Leatherheads

I've been taking a nearly two week respite from blogging. I went to Florida at the end of my spring break. I won't tell you about everything that happened but I visited the Corkscrew Swamp where my dad and I used to go when I was little (I don't think I've been to Naples in at least seven years). Let's just say the people that work for Audubon or the National Geographic Society have really neat jobs. Corkscrew is still really awesome. Probably one of the only uninterrupted expanses of trash-free land in the whole state... too bad that's not enough. All the surrounding development chokes the swamp over time of its water... and ugh. Humanity.

The number one AOL Instant Messenger Conversation excerpt that accurately describes "where I'm at in life":

wolf party joe: life has been awesome
wolf party joe: just like
wolf party joe: trying to keep it simple and like
wolf party joe: trying not to change things
wolf party joe: trying to be real
wolf party joe: that sounded really douche-y
wolf party joe: but it's true!
wolf party joe: that exclamation point was too
wolf party joe: im not going through some weird new age phase thing or anything
maevelauren: hahah i feel ya
maevelauren: you
maevelauren: that was douche-y
wolf party joe: thanks for being honest
wolf party joe: what are you reading
maevelauren: nothing!
and on...
[I have been in a pretty good place though. Ever since turning in my research paper Thursday (Topic: the Smiths. Premise: their uniqueness and subsequent massive influence. End result: way better than junior year's but it's still no "Gatsby v. Caufield: A Great American Novel Showdown), school seems far-less daunting. I won an award: first place in the "Reviews" category of the Delaware Press Association's student journalism competition. Shit didn't turn out as bad as I thought in that whole bag of blog-mess. Camping is less terrifying. I didn't die in a plane crash. Romantic relationships with girls are a total afterthought.]

Girls aren't offbeat professional women however. Here are my top-five fantasy ladayz:
1. Tina Fey (writer, 30 Rock, SNL, Baby Momma)
2. Carrie Brownstein (guitarist, Sleater-Kinney; blogger, Monitor Mix; co-star/writer, Thunderant)
3. Mindy Kaling (co-star/writer, the Office)
4. Liz Phair circa 1993 (soon-to-be indie rock starlet)
5. Kari Byron (costar, Mythbusters)

Top top-four things I loved about Leatherheads that most people won't care about:
1. George Clooney's flawless portrayal of the prohibition-era male (see also: O Brother, Where Art Thou?)
2. Renee Zellwegger as a journalist (Ohmagah.)
3. The underlying point it was trying to make about football's ascension to the incredibly popular yet comparatively unexciting sport it is today.
4. The fistfight scene between Clooney and John Krasinski. Also, Krasinski's whole All American Boy thing was totally affable.

Hot late-spring tickets:
-Pearl Jam @ MSG June 25
-R.E.M. @ Merriwether Post Pavillion June 11
-The Breeders @ TLA June 8
-The Kooks @ TLA June 5
-Dizzee Rascal @ FUC May 9
-Glow in the Dark Tour @ Tweeter May 17
-NASCAR @ Dover Downs June 1 (Don't ask why or knock it til you've been.)

Not looking forward to:
-Graduation
-Turning eighteen
-Every school day until the end of the year
-My next inoculations (I don't even have any idea when that is.)
-Spending lots of money on concert tickets
-Spending lots of my parents' money on Prom, grad party, camping etc.
-Cramming an insane amount of things into this summer. They're all important, none expendable.

Exciting things I did last month:
-Got into a fistfight with my cousin
-Met Dave Eggers (picture below. Contender for most exciting event of the year.)
-Drove home from Center City via West Philadelphia
-Stood on a rooftop
-Drove an old lady home
-Won an award

Lost gems and pleasant surprises I found today whilst reorganizing ALL my CDs:
-All my White Stripes CDs in perfect condition with liners
-Ditto for Lemonheads
-Two copies of London Calling
-Inexplicably, two copies of Dropkick Murphys' Blackout
-All the albums my mom needs to keep her happy (except Tapestry)
-All the Guided by Voices albums my dad needs to keep him happy
-My old RFR DVD
-My old RFR Mix!

Current listening:
-Sleater-Kinney (everything.)
-Cap'n Jazz (Analphabeta...)
-Lemonheads (It's a Shame About Ray reissue.)
-R.E.M. (Accelerate. Totally awesome. Even more so if you're over thirty, I'll bet.)


Several Funny Evan Dando Moments

(answering fan mail, beginnings of the crack phase)


(visiting a high school)


(Regis and Kathy Lee)

What I bought at Borders today:
-Dirt Music (book, caught my eye.)
-Trainspotting (book, actually written in Scottish accent; headache inducing.)
-Beggars Banquet (part of my ongoing self-called-for attempt to educate myself about the Stones... greatness.)
-Adaptation (movie. Would not have bought it if it hadn't been on sale for eight dollars.)

Where I'd like to travel:
Australia (for several months, will go all over the place), France (Paris, but a more concentrated look at the countryside), Montenegro, Iceland, Post-Bloc Eastern Europe, Cuba... also: California, Seattle, Central Pennsylvania, an odyssey throughout the South...

'Night!
props to Allison and Anna for the prodding.

Assorted List Mess:








stop.