Non Scelus

2010-10-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

October October October has, for the most part, been relatively shit.

There were a few ups but so many things have been colossally messed up that it has become increasingly more difficult to appreciate what little good does occur.

Still have no halloween get-up and I'm supposed to be on the Ghostship Armada on Saturday. *sigh*

Check out my friends wordy mcwordison blog....

Here's to the good things in life....

MERLIN!

2010-08-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

I just found out that Merlin starts again on September 11!

Unfortunately, I will be enjoying myself in Portland, but I'm downloading it the first thing I do when I get back to the hostel after the Menomena gig!

I don't have time to try and post all the videos I've found recently, so here is my 'Summer 2010' playlist from youtube.

Project Management

2010-08-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

So I just spent three days in Cisco in a Project Management seminar for work. Kick-ass. I was leaving my car at the San Bruno BART station and taking the train into the city, but the San Bruno BART Police are bloody idiots because they gave me a $35 fine even when I paid for the parking space. Don't park at San Bruno the don't deserve your money.

I saw Exit Through the Gift Shop last night. Wasn't anything I was expecting but I really liked it.

Got to spend three nights with my cousin in San Carlos which is awesome because I almost never see or speak to her despite only living 140 miles away.

Here are some new music discoveries:

Apparat - Arcadia

I can't embed this one but it is stuck in my head: Stromae - Alors on danse

Jonathan Bates is a genius!

2010-07-20T11:03:00.001-07:00

Nuff said.

Bobcat!

2010-07-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

I went to Año Nuevo on July 4th with a group of friends to check out the elephant seals. The highlight of this adventure was not the elephant seals, but a bobcat (or so I am told that is what it is although I don't recall ever seeing a bobcat so sleek) stalking its prey.

Our day was pretty amazing. We started out the day around 8 by loading the Suburban with essentials before heading to the store for picnic supplies. Once we finally got food and gas we headed out on 80W towards San Francisco. I think it is bollucks that there are no signed indicating that there is a new Bay Bridge toll fee until after the last exit, so if you've only got $4 on you, you're screwed because you can't pay with a card. Fortunately, I always carry a tenner on me so I have enough money for both bridges.

Anyway, we were fine until we got to Half Moon Bay....tons of traffic, so we rolled down the windows and blasted 'America, Fuck Yeah' for all the young Americans walking along the side of the CHP heading to the beach for Independence Day festivities. Twas glorious. LIBERTY, FUCK YEAH!

We finally got Año Nuevo State Park and got acquainted with the visitor's center before heading out on our 2.4 mile hike to the elephant seal beach.

Año Nuevo is the epicenter of ants. Majorly large ants that enjoy thrill-seeking.

The young bulls were all over the beach and fighting in the water. Definitely a sight to behold. Twas awesome.

On our way back, we saw the bobcat! So cool!

We checked for ticks after our little hike and found 5 on two people, so everyone tweaked out and did crotch-checks in the bathroom.

Upon leaving the state park we saw a hitch-hiker on the side of the road and since we were 6 in an 8 seater Suburban, we picked up Eric, who's from So Cal but lived in Asia and Turkey but just trying to get to Santa Cruz for the firework festivities. During our drive to Taco Bell, we saw our friends in the other car flick out more ticks several times.....7 more were found after leaving the park, one of which was located belatedly on someone's arse.

We went to Taco Bell and 11 people feasted for under $40 which is kind of terrifying.

After we went to Trevor's aunt's house in Watsonville. Her property is mind-blowing. Horses, dogs, hat factory, outdoor patio, massive house, amazing eclectic furniture and a lot of awesome people.

We went for fireworks at Seabright Beach.....amazing! There were thousands of people there with bonfires and illegal fireworks. No surprise that after about 20 minutes the police showed up and slowly started making their way down the beach fining illegal firework and bonfire owners. So, of course, everyone started setting them off at the same time. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! It was like a watching a finale firework show for 20 minutes. The boats along the shore even sent up a couple of flares!

It took almost 4 hours to drive home....meh, but overall, EXCELLENT DAY!!!

Kaleidoscope

2010-06-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

Just bought my ticket to go see Menomena in Portland on 9/11.....so excited. I've wanted to drive up North forever! I saw them twice in London and they were amazing...can't wait to see them in their hometown.

Here's some music I've found in the last few days...

Chapeau Claque - Speildosenprinzessin

Emalkay - When I Look at You

The only tolerable version of anything by La Roux is the one that cuts most of her song out....hahaha

La Roux - Bulletproof (Chrispy Dubstep Remix)

My friend directed me to the Remi Gaillard 'Snail' video last year but this [Kangaroo] is the best song/video combination ever.....song is so great!

2010-06-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

Life Update:

Got promoted on St Patrick's Day.

I have begun routine techno fueled workouts with my friends in my garage every Tuesday. Länge leve Technodrömen!

I also established Action/Adventure Day with my friends where we explore (traipse along with the intention of not dying) new parts of California we haven't seen before.

I bought an eight person water lounge....fun times on the lazy rapids in the American River.

Got my iPhone slim and love it immensely.

Finally got my Mellowdrone poster.

Still hates living in a climate that reaches 107 degrees every summer. It is currently 102. Pehhhh.

Here are my musical discoveries of late:

Because there is no youtube video (which makes everything infinitely easier) here is a link to the Big Black Delta site.

The Zebrah - Big Black Delta

The Broken Hearts - Black Cat

Miike Snow - Animal (Punks Jump Up Remix)

Ginger Ninja - Bone Will Break Metal

Stoffer & Maskinen - Vi to er smeltet sammen

This song and video break me. So beautiful. I don't speak any language other than English but I can always tell when a track deserves the extra effort of translating the lyrics.

Speaking of translations, this is a favorite my friend introduced me Spring 09:

Zemphira - Kukushka (Cuckoo)

моя кукушка

2010-05-29T10:01:00.001-07:00

This is Kuma.

She is unquestionably better than any other cat.

Satisfaction

2010-02-26T14:13:00.000-08:00

So, my last post was in November just after the boys got nicked after a gig.

Since then, they were splashed all over the news due to the racial profiling and misuse of DNA records. They recently got to watch their DNA records destroyed and are now representing England in an International Song Compteition at the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile.

Here's their first performance:

Check out their blog here.

An update of the past few months:

I got hired on as a permanent employee.

I saw Mellowdrone again for the first time in 3 years. It was amazing, but the first bit didn't sound like what I identify as "Mellowdrone' but I hope he releases it because it was bloody amazing. Mellowdrone and Cat Party....had to write that name down so I never forget it.

I went to Disneyland the day after Mellowdrone and went on almost all the rides. Even the Matterhorn which is the ride that put me off any ride with speed and movement when I was a wee lass. I freaked out until I got to the very top and 5 seconds later I began laughing the whole way down. Can't believe I was so terrified. I can now enjoy the rides at Disneyland. Yay!

I went to London (during that massive bloody month-long blizzard), Cardiff and Cyrpus in January. Merlin, I had really missed London, I feel new again. Seeing Milan was great too and he says it's his turn to come visit me in Cali....we shall see.

New massive monitor for my desktop so I can now see all the functions in Pro Tools!

Lizzie finally got her visa and went back to London after 9 months of suspended stay in the States. Great that she gets to finish uni, see her friends and mother but sucks for all of us here who now miss her.

Found out my cousin is going to have a kid, that I have decided to call Carlos regards of eventual gender. I am officially (but still incorrectly) Uncle Jen. Other than that...not much else has happened.

My only big plan for the year so far is to see Muse, which is unfortunately scheduled for the day before a board meeting. Blaa.

Maskinen...always on top!

There's No Justice in the World and There Never Was

2009-11-22T16:38:00.001-08:00

I toured with these guys for over a year and was witness, on several occasions, to racial profiling.

The police are foul, corrupt and useless 90% of the time.

Fuck 'em.

Click here to read about their insane detainment by police in Staffordshire.

Karin Andersson = My Idol

2009-10-06T01:20:00.001-07:00

Just got back from seeing Fever Ray in Cisco.

Karin Andersson is one of the most spectacular musicians and artists on the planet.

Her live shows (both as Fever Ray and in The Knife) drown your senses in awe....I've no other words. I just kind of vanished from reality for an hour while Fever Ray stole my thoughts and left me only with feeling.

I love her aesthetic and music. She's a genius!

Faster....

2009-09-22T23:49:00.000-07:00

On Thursday morning at 6:35, my friend and I will board an Amtrak to San Jose where my uncle will pick us up and take us to my new car.....so excited.

Once that is all sorted, we will head to Cisco to see Lizzie's favorite band, the Manic Street Preachers.

2009-09-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

I am getting a newer car next week....woot.

I am going to London in just over 3 months. Two weeks in my city then 2 weeks in Cyprus......awe.

I'm going to have the most awesome Halloween getup this year.....woot.

I'm addicted to trance/dance again.....

I love just about every version of this song....so beautiful

Just saw Lilja 4-Ever the other day and was blown away; absolutely moving film.

And.....Trentemoller is always in the mix.....

Life is good...

My music is....

2009-08-16T00:34:00.001-07:00

Here are samples of my overly repetitive music.....

Bits and pieces are kinda catchy to me which is why I actually kept these ones.

Oh, and they sound like crap on here because I don't know anything about EQs and making the epic full sound on my beautiful speakers translate to a compressed mp3 file...

2009-08-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

I love Karin Andersson.....

My days are getting longer....

2009-07-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

It has been awkward lately.

Not used to never having any alone time.

*sigh*

I bought a bunch of Paint Sharpies in the hopes that I can create something interesting and worth the money I spent on pens and canvas.

I wish I were creative in the sense that I could merely have a blank sketchbook to imprint my words or images upon in order to pass the time. No lugging books around.

God has stopped punishing me for reading Twilight; though 6 weeks of wracking coughing fits was a bit beyond what was called for.

Just got Mellowdrone's new album Angry Bear a couple of days ago......me encanta lo!

Good time to roll on...

2009-05-31T12:28:00.000-07:00

So, my friend from London came last friday and life has been mad busy since.

We went to Santa Cruz to see Gogol Bordello which was ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL! We then proceeded to explore Monterey for a couple days with my friend that lives there before coming home.

We listened to the new Manic's album and Graham Coxon's latest on the way home, which was perfect for a Sunday morning.

We proceeded to attend my cousin's birthday party before going to the Dollar Tree to buy Glow Sticks (SOUL GLO.....hahaha) before walking over to Win Co to buy some alcohol. But outside of Win Co there was a Russian woman holding an adorable and scared looking kitten with a 'Free' sign beside her.

My new kitty is called Kuma in keeping with "constellation and Harry Potter related names" I've been giving my pets. Kuma is the common name of the double star in the Draconis constellation. She is a feisty ever active little dorkasaur. She is awesome.

Crazy pool party!

Finally saw Tiesto and for all the hype, and the fact that he'd never DJ'd here in Sac, he was just 'alright.' He should have played some of his older hits simply because we aren't a place he will really ever be again. It was really fun though and I learned a lot more about ravers.

So, it is Sunday yet again, and I am exhausted from the past week's events (with the combination of this blasted demonic cough I have had for three weeks now...blergh).

Good times have been had!

Music updates are:

Muse are naming their next album (due to be released this autumn) The Resistance. .....it just reminds me of Terminator Salvation, which reminds me of Christian Bale, which reminds me of the Bale Out Remix which is available HERE.

My newest song contributions are
This Plane is Going to Fall by Minotaur Shock

and Flybus! by Reykjavik! <-- who really need to do a video for this track because it is amazing!

Deadmau5

2009-04-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am still addicted to Deadmau5.....genius!

I love Ghosts n Stuff.

Got hired through September at work. I might be able to afford a car at the end of the summer. In an ideal world, I could get a new car AND be able to go to London for a week or two......

One can dream.

Check it!!

Work!

2009-03-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

I finally got a job....ok, so it is another Data Entry Contract Hire position, but it is money.

I have a long list of things I would like to spend money on, but alas they will have to wait for a more consistent income.

The Data Entry gets me $120 a day which isn't bad, but I don't know if I will be there a week or more....I think I would cry with joy if I worked there for a month!

I really need the money.

Excitement over vague possibilities, whoO!

I've not got any new music as of late, which is rubbish.

Though I must mention some good movies I've watched recently.

Death at a Funeral was bloody hilarious in that unbelievably awkward way. I thoroughly recommend watching this movie.

I am looking forward to seeing Rage by Sally Potter...her adverts look really cool, though they could be stills from the movie.

Jude Law as Minx

Judi Dench as Mona!

2009-03-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

I've not written in a while, but here is some new music...

Sleepyhead - Passion Pit

And this is a beautiful stop motion video that has been circulating around my network of artsy friends...

My shit music will soon adorn this blog....

The Honey Trees

2009-02-17T00:21:00.000-08:00

She has a voice like butter.

I discovered her a couple years ago; she finally got recorded properly and has an EP now. I will be seeing her for the first time on the first of March.

Something decent from Sacramento....and it isn't Screamo!

Wassup Rockers?

2009-02-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

I love Janice Dickinson. Her cameo in this movie is bloody hilarious and I love when people can take the piss out of themselves.

Larry Clark is also great with his Kids movie and this one Wassup Rockers which is based off his time perving/ documenting via photography this kid, John Velasquez.

Anyway, I thought there were a lot of funny bits in this movie despite him filming real people in fake situations (as opposed to actors reenacting real situations), it is endearing none the less.

Audio Advancement

2009-02-15T22:21:00.000-08:00

So, I bought a new desktop PC, Pro Tools, Axiom 61, and an M-Box mini so I could make music.

I am just learning all the editing requirements, so of course, I have several unfinished brain spasms recorded and two decent ones that sound horrible off the program because I don't know anything about EQs.....haha

I am learning from Steve, who is my best friend's boyfriend.

Alone in the Dark Trailer - Music composed by Steve Avery

I am better at expanding ideas than coming up with the foundation in the first place.....so this is a rather challenging pursuit for me.

I miss the bustle of London, the privileges I had there and the astoundingly easy access to all the things I was interested in. Things were far more convenient in the city. I will get back there some day.

For the meantime, while I have no job, I have decided to reactivate this unseen blog to comment on the things I find interesting in life.

Regardless of whether they are new or not, some of the songs I have recently discovered and greatly appreciate are:

I Love To Move In Here - Moby

Too Young to Love - The Big Pink

The Repetition Kills You - The Black Ghosts

Ok, I reckon that is enough music for now....

Wait....blast from the past....take me to Glasgow!

I miss i-D

2009-02-15T21:59:00.000-08:00

i-D was by far my favorite magazine in London. If I had a job, I would gladly spend the $97 a year to get it here in California, but alas, I am still unemployed.

This is the cover of my first i-D magazine.....oh happy days.

This is not just a fashion magazine or some scenester shit, I quite like the articles and silly editorial comments written everywhere. I like the way it is formatted as well and the sense of tradition they have been able to maintain despite changing their look dramatically over the years.

i-D rocks!

Fuck Poachers

2008-01-31T05:29:00.000-08:00

People who kill animals are shite!!!

The Vast Machine

2008-01-29T15:58:00.001-08:00

Live off the Grid.

Where's your leash, bitch?

2008-01-23T21:31:00.000-08:00

Goths banned from riding the bus because male is walking girlfriend with a lead....hahahahaha

Genius!

Hologram Fashion!

2008-01-23T21:20:00.000-08:00

Alexander McQueen

Jellyfish Intelligence? - Diesel - Liquid Space

Model Falls in Hole on Runway

2008-01-23T21:18:00.001-08:00

Wow...how bloody stupid have you got to be not to see a supermassive black hole in the runway?

Evil Bee - Menomena

2008-01-23T21:13:00.000-08:00