globetrotting

as c. heads for europe today, as d. sends me a postcard from australia (but is in LA now), and as sh prepares for his trip to japan, it is hard to avoid getting bitten by the travel bug. and let me tell you, this bite itches, swells, and burns. intensely.

perhaps school is wearing me down and i just need a break, a vacation. but seeing everyone depart this spring/summer, i feel the urge to take off too.

montreal next weekend, a few roadtrips in the works for july and august, and hopefully, nyc in september. but will that be enough? it feels like, if i want the bite to heal, i have to take a much more monumental trip somewhere. something that involves sitting in an airplane for hours, lipreading and interpreting hand gestures, and sleeping in parks.

where are you going this summer?

NEWSFLASH! Today, I'm going to go to work again

Yes, that's right... I'm going to be working again today. Picture me smiling and greeting you as you come into the store... picture me asking you if "that will be all," picture me telling you to "have a nice day." Awesome.

"as small as a drop, as wide as the ocean"

i found this quote from an article about learning objects and e-learning standards. i like it. in a way, it is an accurate description of my current state of being and mind: the push and pull of my feelings and beliefs, the negotiation and renegotiation of my values. vague, right?

i had an interesting experience at the bruce labruce opening at gallery 1313 last weekend. as i mentioned to c., the live photoshoot involved the following:

- all kinds of nudity
- a machine gun
- a machete
- a rope
- a bucket of fake blood
- busy hands, constantly groping

did you expect anything less from bruce labruce? it was.. an experience.

so, i am still the queen of procrastination - i better get back to work.

World Cup feeeevah

Two weeks until I touch down in München amidst World Cup fandemonium. Can't. Wait. Ever since seeing a fussball-themed exhibition at Martin Gropius Bau in Berlin in October and buying my very first football scarf (pictured), I've been pumped for this.

Shadow of yourself

Soooo, I downloaded the free iTunes selection of the week, "Love Train" by Wolfmother to see what the brouhaha is all about. In the description, the iTunes people say the song is a "ritualist heavy metal dance party" without the annoying devil worship. In other words, it's metal for sissies or at least an unsuccessful attempt by iTunes to create the weirdest mashup ever.

Seconds into the song, I realise that it's one of those soundtracks for an iPod commercial. Not having known Wolfmother before seeing the commercial or seeing the lame name for the song, I was totally into "Love Train" for it's catchy pop dance-ability. I suppose I resent it because the description and actual sound don't match up. Sure there are hints of heavier bits in the song, but I've heard this band being compared to Led Zep, when in fact I see them as being closer to Hot Hot Heat (ie. the pop spectrum end). Strange things happen when you fuse the current trend for metal with marketing pop. Wolfmother is like Avril Lavigne. You've got an image down pat, but is your crooning compatible? Should we care about this logic when compiling our buying guides and playlists? Once you remove the graphic design and wardrobe from an image, the music should stand up for what it tries to be. Point in case, Britney Spears- she still makes a damn good pop song (or her songwriters/producers do) underneath it all because she's a popstar trying to be a popstar. It works.

Anyway- how do you become one of those silhouettes with the iPods? Do you have to audition to make sure your bod looks good in full on black? Would I be able to shake it with my 'Pod if given some backlight?