your college radio stations on iTunes).

Now all I wanna do
is sleep

What is UP with this week and not being able to sleep?

• "Sleep" Garbage

i hate this post

And if some day your dreams are leaving you
I'll still believe in you

First day of class, for me anyway. Sigh. I kind of like the working world. But I think I'll like this semester's schedule (assuming I get my stupidity fixed--got dropped from my class for not paying tuition on time): 1 class UT, 1 class ACC (also up in the air), 1 hour radio, 4.5 hours boxing, 2 hours yoga, 30 hours work.

Margaritas were had last night, with A and J, J who is moving here next month. Neither of them are drinkers, and I got there early, so I was mostly at the bar drinking alone, which is awesome. It was also my old place of work, so bonus if anyone recognized me. I only recognized one person, about whom I once had a dream that he saved children in his free time, a la Superman.

• "Tomorrow is Today" Billy Joel