Home for the holidays

Last December I spent the entire month in Hawaii with my family. It was beautiful and warm. But I missed one of my favorite things about the holiday season, all the music that rolls through town! So, time to do some research. Who is home for the holidays?

PORTUGAL. THE MAN

Upcoming Shows

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Dec 19 2008 8:00P	Downstairs at Club M	Anchorage, Alaska
Dec 20 2008 8:00P	Mat-Su Resort	Wasilla, Alaska

DELMAG

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Dec 27 2008 10:00P Koots (delmag) Anchorage, Alaska Jan 3 2009 9:00P Koots (delmag) Anchorage, Alaska

MATT HOPPER

Upcoming Shows

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Dec 10 2008 9:00P	CHILKOOT CHARLIES (solo)	Anchorage, Alaska
Dec 13 2008 8:00P	PANDEMONIUM (solo - all ages)	Wasilla, Alaska
Dec 18 2008 7:00A	KWHL 106.5 BOB AND MARK MORNING SHOW	Anchorage, Alaska
Dec 18 2008 9:30P	THE AVENUE w/ Steven Bacon, Jared Woods, Evan Phillips, Matthew Dean Herman and more...	Anchorage, Alaska
Dec 20 2008 5:30P	THE VENUE / FOX 4	Television Zoo, Alaska
Dec 20 2008 8:00P	MAT-SU RESORT w/ Portugal. The Man	Wasilla, Alaska
Dec 28 2008 7:00P	WILDBERRY THEATRE w/ Evan Phillips, Steven Bacon, Dan Zoen, Keely Boyle, Crystal Hutchens	Anchorage, Alaska
Dec 31 2008 9:30P	BLUES CENTRAL w/ H3	Anchorage, Alaska

LIVES OF FAMOUS MEN

Upcoming Shows

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Dec 17 2008 8:00P	Chilkoot Charlies - HOLIDAY BASH	Anchorage, Alaska
Dec 19 2008 8:00P	The Downstairs w/ Portugal The Man	Anchorage, Alaska

Ray LaMontagne

I got to see him live in Portland a couple days ago. So good!

"SHELTER" and "HOLD ME IN YOUR ARMS"

Jimmy

This guy was one of my favorite at the Anchorage Daily News when I worked there. His desk was right in front of mine and some of the highlights of my days were listening to him cuss out people on the phone. :)

CLICK TO PLAY KTUU VIDEO

Definition of the week: Love

One of the teens at work, 17-year-old Cooper Galvin, interviewed some seventh grade girls at Steller Secondary about their definition of love. I just really dig this interview. It is silly. :)

Owl cookies get the thumbs up

My mom taught me how to make these owl cookies when I was little. They were one of my favorite things about Halloween. I remember being really particular about which cashew beak went with which owl eyes. Good times!

I took a bunch over to Brian and Roland's party tonight and they were a hit. Alex Post suggested candy corn would make a good nose as well. I have this weird feeling I am going to see someone in the grocery store and they're going to be like, "Hey, aren't you that girl from that party who made those owl cookies. Magical!"

I feel the need to share the magic!

Duck and cover!

So, I went to go drop off my summer tires at my mom's house this morning and was greeted by a very vocal duck. Shouldn't all the ducks have hit the road by now? It came right up to me and poked by feet with its beak. I think it was trying to eat my toes.

DUCK


I called the bird treatment center and they said I should catch it in a towel, put it in a box and bring it to them. Well, this is what it looked like when I tried to do that.

ANGRY DUCK

So, I kind of gave up on the idea.

He had the clots (A little story)

He was about 35, wearing an Enyce velour suit and an worn leather Raiders jacket. He was in the same predicament I was, he had "the clots." (Blood clots.) I wasn't in a velour suit, though I wondered if I might be more comfortable had I been. I was in a black, dot wool coat and jeans with a purple pattern scarf around my neck. No, I was comfortable enough.

"You here for your Coumadin check?" He asked.

We were at the family medical center to get our fingers pricked to make sure our blood was good, both thinking it was probably going to be too high. See, we are going for numbers between 2 and 3. Last time mine was a 3.6 and last time his was too high as well.

"I sure love my vegetables! Can't eat 'em. I love greens. Can't eat collard greens," he lamented.

You have to watch your diet when you are eating the rat poison, Coumadin. If you eat too many greens your blood numbers will be too low, your blood too thick. If you were to have a shot of whiskey or glass of tea, your numbers would be too high, too thin.

Both of us had to be to work soon and there were two ladies in wheel chairs in line ahead of us, along with a pregnant woman and a woman who had already been there for three hours getting other tests.

"Hurry it up folks!" Enyce grumbled. "They need more nurses 'round here."

"I miss cranberry juice," I related.

"Oh yah, I had some of that yester...Oh shit!" He said. "It's going to be high. And I had tea this mornin'. Damnit, why do I keep messin' it up."

"Hmmm..." I mumbled. "This is my last week!"

"Watch that. They'll get ya." He warned. "I was off it for a while too and they put me back on."

The nurse called my name, "Elizabeth?"

She pricked me and squeezed my middle finger until she had enough.

Reading, 2.9.

That'll do! On my way out I waved bye.

Oct. 22 is the last day I take Coumadin, hopefully.

I guess there is no promise that I will never have to take it again. But the outlook is good and the end is near. It has been six months since I had a good dose of whiskey, a glass of cranberry juice or a nice big helping of broccoli. And if I so desire, I can get in on those collard greens as well. Perhaps I should have asked for his recipe.

Oh, sweet summer in Denali.

So, it is snowing. I'm dreading the line to get my snow tires put on and dreaming of the warm sun on my back. Then I remembered this slide show the kids at work put together after our trip to Denali National Park in July. I don't think I ever shared it.

DENALI SLIDESHOW

Definition of the week: Rosie

Though my name is not spelled the same, I can relate to this.

urbandictionary.com
Definition: Rosie
A name given to a select few women who are extraordinary! We pride ourselves on doing our best and always being friendly. However there is nothing that we Rosies can't stand more than our ever famous nicknames and phrases that come with the fabulous name: Nosy rosie, rosie palms (and her five friends), rosie posie pudding and pie (kissed the boys and made em cry), Rosie o'donnell, Rosanne!, and ring around the rosie. Nor do we enjoy you telling us that you have a pet named after us. "o rosie! i have a dog named rosie!" But we still stay sweet and cute and that is why you love us! To sum it all up, its the best name in the land!

The world would be a better place if we were all rosie!

P.S. Looks like I am not the only Rosey with an ego. Ha!

Two more nights of music at my favorite bar!

"Cryyyyyyyyyy! I want to see your faaaaaaace. I need you to come hoooooooome."

So, Delmag is tonight at the Ave!

But I also must mention that tomorrow night Rebel Blues plays there and then Addverse (b. meyers) will get us up and movin' on Saturday!

So, there you have it. The Avenue has planned your weekend for you! All you have to do is show up. :)

Two nights of good music at my favorite bar. Join me!

Mindy booked some shows in AK for these guys, Blood Country, who she met at South by Southwest. They are playing a show at The Avenue tonight that everyone should come check out! Mindy played a couple albums for me and I give them the ol' thumbs up.

Also, Delmag (featuring Erik Braund) is playing the Ave on the following night, Thursday!

Blood Country AK Tour

Upcoming Shows

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Aug 15 2008 5:00P	Kenai Peninsula State Fair	Ninilchik, Alaska
Aug 15 2008 9:00P	The Clam Shell	Clam Gulch, Alaska
Aug 16 2008 5:00P	The Kenai Peninsula State Fair	Ninilchik, Alaska
Aug 16 2008 9:00P	The Inlet View	Ninilchick, Alaska
Aug 17 2008 5:00P	The Kenai Peninsula State Fair	Nilnilchik, Alaska
Aug 18 2008 9:00P	Alice’s Champagne Palace	Homer, Alaska
Aug 19 2008 9:00P	The Yukon Bar	Steward, Alaska
Aug 20 2008 10:00P	The Avenue	Anchorage, Alaska

Super-fast running shoes (A little story)

This morning, on the walk through my downtown Anchorage neighborhood to work, I was suddenly greeted by a small boy, about four years old. He came out of nowhere!

Through the chain-link fence he said, "Hello! What's your name?" I told him and then he propped his shoe up on his hand and told me to take a look at his "super-fast running shoes." They were the type that had odd-shaped soles with ridges through them to make them more aerodynamic or something. The kind he had reason to be proud of.

I was reminded of going to the mall with my dad when I was little to get him some new running shoes. A memory I forgot existed. It would take him forever to pick out the very best shoe, an important chore for a guy who grew up in the 50s and 60s when PF Flyers were guaranteed to make kids run their fastest and jump their highest. I pictured the boy and his dad at the shoe store weighing their options.

"But it rained this morning..." The boy told me.

"Does the rain make it more slippery?" I asked.

"No," the boy answered.

"Nice to meet you," I smiled.

"See ya!" He said.

Then I finished walking to work.

JOHNNY QUEST PF FLYERS COMMERCIAL

Somebody got the power animal memo...

Or maybe it was ESP? OK, OK, I'll stop.

But everyone should get out and catch one on these ESP shows. Mindy and I are going to Palmer on Wednesday night.

We saw these guys at Vagabond Blues last time they were in town and had a pleasant time. The three have great stage banter. My favorite part was when Easton made fun of one of Phillips' new songs, comparing it to a male enhancement commercial or something, I can't remember. But it was funny. They basically take turns on lead vocals and harmonize well. It's a don't miss! I would even encourage catching the Friday night show at Snow Goose and then making your way over to the party at our place. It would be a perfect combo.

Upcoming Shows

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12 Aug 2008 3:00 P	KNBA 90.3 FM - LIVE On-Air Performance	Anchorage, Alaska
13 Aug 2008 7:30 P	VAGABOND BLUES record release show	Palmer, Alaska
14 Aug 2008 8:00 P	HOUSE CONCERT	Anchorage, Alaska
15 Aug 2008 8:30 P	SNOW GOOSE THEATRE record release show	Anchorage, Alaska
17 Aug 2008 9:00 A	KANTISHNA MUSIC FESTIVAL	Kantishna, Alaska
19 Aug 2008 7:00 P	Fairbanks House Concert	FAIRBANKS, Alaska
20 Aug 2008 8:00 P	THE BLUE LOON	FAIRBANKS, Alaska

Power Animal farewell to Mindy Kim Graham

Sketch by Lee Post

As all you who love Mindy know, she is leaving soon for Baltimore to become a scientist. We are having one last Power Animal bash over at the apartment for her on Friday Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. Wear your Power Animal shirt and with our forces combined we will wish her a safe journey!

POWER ANIMALS!

'How strange it is just to be alive at all'

'LIFE IS A SONG' - PATRICK PARK

Joint Juice (A little story)

I've always wondered what it would be like to be one of those people at Costco who prepares the free samples. But usually as soon as the question enters my mind, it leaves. Until yesterday.

I went over to Costco to pick up some water bottles and Cheez-Its for the kids at work. On my way to the checkout, I passed the pharmacy section with all the three-packs of tooth paste and giant jars of vitamin gummy bears. There I saw a thin, pale-faced guy delivering small shots of Joint Juice, a "ready-to-drink glucosamine supplement."

A little girl, about 8 years old, nervously approached the lubricator of healthy joints and reached for a cup. She wore men's jeans shorts and a grandma polo shirt with little blue watering pails all over it. She had pig tails and looked like she might be a regular at the Saturday afternoon warehouse buffet, if you know what I mean. She was definitely one of those who goes back for seconds on the good stuff and probably goes for a Costco dog on the way out.

As she reached for a small cup, the type that usually holds ketchup at the neighborhood burger joint, the pale-faced guy looked at her funny.

"Are you sure you really need glucosamine?" He asked.

Just then a woman with a cart full of meat, a cart full!, snagged a cup and headed toward the toothpaste. The pale-faced guy diverted his attention to the woman.

"Would you like to know what Joint Juice is?"

She looked at him like he was intrusive for asking, infringing on her rights to privacy.

That is it, my glimpse into the life. I looked back and smiled as I made my way to the shortest check stand before a guy with a flatbed of paper towels and toilet paper beat me to it.

Beau Bodnar the 'moose whisperer'

Photo by Terri Semmler

Oh my goodness, did you guys see this! I can't believe no one called to inform me.

According to a Daily News article today, Beau Bodnar of JEB is a "freaking crazy" moose whisperer.

"We just can't leave a moose like that running amok in the neighborhood." -Rick Sinnott

More like, we can't have a Beau Bodnar like that running amok in the neighborhood.

Spoonflower

So, I got the official invite today from Spoonflower, a beta site that allows you to upload your own fabric designs to be printed for $18 a yard. I'm excited. I'm nervous. And the thing is, now I want to spend all day working on a design rather than work. Oh, well. Tonight!

SPOONFLOWER EPISODE 5

Definition of the week: Doppelganger

Urbandictionary.com
1. Doppelganger

Someone that looks the exact same as another person. yet not a twin. ghost identical to living person: an apparition in the form of a double of a living person

Example: yo i saw someone that looked just like u...could have been your doppelganger

LOOK-A-LIKE?

Rich Stromberg and Josh Harty

I knew this lady who had a twin, not by blood, in her own town. Her parents went to the local fast food restaurant and thought there clerk was their own daughter but she wasn't. "Jody! You never told us you got a job!" "I'm not Jody."

Once I was in Atlanta, Georgia and I swore I saw this kid from my brother's baseball team working at a water park. But the kid at the park swore up and down he had never been to Alaska and, for that matter, didn't know anyone who had.

My roommate Mindy has a twin in Fairbanks, they are exactly like each other in every way but looks. They both study infectious diseases, come from military dads and korean moms, have an affinity for local music and guys with guitars, the list goes on.

And then, last night I went to a BBQ/music jam and met this musician who looks like he could be the doppelganger of a friend Rich Stromberg, who I originally met working at the college newspaper at UAA. Josh Harty is a singer/songwriter originally from Fargo, North Dakota who is going to play a show at Humpy's tonight.

You tell me. They long lost brothers or what?

Being silly at work...

Guest spot on 'Natural Selection'

I got to guest host on Mindy's KRUA radio show "Natural Selection," Tuesday. Here is the recording of the show if you would like to listen!

PLAYLIST

Feist - "Brandy Alexander"
Matt Sheehy - "About Piano"
Kaki King - "Gay Sons of Lesbian Mothers"
Andrew Norsworthy - "do you ever"
Patrick Park - "Life's a song"
Jaymay - "Autumn Falls"
Band of Annuals - "Ain't lookin' back"
The Devil Whale - "Dirty Mouth"
Marcus Bently - "Dimestore Return"
Wilco - "Hummingbird"
Sun Kil Moon - "Last Tide"
Portugal. The Man - "Telling Tellers Tell Me"
The Devil Whale - "Turn around this car"
Cory Branan - "Tall green grass"
Josh Rouse - "Streetlights"
The Owls - "Air"
Belle and Sebastian - "If she wants me"
Bright Eyes - "I woke up with this song in my head this morning"
The Beatles - "Here comes the sun"
The Shins - "Phantom Limb"
Paul Simon - "Me and Julio down by the school yard"
Lucero - "Tears don't Matter much"
Patrick Park - "Summertime"

Strange sighting at Ocean's Fest 2008

LONG LOST LOVE

I finished the book. Jimi is dead.

I just finished reading "Room Full of Mirrors" by Charles R. Cross, a journalist from the Seattle area, who specializes in the lives and deaths of the Cult of 27. The cult is a group of successful musicians who died at the age of 27, including Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Robert Johnson and Jim Morrison, among others.

"Room Full of Mirrors" is successful in that it feels complete. You don't feel like you are missing a single thing. Fact or fiction. Or fact so outrageous it seems like fiction.

Fact: Jimi had at least two children, Tamiki Carpenter and James Sundquist. Both were children of groupies he slept with. He never met his children. He was probably too much into free love to handle the responsibility. He was never DNA tested to prove that they were his kids but they look like him.

Fiction: Jimi killed himself on purpose. This book leads to the conclusion that if Jimi in fact wanted to kill himself he would not have left 40 sleeping pills in the bottle. He took nine probably thinking that European sleeping pills would not be as strong as American. And Jimi had a high tolerance for drugs.

Outrageousness: Jimi had a large one. In Chicago in the late 60s, there was a group of girls called the Plaster Casters. Jimi was one of the first to have his penis cast by them. Cynthia Plaster Caster is still casting penises and breasts of talented people in Chicago.

Can rats laugh?

Aristotle didn't think so. He thought laughter was something that separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. But at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, psychobiologist Dr. Jaak Panksepp says he can make rats laugh. Human ears just can't hear it. It is crazy how in this video after he "tickles" the rat, it follows his hand like it is asking for more.

Radio Lab did a show on laughter, where I got the link to this video.

Elton :)

Here is a clip from the Friday night Elton John show in Anchorage. You can hear my sis Nati singing along in the background, silly.

BENNIE AND THE JETS


I went with my mom, brother, sisters and Sara and had a great time. Highlights were the flamboyant light show and how after almost every song he would jump up and confront the crowd, give some points, shout outs, muscle flexes, thumbs up, etc. How a 60-year-old man can play like that three nights in a row is beyond me.

The sound was Sully sound but he played with the reverb and seemed to have fun with it, especially on "Rocket Man," so I got over it. All in all, worth my Momma's money! :) Thanks Mom!

Definition of the week: Power Animal Shirt

So, my roommate Mindy and I stumbled upon greatness this week when she purchased an animal t-shirt downtown at one of the tourist shops. We knew it was hot right off the bat. But she wore it one day while hanging out with her mom and returned to tell the stories of the power the shirt exudes.

Urbandictionary.com (Coming Soon!)
An animal t-shirt often sold at tourist shops in the U.S., most often printed with an airbrush look. Common Alaska prints include wolves howling at the moon, bears showing some teeth and eagles descending. If you take pictures of these shirts in the night, the power glows.

Example: Mindy is getting hit on all the time because she is rockin' the power animal T. And I heard she won a hula hoop contest because of its magic.

B.Meyers, Mindy and Rosey

Now, we all have one. And those of us who do not, get on it! But good luck trying to find one at a thrift store. I tried and came to the conclusion that when people buy a power animal T, they hold on to it. :D


Roland, Rosey, Lee, Mindy, and Alex


Rosey, Paul and Mindy

Also, check out Lee Post's blog on Power Animals.

Another reason to buy more magazines!

Check this tutorial out. I am going to go to Freds and buy some brackets ASAP.

YouTube your name!

So, I thought, why not? Type it in, "Rosey Robards." Beside the typical Jason Robards the actor clips and some cheesy book trailers from romance novelist Karen Robards, this is what came back. I HOPE that I am related to these people. Most Robards are. Poor grandma in the back. I wonder how she would respond if she found out just what it means to superman that hoe. Good gracious!

ROBARDS FAMILY!

My job is so entertaining...

You guys are going to love this!

Our radio show is this weekend, Saturday at 4 p.m. on KNBA 90.3 FM. And its crunch time. The kids are having me listen to all their audio and help edit up some stories. This month they have come back with some pretty crazy stuff. Here are a couple clips that may or may not make the cut for the show.

"Cat is done" is a clip from an mixed martial arts fighter who stopped by the studio for an interview and "Favorite cat" is ATMI's Andrew Aquino interviewing a kid at school. The cat theme is disturbing.

Definition of the week: Kindred Spirits

Urbandictionary.com
1. Kindred Spirits

Kindred Spirits are two people that make a special connection by sharing a bond that has joined them by the means of an experience that has drawn them together on a higher level of consciousness. This connection can be from the same experience at the same time or two separate experiences similar in nature.

If two people were in a dramatic situation and had to depend on each other in order to get out of the situation or one having to help rescue the other, they would become bonded as kindred spirits...

Classic example: Kim Cattrall and Kurt Russell both have names that start with "K" and end in two "L"s. Coincidence? I think not.

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA

This girl...

JAYMAY "AUTUMN FALLS"

Definition of the week: Man Crush

I must clear something up. A certain friend of mine has misused this term, not going to name names, (ehem, Trina) and I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight.

Urbandictonary.com
Man Crush : When a straight man has a "crush" on another man, not sexual but kind of idolizing him.

Many straight men end up having man crushes on Johnny Depp (I don't blame them).

Classic example: Barry Piser has a man crush on Gary Cohn, a newspaper reporter who has mad Pulitzer-Prize-winner-skills and the ability to talk sports. And I must mention the crush is/was mutual.

Barry Piser
Gary Cohn

Important note: This, in fact, means that females do not have man crushes.

Yah Moms!

In honor of Mother's day, yesterday, I would like to share a little interview I found on Story Corps, a non-profit that has gathered more than 17,000 recorded conversations across the country. You can listen to all kinds of conversations between people on their Web site.

This one features a boy named Rahsheed, who interviews his mom about her biggest lessons learned and why she isn't still married.

Audio survey

So, I had to test out the USB mic I got in the mail for work. So I did one of those silly internet surveys audio style. Check it out!

The last question is something like,

"When was the last time you had a shot?"

Kind of a weird last question. Everyone should post their answer to that question in the comments on this blog!

Final entry on Cory Branan (for a while)

Photo by Brian Adams

Cory Branan played some fun shows here in Anchorage last weekend. He fit in around here perfectly. We are all missing him already. Here is a final farewell to Cory with a video Marty Jones shot at the Snow Goose last Saturday night.

In the words of Evan Phillips, "Thanks (Cory) for being a breath of fresh air." :P

TALL GREEN GRASS

First BBQ of the spring!

MARTY ON GRILL

Photo by Brian Adams

YARD

Photo by Brian Adams


Photo courtesy of William Marthel Jones

HER SHIRT MATCHES MY RELISH

Photo courtesy of William Marthel Jones

OLD TIN CUPS, LITTLE PAPER DOLLS

Photo courtesy of William Marthel Jones

Erik Braund on Conan...

OK, so we all know Anchorage's Erik Braund of Jeb and Sleep Machine bears a striking resemblance to late night talk show host Conan O'Brien but seeing them together...CRAZY!

DEAD RINGER


Watch the break dancing scene with Jason Lee. Who knew Conan would be brushing Erik Braund's shoulders off? Ridiculous.

Les petits enfants aiment la musique!

Singing and dancing babies seem to be all the rage lately. I keep coming across these cute videos. You probably saw the "Hey Jude" one on MySpace, Tom posted it. But if you haven't it is a must see. And the Menomena one is so sweet.

HEY JUDE


MENOMENA

#62.3 - Menomena - Wet and Rusting
by lablogotheque

Moose hunting!

ABBEY ROAD II


Cory Branan and his first moose sighting in Anchorage. We went out yesterday and found this one out past the airport.

ABBEY ROAD

Why didn't I start this when I was 20?!

So, there is this group in town that has come up with a pretty darn cool idea.

Scott Thorpe and Britain Strah, 20 year olds from Eagle River, are two founders of the Alaska Music Alliance. My new teen media institute reporter Tiana Johnson, 19, produced this audio story about it. This is Tiana's first story. I am so proud!

Elton John in Anchorage. Ha! No way.

I know what I am getting my mom for Mother's day!

http://www.adn.com/arts/story/389902.html

Indie/folk rocker in town!

"Cory Branan's got an evil streak/And a way with words that'll bring you to your knees/Oh he can play the wildest shows and he can sing so sweet/I still sing along."

That's a lyric from one of my favorite Lucero songs.

And this guy, Cory Branan from the song, is going to be playing some shows in town this week. If he is all Ben Nichols of Lucero sings he is, it should be a good time.

I've been a fan of the band Lucero since I first heard "Tears don't matter much" on KRUA 88.1, the University of Alaska Anchorage radio station. The whiskey infused alt. country stuff just does it for me I guess. I called up my friend J.R., who worked at the station, and sang it to him in the phone. I had to know what it was, "Who plays that?"

I booked it over to Mammoth Music and picked up a copy of "That much further west." And proceeded to listen to it over and over again.

BEN NICHOLS AT DANTE'S IN PORTLAND


If you like what you hear on Branan's MySpace, come out for a show or two! You know I'm looking forward to it.

30 Apr 2008 7:00 P	Vagabond Blues w/ Evan Phillips (All Ages)	Palmer, Alaska
1 May 2008 12:00 P	KNBA In Studio (Time TBA)	Anchorage, Alaska
2 May 2008 7:30 P	Tap Root Cafe (All Ages)	Anchorage, Alaska
3 May 2008 8:30 P	Snow Goose Theater w/ The Whipsaws	Anchorage, Alaska

A girl after my own heart.

My good friend Natasha sent me a link a few weeks back with the headline, "My jeans look great!" The link was to Dacia Ray's blog entry on how to hem your jeans, without making it look like they've been hemmed.

HEM THOSE JEANS


Dacia is a journalist in Seattle who loves crafts and putting food on the table. Her blog is full of entries like this, useful tips and stuff that just looks good.

Another friend, Alaina, is planning to try Dacia's skirt pattern this weekend. And I am, of course, thinking about the tote bag. Alaina says now that I am a full-time educator, I need a nice collection of tote bags. She got me one for Christmas. Ha, jeez...

Anyway, the blog is mostly girly stuff. But I might find something for the boys to do on craft nights.

The Devil Whale (formally Palomino)

It has been a while since we have seen the guys of Utah's Palomino up north, maybe almost two years? Since their last appearance up here, the band has changed its name to The Devil Whale and released a ten-track album titled, "Like Paraders," a bulk of which can be previewed on the band MySpace.

I downloaded the album last night from Nimbit. I'm digging it, perhaps part nostalgia and part because The Devil Whale is a band of talented guys. Oh yah, and I like music about failure, deception and broken hearts by artists who most always see greener grass where they are not. Right now, I'm thinking "Butter for burns" and "If this house fails" are going to be my two favorites. But "Dirty mouth" and "Your love=Math" are also right up there.

And then there is this one, "Turn the car around." Here they are playing it live at their CD release party at Velour in Provo, Utah.

Who am I kidding? I like it all.

THE DEVIL WHALE

...and knowing what she doesn't like. My tank.

I feel the need for a tank, to store things I like.

Tanks have always creeped me out. Something about objects being confined to a small space maybe. I was never one to volunteer to take home the class pet for example.

As I was growing up, my mom had several fish tanks. I think at one point there were like four of them. Hours we would spend in the pet store waiting for the tall, thin, geeky guy to try to get the exact squirmy thing she wanted into those little plastic bags. Walking through the aisles of bubbling filters nauseated me. And then there was the smell of fish food and the fact that there were always, always going to be a few dead ones floating in there or residing at the bottom.

And then with the fish came the dreams, nightmares really, about the fish swimming outside their tank. Sure they would be fine at first but eventually they were going to dry up. Most of the time, I woke up before that happened.

They were just so confined and so often had to be flushed down the toilet. It wasn't fair. But setting them free wouldn't exactly have been humane either. Where they going to go? Who is going feed them? Eat them?

I remember reading an article in the Daily News about a piranha that was found in Campbell Creek in Anchorage. Some family friends who had a piranha cooped up in a dark, dank, algae ridden mess came to mind and I thought, "Now, someone had the right idea." I bet those days, before that omnivorous little bugger was found out, were the best of it's life.

I, on the other hand, never had the guts to free the masses. For one thing dealing with my mom afterward would have been ridiculous and I guess I saw, though I didn't understand, at all, the happiness they brought her. They were her thing, what she liked.

Though I still have issues with containment, especially when it comes to living creatures, perhaps this space can be my thing. I'll fill it with what I like.