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NPR's Song Of The Day: The Breeze/My Baby Cries

2009-07-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

I am in love with NPR. For many reasons, but primarily because every morning in my email inbox is a link to NPR's Song Of The Day. Every weekday, NPR gives me the opportunity to discover music from artists both old and new. On 26 June 2009 I did just that.

The song is titled 'The Breeze/My Baby Cries', written and recorded in 1982 by singer-songwriter Kath Bloom, and it's a gift. Bill Callahan's cover made 'Song Of The Day', but Bloom's original track, featuring 'avant-garde blues guitarist'* Loren Connors, is available for listen, too. And this is the track that's been looping my iTunes for days now. I can't get enough because with every listen I hear something new. It leaves me feeling both fulfilled and unfulfilled at the same time. It's uneasy. There is depth and perfection in her lyrics and something about this song resonates with me.

"You can never be sure of the people you know,
When they don't want to show you their sadness.
Yesterday, I talked with my father.
He says that we can never win.
It's so hard for me to tell where I end,
And my father begins."

However, I am comfortably undecided about my feelings for Kath Bloom. Part of me wants to curl up in the fetal for her, and the other part would like to give her a standing ovation.

Listen here.

*So says Lars Gotrich, NPR.

Van Morrison

2009-05-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Van Morrison is notorious for walking off stage after performing just a few songs if he's not feeling the crowd. In the early 70's when my dad saw him at Winterland in San Francisco, he walked off after 5 songs.

This was not the case on May 2, 2009 when we saw Van Morrison at the Greek Theater in Berkley, CA. My dad prayed all morning and I managed my expectations. We both felt part of a privileged audience when he played a full two sets. After a one hour long set and a 14 minute intermission, he and his band performed Astral Weeks (released in November 1968 on Warner Bros. Records) start to finish, and then ended with Gloria, an old Them B-side (Baby, Please Don't Go recorded in 1964).

Overall, an 8 on the 1-10 scale: his strumming patterns are entirely unique, his voice is an instrument of its own (and he knows it), and, well, he's a genius, period, (which helps balance his funny look).

After such an incredible show in both quality and quantity, I feel a little ungrateful in wishing he would have played Into The Mystic. To quench my thirst, I YouTubed Into The Mystic and found this little gem, definitely worth sharing.

Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, Into the Mystic, November 23, 2007 at the Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, Canada

I wîsh

2009-04-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Found this somewhere. And I totally agree.

17 JAN 2009

2009-04-04T13:25:00.001-07:00

Mike woke me on his way in. He had three orchids from the Farmers Market in hand. I dressed and we went to 'bagels'. An amazing day proceeded. From our morning adventures we brought home:

Books:
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
William Faulkner's Collected Stories
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Wolfe
Love Poems for the Very Married by Lois Wyse (x2)
Thoreau: On Man and Nature
Winter Has Lasted Too Long by James Kavahaugh

Records:
Stephen Stills, Stephen Stills
Joni Mitchell, Court and Spark
Joni Mitchell and The LA Express, Miles of Aisles
Neil Diamond, Hot August Nights

Miscellaneous:
An old Adidas 'overnight bag'
Oak salt and pepper shaker set
Wine picnic bag
An application to show art work at The Great Bear
X-ray light box

We drove by Neal Cassady's old property in Monte Sereno, CA and we spent our afternoon reading in the mustard orchard in celebration of 'Jack Kerouac January'. After a stop in the Saratoga library, we came home and listened to our new Joni Mitchell record. I teared.

Florence and the Machine

2009-04-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

Florence and the Machine from Ray-Ban Rooms on Vimeo.

Wisdom

2009-04-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Christmas presents this year was, ironically, a book I both gave and received from my parents, two of the wisest people I know.

"Inspired by the idea that one of the greatest gifts one generation can pass to another is the wisdom it has gained from experience, the Wisdom project, produced with cooperation from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, seeks to create a record of a multicultural group of people who have all made their mark on the world. Presented against the same white space, all of the subjects are removed from their context which not only democratizes them, but also allows for a clear dialogue to exist between them. In an attempt to create a more profound, honest, and truly revealing portrait of these luminaries, the project encompasses their voices, their physical presence, and the written word. This comprehensive portrayal of such a profound and global group is an index of extraordinary perspectives. Wisdom is an ongoing project. Additions to the list of contributors continues."

> Website

NPR Listeners Pick The Year’s Best Music

2009-04-04T13:08:00.001-07:00

01. Fleet Foxes
Album: Fleet Foxes [Bonus Tracks]

02. Vampire Weekend
Album: Vampire Weekend

03. Bon Iver
Album: For Emma, Forever Ago

04. TV on the Radio
Album: Dear Science

05. Death Cab for Cutie
Album: Narrow Stairs

06. MGMT
Album: Oracular Spectacular [Bonus Features]

07. Flight of the Conchords
Album: Flight of the Conchords

08. My Morning Jacket
Album: Evil Urges

09. Coldplay
Album: Viva la Vida

10. Sigur Rós
Album: Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

11. She & Him
Album: Volume One

12. Okkervil River
Album: The Stand Ins

13. Beck
Album: Modern Guilt

14. Kimya Dawson and Antsy Pants
Album: Juno (Soundtrack)

15. The Raconteurs
Album: Consolers of the Lonely

16. Girl Talk
Album: Feed the Animals

17. The Black Keys
Album: Attack & Release

18. Kings of Leon
Album: Only by the Night

19. Conor Oberst
Album: Conor Oberst

20. Jenny Lewis
Album: Acid Tongue

21. The Hold Steady
Album: Stay Positive

22. Bob Dylan
Album: Bootleg Series, Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs - Rare and Unreleased 1989-2006

23. Blitzen Trapper
Album: Furr

24. Portishead
Album: Third

25. Brian Eno / David Byrne
Album: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

Fleet Foxes

2009-04-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Fleet Foxes - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Jaime Merz: The Font

2008-08-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

When writing with my right hand, as I always do, I've had several people ask inquiring questions, like: "Are you left handed?" and "Where did you learn to write like that?" Apparently, I hold my pen oddly.

Per a few suggestions, regardless of their intention... I have developed a font appropriately titled 'Jaime Merz'.

Download 'Jaime Merz'
{Jaime Merz.ttf}

Make Your Own for 9 Bucks
"Fontifier lets you use your own handwriting for the text you write on your computer. It turns a scanned sample of your handwriting into a handwriting font that you can use in your word processor or graphics program, just like regular fonts such as Helvetica."

Install Font
Windows
- Double-click the Fonts icon in the Control Panels folder.
- Drag the font file into the Fonts window to install your font.

MacOS X 10.3 or later
- Double-click the font file. A sample of your font will be displayed.
- Click the Install Font button to install your font.

MacOS X pre-10.3
- Drag the font file into the Fonts folder in your personal Library folder.

One Journey. Limitless Potential.

2008-07-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

My sister is one of the most inspiring people I know. She is driven, compassionate, selfless, and on a mission to change the world. As I am writing this, she is blazing a trail up the highest peak in the Southern California, with 20, or so, campers at her back.

WALL, Wilderness Adventure in Leadership and Learning, is a program that targets high school aged kids from low income communities in Los Angeles, giving them opportunities they might not otherwise be given. In turn, of course, shedding light on new perspectives and most importantly, their own potential.

WALL's mission reads:
One Journey. Limitless Potential.
Continuing an adventure 20 years in the making by promoting leadership, growth and teamwork. Embracing the challenge now to contribute to the communities of tomorrow.

I was privileged to design this t-shirt in support.

Who is Bill?

2008-07-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

Apparently, around the time I graduated from college, I sent my parents a brief survey. I have very little to no recollection of this, I am guessing because my mom never filled hers out, and my dad turned his in 3 years late. Just yesterday he found it in a file named "Important Misc. Papers". (Note: He wrote in all caps, and did not punctuate.)

Who am I?
Bill: THERE IS NO WAY TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN WORDS EXCEPT FOR STATISTICAL INFORMATION I.E. 54 YEAR OLD MALE US CITIZEN ETC. BESIDES THAT, CLUES TO WHO I AM CAN BE DERIVED FROM OTHER INFORMATION SUCH AS WHAT I LIKE ETC. (SEE BELOW)

What I value most:
Bill: THE PEOPLE I LOVE

What I like the most about education:
Bill: THE TRANSFER OF USE FULL KNOWLEDGE

What I like the least about education:
Bill: THE TRANSFER OF USELESS KNOWLEDGE

Money, time and responsibility aside, I would rather _____ than anything else:
Bill: EXPLORE THE PLANET (INCLUDING POSSIBLY THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE) & WORK FOR CHANGE (NOT SPARE CHANGE)

Excluding my parents, if I could chose any two people for my parents they would be:
Bill: ~~WARD & JUNE CLEVER, MR. ROGERS & AUNT BEA, ANDY GRIFFITH & LAURA PETRI, BILL GATES & MOTHER TERESA.~~ I DON'T KNOW

What geographical location do I most connect myself with?
Bill: NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Before I am done in life, I want to:
Bill: EXPLORE THE PLANET & WORK FOR CHANGE (NOT SPARE CHANGE)

I'd want to have a beer with Brandi Carlile

2008-06-25T16:28:00.000-07:00

I don't drink beer, but if I did, I'd want to have a beer with Brandi Carlile.

Brandi Carlile at the Rio Theater in Santa Cruz on June 23, 2008 equals the best show of my life. (A close second equals Patty Griffin at the Catalyst on March 17, 2007.)

The Rio Theater was the perfect venue for such occasion. For those of us that found it impossible to sit still during the performance, we stood in clusters, some pressed against the stage. Others sat behind us in theater style seats.

I found her incredibly captivating from the moment she walked out. Her on stage banter was charmingly awkward, but comfortable at the same time. She was attractively humble and gracious. I have a feeling that even in the largest of theaters, Brandi Carlile would be able to engage her audience in the same way, but at the Rio, it was 'intimate'. Others would throw out questions that she would field as if we were talking in her living room, the most appropriate cliché.

In between songs, someone asked about her next album, to which she excitedly let us know they are recording next month. Then the follow up question, "Will T-Bone produce it again?" She replied proudly, "No, we are. Together with Joe Chiccarelli." Applaud. She assumed we were applauding in acknowledgment of Chiccarelli, a Grammy award winning producer who's worked with incredible musicians including U2, Elton John, Rufus Wainwright and Tori Amos. We were applauding her. I was applauding in relief, assured that Brandi and her band plan to keep their sound organic and wholesome.

My favorite part of any show is the moment I first realize the artist is human. Brandi Carlile was human throughout, but one point in particular was my highlight. I don’t remember the context, it’s possible I was too mesmerized, but while tuning in between songs, she sang a few lines from a Shawn Colvin song. As simple as it was, a common ground was uncovered and for me, it was priceless.

I was hoping she’d play her Taylor 714ce at one point, because I, too, play a Taylor guitar. But it seems as though she’s now committed to her Acoustic Martin. I was not disappointed, however. Jealous? Yes. Of her incredible vocal control that she describes as “Technically wrong, but emotionally right.” She even yodeled at one point, another highlight, not because I love a good yodel, but because it showed the range of her musical interests and capabilities.

She played a good balance of old songs and new songs and she debated before playing her last. It was either going to be her most popular show close, Hallelujah, a Leonard Cohen ballad or Folsom Prison, a classic Johnny Cash. She decided on the latter and when she was finished I was hoping she’d start her set again from the top, but instead she thanked us for coming and met us in the lobby to sign autographs and shoot the shit.

If I could re-live the night, I would change only one thing about it. Instead of jokingly asking her to sign my friend's boobs, (which got a good laugh), I would ask instead if I could buy her a beer.

Right Brain, Left Brain

2008-06-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

I've heard many different explanations on how the right and left brain work, and until now, I've really only understood the basic responsibilities of each half. I used to wonder if I am primarily "right brained" or "left brained", but I gave up wondering when my dad asked "Why do you need to know?" (My dad is a wise man.)

What really intrigues me is how the two halves of our brain work together, how each half thinks independently, and how our brain, how our mind, ties us to the universe. This video is not only an incredibly moving story about survival, but is "insightful" in so many ways. Enjoy.

Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight

"Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story of recovery and awareness -- of how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another. (Recorded February 2008 in Monterey, California. Duration: 18:44.)"

Watch this video on TED: Ideas Worth Spreading

Buy Jill Bolte Taylor's book, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey on Amazon.com

Spare the Air

2008-06-19T07:54:00.001-07:00

Today is Spare the Air day, and therefore, I am about to set out on my bike to get work. I've done this journey once before, and it was quite enjoyable. Here's a thought: shouldn't every day be Spare the Air day?

I've identified two things that drive many of my decisions: time and convenience. It's gross. As good as he was, my high school econ teacher branded in my mind an idea that has haunted me: time is money. I have been long attempting to undo this now ingrained concept. And about convenience - sure the twenty minute drive to work is more convenient than the hour bike ride. But, I don't even want to think about all that I have missed by taking the more convenient route. And I am not just talking about my route to work. When I really think about it, convenience is boring and full of hurry. I rebel against hurry, but I am often guilty of it. Why? Children don't rush, they don't hurry. They observe, they enjoy. They bike.

So today I'll ride. Never mind time, never mind convenience. Mind, instead, the air I breath, and the elements of my route I've always missed by taking the more convenient path.

I printed out the bus schedule, just in case. In support of Spare the Air, VTA is giving free rides.

Santa Clara County Bikeways Map