Chickpea & Kale Soup

Without a doubt, one of the best parts of my job is getting to cook everyday; the downside being that I'm not cooking for myself and I don't get to eat the fruits of my labors--But that's a minor detail. Unfortunately my everyday life has become so busy that cooking is a luxury often relegated to the weekends. However cooking is a *requirement* for work, and with open-minded adventurous eaters, I couldn't be happier.

I think of the work kitchen as my test kitchen, a place I can buy unusual ingredients and try out new recipes with abandon, and with the goal of improving my skills and building my recipe resume. When you have dreams of opening a restaurant someday, there could be no better situation; unless of course I was independently wealthy and able to bypass that whole "job" thing, but that's not the case.

One of my proudest accomplishments in the test kitchen is begin to perfect the art of Soup. Soup is something my Gran always fell back on for a simple supper, but it seemed so elusive and down-right difficult to me. I now see what she was talking about all those years, and darn I wish I could re-live our conversations about Soup and take notes!

For supper the other night I decided to try a simple Chickpea & Kale soup I adapted from a recipe I found online. The good news if you don't like chickpeas or kale is that their flavors can easily be toned down by simply pureeing the soup as a final step before serving. In this way the flavors just meld together and become nice and creamy. Yum!!

I'm not strict on recipes, so the loose guidelines are below...

Saute:
-2 medium onions, a couple stalks of celery and a couple tablespoons of garlic for 10ish minutes until they are soft & fragrant.
Add:
-10 to 12 Roma tomatoes roughly chopped and turn up the heat cooking for another 10ish minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and become juicy.
Add:
6 or so cups of chopped kale, 2 large boxes of vegetable broth (or chicken/beef broth if you don't desire a vegetarian soup) and 2 drained cans of chickpeas.
Season:
with salt & pepper, thyme, herbs de Provence and a little paprika for some zip. Simmer for 40 minutes or until the kale is tender and the flavor has come together nicely.

If you like your soup broth-y you can leave it as is. Alternately, you can partially or wholly puree the soup with an immersion blender to create a creamier version.

Argh...

So people are always telling me I need to blog again, I need to write again; they love my blog, they love my writing; it's so funny, it's so interesting; I'm so talented...okay, you get it. Of course when I say "people", I actually mean my family/friends/boyfriend, so clearly they are biased and likely just want to read the secret inter-workings of my mind and not my writing at all!

But they are right, and maybe that's why I resent hearing the comments. I *did* enjoy blogging. I *do* appreciate the creativity of writing and of having an outlet to express it. But it's also *so* much pressure when you have a blog! Or at least it is for me, being a perfectionist and all. I like to have a formula: relevant photo, interesting topic, long post, good writing. I like to repeat that formula each time, and I hate when I don't stick to it.

So, who knows if I am back. But I am at least writing this, and considering it....

Shoe Wardrobe

Now that I am between jobs, I'm finding myself with quite a bit of extra time. I am so used to being productive, in the work sense, that it's difficult for me to fill my free time with frivolous activities. Thus, my email boxes have been gone thru, as well as all my drawers, closets, stacks of paperwork, cabinets, etc. There is not a square inch of my home that hasn't been sorted, organized and pared down. Which is where my latest inspiration struck.

I have always been a shoe lover. I don't recall when it began, but I certainly remember having a closet full of shoes by my middle school years. There was a time when I had a huge Chuck Taylor Converse collection, which I some days wish I had held on to! That's a pretty unusual feeling for me though because while I dearly love my shoes, I also don't mind parting with them in order to make way for new ones. I'd say my shoe wardrobe has a pretty high turnover rate. I take that approach with many of my consumer purchases, which I suppose can have an upside and a downside. It satiates my ever-changing and evolving tastes, which I swear is part of my DNA-makeup to never be too attached to "things". However, I also know that some of those closest to me find this behavior appalling and wasteful, at best. And so I suppose I have rationalized it by becoming the ultimate bargain-hunter and deal-finder. When I haven't spent a fortune, it's easy to recycle my goods via Goodwill in search of new goods. But I digress...

I found myself sitting on the floor of my closet the other day wondering how many pairs of shoes I own. I even asked my boyfriend who was sitting at the desk in our room, and he couldn't even venture a guess. Neither could I- I wondered if it had grown too big and needed to be purged. I immediately identified two pairs I wasn't particularly attached to and deposited them into the omni-present Goodwill donation bag on the floor of my closet. Then I got to thinking- I have so many cute pairs of shoes, but often fall into the rut of wearing the same three or four pair day after day. Wouldn't it be fun to challenge myself to a new pair each day (did I mention I have quite a bit of free-time these days?!?). In doing this I might purge the collection a bit and pare down to the those I like most, are most comfortable and go with the most in my wardrobe.

Starting Monday I will begin my challenge! There will obviously be some shoes I won't be able to wear in the chilly December weather (strappy sandals, etc), but I have plenty of shoes to get thru before that becomes an issue. I think I'll start out posting a picture of the shoe and any info I recall on their purchase; maybe I'll even get fancy and include voting buttons so you can help me decide their fate. Stay tuned!!!

to do #7: have fun with shoes.

Happy Feet

Okay, I understand the above "photoe" (hehehe) might be somewhat creepy, but I just had to share how happy my feet are tonight. I "kicked" (ha! okay, I'll stop) off my first of four vacation days with a much needed mani/pedi. These used to be a staple in my life, but the past year my manus and pedes (look it up!) have been sorely neglected.

I decided to try out the place across the street. Not because I'd heard good things about it, or had even peeked through the store window, but simply because it is really close and I was feeling really lazy-- a total stroke of luck on my part! It was a typical nail shop on the inside: a bank of pedicure stations on one side, rows of nail tables on the other and a cadre of cute, skinny Korean women buzzing around. But, these cute, skinny Korean women were all wearing adorable white lab coats! It was such a sweet touch. They stocked a great line of polish, used brand new sealed tools, took forever massaging my feet & legs, softened my cuticles in a plastic baggy with a ton of goop inside a heating pad, used a nice warm towel to wash all the goop off my hands & arms and all for THIRTY DOLLARS! Wow. There is no money better spent, and it was honestly one of the best mani/pedi's I've had.

So I know this was a total fluff piece, but dang I just can't stop staring at my hands & feet tonight!

to do #6: find my new favorite nail spot

p.s.: if any of you are in the Atlanta area, the spot is Hammond Nails & Spa

Chocolat

I've only got a second, but I wanted to show you guys what I've been up to lately! As many of you know I've been working on getting my chocolate business off the ground, and it's going well. I've got a photographer coming this weekend to take photos for my website, so I've been busy making samples all week. I'll be sure to share the photos with you once I have them!

to do #5: make chocolate samples

Therapy

I've already got a link to Apartment Therapy along the side to the left, but I am going to plug them again because they featured yours truly on the site today. Okay, maybe "featured" is a too grand, but they did mention me and my now-lovely dining room. Enjoy! And bookmark them, they really are a great site. :)

to do #4: shamelessly plug AT and my dining room.

The Bistro

We've taken to calling this little area outside the back door "The Bistro". It used to just be an empty and sad-looking stoop, a place we barely paused at on our way into the house. But, considering it is a part of the house, as small as it may be, we want to make good use of it!

First there was the addition of the barbeque grill. A cheapie charcoal version is what we opted for, and amazingly we had to put it together on our own! Quite a project. We're still working out the kinks though, as I'm accustomed to the flavor of a gas barbeque, and he prefers charcoal. We compromised and bought natural charcoal bricks which I thought imparted an excellent flavor, but he didn't like the burning quality. So we tried the regular commercial brand charcoal. He loved the burn, and I hated the flavor. We even nick-named the resulting chicken "lighter fluid chicken" because of the overwhelming chemical flavor the charcoal & lighter fluid gave the chicken. So, like I said, we're still working out the kinks, but it's always fun to experiment with cooking outside of the kitchen.

Next came my little garden gnome I had been lugging with me from apartment to apartment. He was a gift from my gran and while I haven't had a yard in ages, he's just too cute to part with and he adds charming to otherwise un-charming spaces.

I've got big ideas for the greenery in this little area, but I decided to start small with a huge coleus. I figured since I didn't have a lot of space I needed a big plant! And at 8.99, I felt like I got my money's worth. I transplanted it from a small hanging basket into a larger pot, and I think it's doing relatively well!

Last came the table and chairs. The table was recently exiled from the dining room when it was replaced with a larger version. While the table is itself a bit too large for the small stoop, I thought it better to re-purpose the table than go out and buy something new. The chairs were a bargain find at a rare Ikea sale for 9.99 each (you'll find more around the new dining room table!).

While it's not much, I feel like we added another living space to our small place, which is invaluable! The Bistro is a great spot for reading or chatting or waving at the neighbors. I'm sure it will evolve in the coming months as the weather cools off and the wheels in my head keep spinning. I can already see a few more containers out there with herbs & flowers, and maybe a few hanging baskets, I've always loved those cute tiki torches, and maybe another garden gnome or two...

to do #3: open a bistro.

Labels

A lot of things have changed since I was blogging last! One of the things I'm most excited about is the addition of the "labels" field in the post creation template. I always longed for a way to organize my posts in the past, and now I can! I spent waaaaaaaay too much time going through all my old posts and adding labels, but I just wouldn't have been able to sleep at night if I didn't. So, now you can re-read old posts by topic, I know this is just music to your ears! Anyhow, I've exhausted myself with that task and am calling it a night. I have several posts in various stages of composition though, so stayed tuned. And in the meantime, feel free to browse my new labels section to the left.

to do #2: label my old posts

I'm baaaaaaaaaaack...

Hi all, just a quick post to let ya know I'm back to blogging again!! I'm still trying to figure out my angle & my format this go around; but, I've got lots going on and instead of staying up 'til all hours of the night with random thoughts keeping me awake, I thought it might help to put them out there. So, get ready to get in my headspace!

And p.s., don't forget to show me some love! I want more reader participation this go round---that means You. :)

to do #1: get my blog going again

Chamillitary Man

To the chagrin of many of you, I've been on a bit of a hip-hop kick recently, but I may have been cured of that tonight. I went to my first true hip-hop show, and I can honestly say it's one of the worst shows I've been to.

In the name of exploring other music genres and expanding my horizons, I've been delving into hip-hop lately. I've always sort of had an interest, but hadn't pursued it much beyond the really popular radio songs or music videos. But, the last few months I've been trying in earnest to see what's going on in the world of hip-hop, and I've been fairly impressed. I wouldn't say that I'm a whole-hearted fan, because I probably don't like 75% of what's out there, but I can say there are some really cool things going on in the genre that I can get behind, and shake my booty to. I'd downloaded a few Chamillionaire songs and liked what I heard, so when I saw he was going to be coming to town I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to round out my exploration and go to a hip-hop show. And so I did something I almost never do, I went out and bought Chamillionaire's album, The Sound of Revenge, in preparation.

To say I was impressed is an understatement. Granted, I wasn't expecting a lot, but the album is solid. The guy is great when it comes to lyrics, and the beats and hooks are tight as well. There are the obligatory songs about chicks, weed, slabs, etc., but there are also some pretty great songs about religion and life and death. Interesting topics to explore on a hip hop album, but he does so successfully. In fact, after I put the CD into heavy rotation I found myself skipping over the popular radio songs in favor of the rest of the album. While the radio songs (Turn it Up, Ridin') are catchy as hell, I wouldn't say they're the strongest on the album. It's pretty obvious after a few listens that Cham isn't your average rapper; he's smart, he's funny, his lyrics are clever and his flow is tight- perfect for my first hip-hop show.

I was happy to see Cham would be performing at one of my favorite concert venues, but I wasn't too thrilled with the ticket price- $25! That's pretty steep for this venue, tickets usually run 15-20 bucks, but I ponied up, all in the name of experience. Chamillionaire was the headliner, to be accompanied by Lil' Flip and Pokafase. I had no idea who Pokafase was, and didn't care much about Lil' Flip, so when the person I was going with wasn't going to be able to make it until 9:00, I wasn't worried. Usually shows start around 7:30/8:00, with the headliner coming onstage around 9:30/10:00. But apparently things work differently in the world of hip-hop. By the time we made it into the show at 9:30, Cham was onstage. We arrived in the middle of a song, and then heard Ridin'. And then he left. What!??! I was totally fucking puzzled. Apparently we missed the whole damn performance. But not to fret, Lil' Flip was still to come. What kind of shit is that?! An opener comes on after a headliner? A headliner is finished with his performance at 9:45? I was a teeny-tiny bit pissed. But okay, I was there, I may as well enjoy. Pysch.

We stood around waiting for Lil' Flip's ass to show up for over an hour. In the meantime some other rapper came on and performed a couple songs, but we weren't feeling this guy at all. His flow was weak and his beats were even weaker. I've never been so bored at a concert in all my life. Finally at 10:45 Lil' Flip decided to come on stage to a pretty excited audience. And here's where I came to a very definite conclusion about hip-hop shows- they aren't for women. Granted, we were fairly close to the stage, and thus in the thick of the action, but the vibe is totally masculine. Testosterone seemed to be oozing out of every crevice and every pore of that venue. Dancing was next to impossible with all the dudes bouncing. I felt like I was in a mosh pit. Luckily I had a bit of protection in the form of a male companion, but even still, I was totally uncomfortable. On the positive side, I was pretty impressed with the production of the songs. The beats and vocals sounded great, something I was a bit wary about coming in.

The night ended with Chamillionaire coming onstage to perform Turn it Up with Lil' Flip, a song they also collaborated on in the album version. Again, the sound was great but the vibe wasn't. For me, anyhow. The guy I was with enjoyed himself immensely, and the other dudes around us seemed to be having a great time as well. The group of girls to my right who kept getting shoved and stepped on by drunk dudes didn't seem to be having as good of time though. So consider yourself warned: don't show up late, and don't even bother to go if you're a chick unless you're prepared to get stomped.

to do #201: go to a hip-hop show.

Note, though this was a disappointing experience, I'd still recommend Cham's album The Sound of Revenge. It's pretty fantastic!

Happy Birthday To Me

Yours truly just celebrated a certain milestone birthday over the weekend. Due to the thoughtfulness of my many family and friends, it was a great day! Thanks so much for all of your calls and well-wishes. Since a lady would never directly reveal her age, I thought I'd give you a fun little math problem to work out if you're so inclined...

((2x6+3)(9/3)(7-12)) +255 = ???

Did you figure it out?! If not, you can always short-cut it and check my blogger profile. Hahah.

to do #319: celebrate my birthday

These Boots Were Made For, ah you know...

It's funny how sometimes happiness can come in the most random or simple form. For me, this week, happiness is a new pair of cowboy boots.

I should verify with my parents, but I vaguely remember having a pair of cowboy boots as a little girl. I wouldn't bet money on it, but I think they were of the knee-high light brown leather variety. But, I may just have that image in my head because a great majority of the pictures of kids who grew up in the late 70's and early 80's, like me, feature them wearing brown leather cowboy boots. Ah, I digress...

That I stumbled on these boots seemed like fate, or at least it's how I justified the purchase. I had been thinking lately I would like to own a pair of cowboy boots. Not because I'm a western gal, or because I'm in an upcoming rodeo or anything, I just thought they were cute & fashionable. Around the same time I also read an article in a fashion magazine about how cowboy boots were making a fashion comeback. The article was complete with pictures of various celebs sporting their boots. I'm sure we all remember how much I cared about the celebs I shared my pink Razr with, so when I saw celebs were wearing cowboy boots, that sealed the deal for me- I needed them.

A few days later I was in TJ Maxx looking for some shower gel when I decided to quickly browse the shoe section before leaving. Y'see, I'm a gal on a budget and I'm trying really hard NOT to spend money- I should be saving every penny for my impending move across country. But, sometimes shoes talk louder than my budget. I was in luck when I perused my size and nothing caught my eye. Then, I thought, I better check clearance, just in case! And there they were- my gorgeous new Guess brown leather cowboy boots. I tried them on, and they fit like a glove, and for the price I didn't even have to debate whether or not to buy them. I am proud to tell you that this gal on a budget found these particular boots for a whopping $14!!!! That's right! They retail at over $200, so I got them at what, a zillion percent off the retail price?! Though it was a minor blip in my budget, I'd say they were worth it, wouldn't you?

to do #284: own a pair of cowboy boots

#3121

It's my last night in my apartment and while I should be packing a few final things before the movers arrive in a couple hours, instead I find myself compelled to sit at my desk one last time and blog. I've begun to feel quite nostalgic about my apartment in the last few weeks as I started the process of dismantling it and packing it up. In leaving, I realized just how much this place has meant to me over the past two years. And so, I thought, what better way to spend my last night here than taking a little trip down memory lane and paying proper tribute to my beloved 3121. I am going to miss you dear friend...

I've lived in 3121 a few months shy of two years, and while I remember the day I moved in like it was yesterday, I feel like I lived an entire lifetime here. The person who walked through the door the first day is a very different person than the one who will be locking up tomorrow. I came into this apartment absolutely terrified. I was newly separated from my (now ex) husband, I was living on a new side of town where I didn't know anyone, and for the first time in my 28 years, I was living alone. I feigned excitement at the prospect of having my own place and getting a little space from my husband. I reasoned that once we did this he would quickly see what a mistake the separation was, and we'd go back to living happily ever after. Happily, this never happened. I can say that now, but it didn't come easy. The first seven or so months here found me vacillating between despair and hope. As I tried to untangle myself from our marriage I began to realize how far I had strayed from the person I once was. It wasn't until I separated myself from the man I'd spent almost every day of the previous 8 years with, that I started to figure out who I was. And so began my transformation.

I brought little with me into the apartment, which proved to be a wise decision. Although my family and friends thought I was crazy for selling our house and most of the things we had in it, I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do. I suppose maybe I knew even then that things would never work out and I would need a new beginning. I brought the bare minimum from my old life, and thus didn't have many constant reminders of that old life. Instead, I had the opportunity to begin a new life, and one that was mine alone. I took months to find the perfect couch, I sanded and repainted all the furniture I brought with me, and as I found them I bought new things to fill in the spaces. The things felt like me. The more I surrounded myself with the things I loved, and the things that I felt better represented who I was, the more at home I felt.

I also began to make new friends. New friendships can be hard, but mine flourished. I was eager to fill my life with people who didn't know me as part of a couple, but as my own person. I began to realize close friendships were a huge part of my life I had previously sacrificed, but one that I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice any more. My friends are some of the most important people in my life, and I value their companionship a great deal. This would be one of the cornerstones of my new life.

The times I spent here in 3121 with my friends were some of the greatest of my life. We went through good times and bad here. When I was down, my friends brought me back up. When I struggled, they supported me and reminded me of how far I'd come. But mostly, we just had a great time! Proudly, 3121 became the official hang-out spot. Instead of going out, we'd come here. Instead of going to someone else's place, we'd come here. We drank, we ate, we talked, we laughed, we solved all the world's problems, and we created a few new ones. In the company of my friends I felt like I was finally becoming the person who I'd always needed to be.

The memories I have of the times I spent with people here in 3121 are priceless. Whether they were ecstatic or good or mediocre or devastating, they all moved me to where I am now, which is a woman who knows who she is and what she wants and is about to embark on her next great adventure!

I know that many of you read my blog and never leave comments, but I'd love to ask you to make an exception to that lurking rule and leave me a comment if you've been to 3121 with a memory or a tribute of your own!

to do #122: pay tribute to my beloved apartment.

ps, I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, three very special people who made my last two nights here so memorable and so special. You know who you are, but please know that it meant the world to me. :)

How To: Change Your Own Car Battery

I considered naming this post 'How to: save yourself a few bucks while at the same time taking your car out of commission for three days and causing yourself a multitude of headaches', but I figured it was a little too long for the title field, and so I settled on the above title instead. Not as dramatic, but to the point.

Early last week I was heading out to an appointment when I put my car key in the ignition and was greeted by a lovely clicking sound. The engine didn't even try to crank, all it could muster was a series of clicks. Fortunately the appointment wasn't urgent, so I canceled it and decided I wasn't going to deal with the car issue just then. I had enough on my plate for the day, and working from home meant I wouldn't need the car right away. That night I talked a friend into coming over the next day to give me a jump. It had been a while since I'd had a dead battery, but if memory served the local Costco had been much cheaper than taking it in to a shop for a new battery. So before my friend arrived I called to see if I needed an appointment, or if I could just come right over. But, apparently the Costco on this side of town didn't install batteries, they just sold them. A quick google search rendered instructions on installing a car battery, and it looked very easy! Why hadn't I ever considered installing my own battery in the past, I wondered? I'd soon find out why...

My friend arrived and we proceeded to try the jump to make sure it was a dead battery and not some other more costly problem. We attached the jumper cables and I gave my car a crank. It clicked. Damn! I tried again. It didn't even click. Double damn! Then I remembered the last time I helped a friend jump his car there seemed to be an order by which you were supposed to attach the cables; lo and behold there were directions right on the side of the jumper cable bag. Now just in case you find yourself in a dead battery situation without jumper cable directions, let me refresh your memory: it's 1- positive cable to bad battery, 2- positive cable to good battery, 3- negative cable to good battery, 4- negative cable to bad battery. With the cables properly attached I crossed my fingers and gave it a crank. My car did its best to turn, but it was having some trouble. I stopped, said a little prayer, and tried it again- it started!! Knowing I only had a dead battery was a huge relief. Now, to replace it.

My friend kindly offered to drive me to Costco to pick up a new battery. The damn thing weighed a ton, but was only $40, so I wasn't complaining too much. I cleared my afternoon schedule, copied down the basic directions from the website, grabbed some tools and donned an outfit worthy of working on a car: jeans, sneakers and a tube top. Hey, it's Arizona and I didn't want to get any of my nice tops dirty! This would prove to be a very questionable choice later...

And so the process of changing my car battery began. I was optimistic. It was a beautiful day, I was saving myself a ton of dough, and I got to get a little grease under my nails. This all changed in the first few minutes when I wasn't able to get the nuts loose on either of the screws holding the connectors to the battery. Damn! See, in theory, changing a car battery is as simple as: 1- clean the connectors of any corrosion, 2- loosen the screw holding the negative connector to the negative battery terminal, 3- loosen the screw holding the positive connector to the positive battery terminal, 4- loosen the screw to the hold-down bracket, 5- remove dead battery and replace with new battery, 6- attach screws in reverse order. And voila! The only problem was, I didn't have the right tools. I had your garden variety adjustable torque wrench, but what I really needed was a socket wrench. I just couldn't get a good grip on the nuts with the torque wrench, and even if I could I didn't have the strength to loosen the severely corroded screws. Damn! The little afternoon project was turning into a little afternoon headache. I spotted a male neighbor and asked if he had a socket wrench set. I then proceeded to explain to him what a socket wrench was. This wasn't looking good. I continued to persevere under the hood and managed to loosen the nut on the negative connector, but the positive connector wasn't budging.

Now I have to take a moment to mention that during this time several men crossed my path. These were young healthy men that, if not car savvy, were at least fit enough to be capable of loosening the nuts which were giving me trouble with relative ease. But do you think any of them offered to help? No! They were too busy staring at a woman in jeans and a tube top working under the hood of a car. That's right, not one offered their help! I can't fault men for oogling, I'm sure I've oogled a man from time to time, and I'm a modern woman who doesn't necessarily need a man to rescue her, but who are these men that don't know what a socket wrench is and don't offer to help a woman with car trouble?! Their mothers would be ashamed!

But back to the nut that wouldn't budge...I sprayed it with WD-40, I brushed off the corrosion as best I could (resulting in little bits of battery acid flying onto my bare arms) but that nut wasn't going anywhere. I finally went in search of one of the maintenance crew at my apartment complex to see if they had a socket wrench set. Of course they didn't. One of the guys happened to have a socket wrench in his car and gave it to me, but the only socket he had with him was too big. He offered to come back the next day with the rest of the socket set and help me. My one and only offer of help, and what do you know, he never showed up!

By this time I'd been working a while and was way too frustrated to continue, so I decided to call it a day and hit my friends up for socket wrench sets that night. I ended up with a set and a back up set just in case the other didn't come through. A male friend dropped off the set in the late morning and didn't even offer his help. Is this an epidemic?! Granted, he had other things to do that day, but a half-hearted offer would have sufficed. Are men intimidated by women who seem to know what they're doing under the hood (and let me remind you I had no clue what I was doing until I googled for instructions!), that they simply stay out of her way and stand back gawking instead? I realized if I wanted to make a small fortune I should gather a few of my girlfriends and open an all woman mechanic auto-garage. But, that's an idea for another day.

The socket wrenches turned out to be a dud. The set was too cheap to include a spacer and the screw was too long for the socket to reach the nut. I was beyond frustrated at this point and started to wonder why the hell I hadn't just called AAA as everyone I talked to about my battery trouble had suggested. I decided to give the nut one last go, and it gave! I had somehow mustered the strength to loosen it. After that, the removal and installation was easy. I tightened all the nuts and tried cranking the engine, and it turned!! In that moment I felt so much pride. Although it had taken three days and seemingly endless obstacles, I had managed to install my own car battery completely by myself. I'm not sure how much money I saved, or whether it was even worth it, but at least I can now say I've done it, which is apparently saying more than most of the men I know.

to do #274: change my car battery (without help!) (or proper tools!!)

Moving Chaos

It figures I would time my debut back to the blogging world in the midst of packing up my apartment and moving my things into storage. And did I mention I'm also starting a second job this week? Yes folks, I have a great sense of timing. While I have all manner of stories to relate and things to tell you guys, I am spending most of my waking hours carefully taping together the seams of boxes, meticulously wrapping glassware in unprinted newspaper and trying to fit all my possessions into boxes like a puzzle. Those of you who have moved recently know this is no small chore; those of you that haven't moved in a while, like me, don't realize how quickly we forget how awful packing is! It's only been two years since my last move and I'm just living in an apartment, so I didn't have too much time to really get settled in and comfortable here, but as I started my first night of packing I almost quit on the spot and vowed to stay here forever. Luckily I made it through that night and, relatively speaking, the packing has gone pretty well. The singular thought that is keeping me going is that I'm moving on to bigger and better things. More on that soon, I have packing to get back to!

to do #372: take a quick break from packing

Razr

I sit at my iBook tonight typing to you with my head hung low. As I contemplated returning to the blog world I wondered if anyone would even read my blog anymore. It'd been ages; I figured all the site traffic I had gained was lost. Surely my friends and family had long since abandoned me, they don't even mention my blog anymore. There had been all manner of distractions and excuses to keep me from blogging: men, family visits, men, the holidays, men, vacations, ennui, oh and did I mention men? But with many of the distractions cleared out of my life I was thinking about giving it another go. I missed blogging- both writing mine and keeping up with others. So after two months I sheepishly checked my site traffic to see how bad it had gotten. What I saw both amazed and shamed me. There was a bit of a drop-off, but my stats have remained steady. For some reason you guys are sticking with me. Wow, what optimists you are! Or maybe you're reading through the archives, reminiscing on the good 'ole days when I actually updated several times a week. Even the search engines have been kind to me with lots of referrals. After that little boost of confidence, how could I not give blogging another go? In the wise words of Juelz Santana '...I can't let my peeps down...they need me out there...I can't let the streets down...I'm back!...'

As I thought about my return to the world of technology I knew there would be no better post topic than my latest technology obsession- my new pink (!!) Razr. Yes friends, I have arrived. I am now amongst the likes of Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan and scores of techie girl geeks who are all sporting the pink razr. Kill me now. Actually please don't, if you did I wouldn't be able to use my favorite new phone anymore.

I hate to admit how much I love this phone. Or do I? I can't think of one person I've been in the company of lately that I haven't whipped out my phone in front of to show off all its cool features. I've spent hours, yes hours, on the phone, and not talking. First, learning all the features and setting it up, then reading the news and checking my email and IM while I sat on the couch no more than twenty feet from my computer where I could have easily done all those things. I updated my contacts list adding in multiple phone numbers and email addresses for everyone in my address book. And finally, I spent eons browsing ringtones. Now I'm not talking about monophonic or polyphonic ringtones, I'm talking about real song digital clip ringtones! How cool is this phone? I finally settled on my current song obsession, for now- Rodeo by Juvenile. I know, I know. But hey, it's my phone!

I never thought I'd be so enthused by a piece of technology, and a cell phone no less, but I am. What that says about me, I'm not sure. Perhaps that I've gained membership into trendy pop-culture by means of a cool new cell phone. Um, like, that's hot.

to do #19: get a pink razr

Ozomatli

Hey everyone!!!! For those of you that are still hanging in with me (I hope there are lots of you- I'm too scared to check my stats!) I'm sorry for my recent disappearance. As I mentioned in my last post, things have been so crazy around here with my family visiting and the holiday parties. After the last of my visitors were gone, I fully intended on getting back into blogging and visiting all my favorite blogs, but ended up hibernating in my apartment instead. I think my busy social agenda finally caught up with me. As most of you can probably relate to, the longer I took to get back to blogging, the harder it was to try to get back to blogging! But, I have buckled down today, and I'm writing here whether I like it or not. I have lots to catch you up on, and many half-started posts await you in the coming days and weeks. So, on with it...

On Saturday night three friends and I went to see Ozomatli at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe. Before I tell you about the show, let me give you a little of my Ozomatli history. I first saw them on Later with Jools Holland several years ago and I was instantly drawn in by their energy. I don't remember the performance very well, but I do remember lots of band members and lots of energy and a huge sound. They style was also so unique- a latin/hip hop/rap band from Los Angeles with black, white, latino and asian band members! But for some reason I never got around to checking them out, and pretty much forgot about them over the years. That is, until a couple months back when I was at a show and saw a poster for an upcoming Ozomatli show. I remembered the Jools performance and made a note to myself to check them out. I borrowed their most recent album (Street Signs) and a recent live album (Live at the Fillmore) from my local library and instantly fell in love. I put the cd's on high rotation, got a few friends hooked as well, and so the four of us went to see them Saturday night...

If you've been reading my blog for a while you're pretty familiar with how obsessed with music I can be, and how obsessed with the details I am at shows. I take a little moleskine notebook with me to write down the set lists, and fully immerse myself in the experience of the show. If I go alone I'm usually right near the stage so I can see everything the band does and take it all in. I'm like a musical sponge. I notice the details and I love it. I didn't used to be this way, but the more shows I go to, the more I appreciate the intricacies and the effort it takes to produce the music, and it just awes me. Now, I say all this in preparation to justify why I am going to give you a terrible account of the Ozomatli show. It's not because I don't know how, or I'm not practiced in the art of observing and relating a story, it's just that I was too busy having waaay too much fun!

My friends and I arrived a little after 8, in the middle of the opening band's set. The opener was scheduled to be Salvadore Santana, but I'm not sure whether it was or not because I'm not familiar with his/their music. From what we saw the music was decent, and the crowd was fairly into it. It was nothing I'd run out and buy, but the music seemed to be a fitting opener for Ozo.

Ozomatli took the stage around 9 pm to a crowd of around 250-300 people, which was less than I expected but turned out to be the perfect size. The venue appeared full, but there was still enough space around everyone that you could dance and not be right on top of the people next to you. The guys took the stage one at a time, which I always think is a great touch because it gives the crowd a chance to recognize each band member individually, and it makes for a really cool build up of the sound (and with 10 band members it takes a while!). Dos Cosas Ciertas is the perfect song to do this with, and is a great opener because it's so upbeat. The crowd went totally crazy, and pretty much never stopped going crazy the whole night. The crowd often times has the power to make an average show great or an average show awful, and this crowd definitely made the show great. Everyone was totally into the music and sang and danced their asses off.

After the first song, the details are a bit fuzzy. I was just so busy having fun that I didn't pay attention to what was happening on stage, which I sort of regret now because that's one of the things I love most about going to see live music. There are some great highlights I do remember though...The band played several new songs, beginning with the second song of the night. They asked the crowd if they'd mind hearing some new songs, and of course no one seemed to mind. The new songs were really good, and probably mean a new album is due out soon. At one point toward the beginning of the show the band asked everyone to introduce themselves to their neighbors and give them a hug whilst they played the theme song to Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I think people enjoyed singing along with this goofy childhood tune as much as they enjoyed hugging the strangers around them- good times! The set was long, about two and a half hours, and included almost all of my favorites, especially Ya Viene El Sol. The night ended with their 'End Samba', which entails all of the band members bringing a percussion instrument or horn down into the crowd and playing right in the middle of the crowd while the crowd chants "O-zo-matli, Ya se fue, Ya se fue". This went on for ages, while the band snaked through the crowd playing their instruments, and then ending up in the lobby of the venue. They also played the classic football chant "Ole, ole ole ole, ole, ole...." and the goofy Hokey Pokey. After the music ended the band stuck around in the lobby to visit with fans and sign autograghs and take pictures. This amazed me. I've never been to a show where the band was so humble and willing to get to know their fans. Even local bands seem to be too cool for school these days, so this totally impressed me.

This was a great show and a great night! Seeing a band for the first time when you only own their cd is always a gamble because you don't know what you'll get. Music can be fantastic on a cd, but not translate well live. I'd say the opposite is true of Ozo. The cd's are good, the live show is amazing. There are ten band members who are all incredibly talented on their respective instruments, and somehow each is highlighted in the live performance and equally shares the spotlight. I think that in itself is a testament to how good their music is. So, go out and buy their cd's and see them live!!!!

Following is the setlist, as best I could piece it together from my notes. Often times my notes are a little hard to read because it's dark in the venue when I'm trying to write, but when I looked at my notes from Saturday night I had to laugh, because they looked like they'd been written in another language!

Setlist:
1. Dos Cosas Ciertas
2. City of Angels - new song
3. ?- new song
4. Eva
5. ?- new song
6. Ya Viene El Sol
7. Street Signs
8. Believe
9. ?
10. ?- new song
11. ?
12. Elevation
13. Cumbia de los Muertos
14. Saturday Night
15. Déjame en Paz
16. Como Ves
17. La Misma Canción
18. End Samba

to do #78: see Ozomatli (and get my ass blogging again!)

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! It's been a hectic few weeks around here, and I've found very little time to be in front of my computer. I mentioned my brother was here for a visit, and during his visit we threw the pre-Thanksgiving bash. It was a great time, and a great excuse to have yummy Thanksgiving fare twice in a month. Two days after he left, my sister and nephew arrived. Having a two year old around is nothing less than a whirlwind of chaos. Having a sick two year old around is nothing less than a nightmare. I quickly realized how accustomed I'd grown to living on my own, and living without children. Consequently, I've been spending a LOT of time at the gym! But, having said that, there isn't a little guy any cuter than him, and having him around is fantastic, especially now that he's feeling better.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I decided to cook another turkey (pictured above) for us and a few friends. I didn't realize how gross turkeys look pre-roasting until I saw that picture. Unfortunately I forgot to take another picture after the roasting, but I can promise you that it was nothing short of perfection! Our day was filled with lots of friends and eating and drinking and general merry-making- a perfect day in my opinion!

So, just wanted to give you a little update on my whereabouts. I hope that those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving had a wonderful day! My sister & nephew will be leaving next week, which will give me plenty of time to get back to being a blogging nerd again! Till then...

to do #146: celebrate Thanksgiving

My Morning Jacket

Tuesday night I saw My Morning Jacket at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe. A few years ago when their album It Still Moves came out I was an instant fan. Jim James has such an amazing and unique voice. Of course some of that is because of the vocal effects and album production, but the airy/ethereal/spacey quality of his voice makes for a pretty distinguished sound. At the time I couldn't get enough of the album. When their latest album was released this year I was ready for something even better than the last, but was so turned off by the sound I barely gave it a few listens before I decided they were a one-album wonder for me.

But, despite my disappointment I still wanted to check them out when they came to town in hopes that they'd play lots of the older stuff. I wasn't expecting much, except maybe to get my live music fix, so I was totally surprised at how great the show was. Not only did they play some of the old songs I love, but the new songs totally took on a different sound. They didn't seem cheesy anymore, they were fantastic. MMJ played for about an hour and a half and played a good mix of old and new stuff. The sound was spot-on and captured his voice perfectly. Several of the songs extended into long jam sessions, which under normal circumstances I'm usually not a fan of, but in this case I absolutely loved, especially Dondante with the saxophone solo at the end. Seeing the new songs performed live totally got me into the new album, and now I can't get enough of it. I'd recommend you definitely check it out, and check out the band if they come to town. I know the album can be a bit tough to get through the first few times, but stick with it, it's excellent!

The setlist:

1- Wordless Chorus
2- It Beats for You
3- One Big Holiday
4- What a Wonderful Man
5- Off the Record
6- Golden
7- Sooner
8- Gideon
9- Lay Low
10- Dondante
11- Runthru
-encore-
12- Bermuda Highway
13- At Dawn
14- Anytime
15- Mahgeeta

to do #263: see My Morning Jacket

Koi

Hey everyone! I hope that you're still sticking with me- I've been a terrible blogger lately. My brother came for a visit last Wednesday and is still here, then we had the big Thanksgiving bash yesterday which was fantastic, so there hasn't been much free time to write or to read your blogs. I have lots to catch you up on, but for now I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know I'm still alive. Above is a picture from the local Japanese garden we visited today. The koi were gorgeous!

to do #139: feed the local koi

Amores Perros

I realized something disturbing tonight. I watched the film Amores Perros with some friends. I was the only one who hadn't seen it, but they all loved it enough to see it again. I'd heard it was an excellent movie, and I liked 21 Grams, so I was sure I'd like it too. I can honestly tell you if it weren't for being with my friends tonight, I may have turned off Amores Perros after the first fifteen minutes because I was so disturbed by the violence and gore. I never thought I'd say that about a movie. Not that I love violent films, but violence in films has never bothered me. Not until tonight. And the reason I was bothered by the violence bothers me even more than the violence itself.

One of the storylines in Amores Perros involves dog fighting. The dogs are vicious and often end up getting killed in the fights. Now, I'm not an uber-animal lover. I love my dog, and I pretty much like other people's dogs, but that's about as far as I go. But watching dogs fight and kill each other was way too much for me. I had to turn my head and really wasn't sure that I could handle it. But I soldiered on for my friends. (I'm glad I did, the film is excellent!) After the movie it dawned on me that I've seen people in films and TV doing the same and worse, but it rarely causes a reaction in me anymore. To say we are desensitized to violence from our exposure to it on film and TV is an understatement. Very disturbing.

to do #178: see Amores Perros

Earworms

Today is Earworm Friday over at SwissToni's Place, and yours truly is the guest editor this week! I hope you'll pay me a visit, and stick around his place- he's got a brilliant blog over there.

Referrals

Sometimes I think of looking at the referring pages to my blog, and when I do I'm almost always cracked up. Today someone searched the words science fair todo with animals hearing on MSN search, and my blog was the number one search result. Seriously! Check here. I wish I could have offered some help on a science fair to do with animal's hearing, but alas, I have no advice to give on that subject matter.

to do #299: find the oddest referral to my blog

Traffic School

You may recall a few weeks ago I was up against a deadline on traffic school, and decided to go to a concert instead. Lucky for me, the court took pity and gave me an extension. Not wanting to get myself in the same predicament, I buckled down and spent the better part of the afternoon and evening doing online traffic school. The price I paid for speeding is that I've wasted a perfectly nice Sunday evening, and that I am utterly exhausted. Traffic school is boring as hell but with online traffic school you actually have to pay attention because the quizzes can be pretty tough! I'm a fast reader, and it's taken me approximately four hours to complete six sections. I still have four sections to go. Ugh. It has been entertaining though. I started to really like online traffic school in section three where it got very zen-like, saying things like:

Focus on where your power is. Your power lies in your ability to control what you do, not what others do. So, instead, concentrate on being removed from the outside world and move into the inside world of peace and tranquility. Stay in the "eye of the storm." When the hurricane is blowing at its fiercest, the inside center of the storm is calm and serene. Don't go outside, where you have no control. Stay inside in the "eye of the storm," where you have control. Stay in your "center."


It even amused me at times with things like:

Drivers who focus only on the bumper in front of them join the "Stupid Club." The Stupid Club gathers members who do dumb things and have crashes.

And of course there were many 'helpful' suggestions like:

If you tend to be oblivious when driving, one good suggestion is to place an easily seen note on your visor that says, "Am I paying attention?"

Alas, it is still boring and I'm only 60% of the way through. I'm too tired to continue tonight, and the thought of more traffic school tomorrow has me so excited I can hardly wait to go to bed. The lesson in this? Don't break the law. As I learned tonight, the average person breaks 400 traffic laws before they get caught. I suppose after 14 years of driving my number was up.

to do #307: attend online traffic school

UPDATE: I passed my final exam with a 100% score! What can I say, I'm a perfectionist, even in traffic school.

My Music History: The Early Years

Thanks for sticking with me through my blogging drought; I just haven't felt like writing much lately, hence the lazy personality test posts and the extended absence this week. However, in the absence of posting I have been spending a lot of time thinking. It all started with trying to compile a list of the top five shows I'd been to. I like making these sort of mental lists: my top five albums of all time, top five songs of all time, favorite albums of the current year, etc. So as I thought of my top five shows, I began to take a trip down memory lane. I have a pretty good ticket collection from the shows I've been to, so I pulled them out to help me reminisce. All this led me to thinking about how it'd all begun--my earliest music memories. I was surprised at how well I remembered these mundane moments of my past, their common thread being music. So I thought I'd share a few of them with you...

Some of my earliest music memories are of riding in the car on Sunday mornings listening to Casey Kasem's Weekly Top 40 on the way to and from church. I believe this began around the tender age of seven, on through about ten or eleven (about the time we stopped going to church!). I don't think I've listened to the show since then, but I can still remember that intro: The weeeeekly top fortyyyyyyy. I also knew at that early age the long distance dedications were cheesy as hell- just play the music!! We'd catch the top of the countdown on the way to church and we'd be out just in time for the good stuff on the way home. I'd usually catch the end of the countdown in my bedroom on my shiny silver boombox, and can remember dashing around the house to find a blank tape in order to record one of my favorite songs of the time- Van Halen's Jump when it hit number one. I recall sitting there wondering, will it be number one, please oh please I hope so!! (A little googling just revealed it was a top 40 #1 in 1984, which would've put me at 8!) I also remember that after I successfully recorded Jump, I listened to it over and over again. To make the rewinding easier, I put a little ink mark on my tape on the exact spot the recording started. (OH MY GOSH, you won't believe it: I pulled out my tape collection in order to take the picture for this post, and what's on top but the aforementioned Jump tape. I kid you not. Check it out here. I can't believe I kept that tape all these years...)

My giant silver boombox...I believe I got this one year for Christmas (around the same time as Casey Kasem's Top 40) and I thought I was the absolute shit with it. I was awesome. I rocked out. No one could touch me. I remember making my younger brother and sister and some of our friends choose songs from amongst my tape collection (Michael Jackson Thriller, Lionel Richie Can't Slow Down, Huey Lewis & the News Sports, Cyndi Lauper She's So Unusual, Prince Purple Rain, Madonna Madonna are among some of the ones I can remember) that they (or I) liked, and then memorizing them, while I choreographed a dance performance for them to go along with the song. I'd extend the antennae from the boombox to use as a microphone, and we'd perform the songs. I have some spotty memories of being very bossy when it came to these performances, but I'm sure it was all in the name of accuracy!

Around the same time I was also obsessed with all things Michael Jackson. I had Thriller and remember how thrilled I was to see the video on MTV for the first time. I vaguely recall being a little scared of the zombies, but also just being so enraptured with the story set to a song I loved. I, of course, also had a pair of black parachute pants I got for Christmas one year, and a white t-shirt with black short sleeves and red glitter on it that somehow went with the parachute pants and completed the Michael Jackson ensem. I was smokin' hot, let me assure you, and there are pictures to prove it (and if I have anything to do with it, none of you will ever EVER see these pictures!!).

It was also around this time that McDonald's (yes the fast food chain) came out with a series of oldie's tapes. I begged and begged my parent's to buy them, and once they did we'd listen to them in the car on roadtrips. As I recall, they were great 50's and 60's tunes; two songs I distinctly remember are Dell Shannon's Runaway and the Chordettes Lollipop. What kid wouldn't love to sing along to those songs?!?

It wasn't till 1986 that I was first exposed to 'cool' music, that I'd still consider fairly cool today- The Beastie Boys. I was fourth grade, and remember the boy that sat next me, Chris Martin (no, not that one), singing Brass Monkey.
Brass monkey, that funky monkey,
brass monkey junkie, that funky monkey
I can only figure he had a cooler older brother because I don't think any fourth grader would have come across the Beastie's on their own, but I thought it was cool (probably because I thought Chris Martin was cool!). He made me a copy of the tape, I listened to it all the time, and then we'd sing the songs during class. Luckily I was an ace student, so I never got in trouble for these little singing sessions.

Well this pretty much takes you through my elementary years, and is probably enough for one night. I have lots more to share, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I'd love to hear some of your earliest music memories, no matter how embarrassing. I think I've shared enough embarrassing music information for years and years of comic fodder.

to do#183: take a stroll down music memory lane

FYI, Windex Doesn't Kill Scorpions

But, the bottom of a shoe works very well-- this is the unfortunate lesson I learned tonight. Since I had an earlier bug *ahem, arthropod* post, I thought I'd share this information with you all, lest you be home alone late on a Monday night with a scorpion on your balcony and a bottle of Windex in one hand and a shoe in the other. I've just saved you the trouble of cleaning up a half-bottle puddle of Windex, and from dashing around your home like a mad-woman (or man) looking for a more lethal weapon.

I must at this time also give mad props to my scorpion-hunting canine pal for spotting the danger in the dark from the opposite side of the closed screen door, and then whining incessantly until I let her out onto the balcony, only to run directly back into the house sneezing and shaking her head from side to side. It only took me two or three times of this before I got the message and went out to investigate. What can I say, I'm a bit slow. But, you readers will surely not make the same mistake now that you've been armed with my advice. And, you are more than welcome to the services of my scorpion-hunter; she's also quite good at hunting crumbs, clean laundry and used kleenex.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, those white-ish spots you see on the bottom of my shoe are in fact the remnants of the said, and now pulverized, scorpion.

to do #217: how not to kill a scorpion

I am also...

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I figured while I was at it, I may as well see which famous leader I am too. As you can imagine, I was both shocked and honored to be Mother Teresa. I mean, I'm a nice person and all, but Mother Teresa?!

And last night, Mother Teresa was lucky enough to host two Bill Clintons and Saddam Hussein at her house for dinner. Yep, that's right, Saddam Hussein. I can tell you, it's all fun and games until someone is Saddam Hussein! Who knew Mother Teresa and Saddam Hussein could be such great friends? Now I'm dying to find out who my other famous friends are. Don't be shy, take the test and leave a comment. Hey, how can you say no to Mother Teresa?

to do #374: find out which famous leader I am

I am...

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I don't usually do tests like these, but I came across this one on another blog, and being a movie fan, I had to find out which classic movie I am. So, Easy Rider? Cool. Which classic movie are you?

to do #373: find out which classic movie I am

Pro: Skies

As I contemplate my impending move away from Arizona, I have been keeping a little running tally of pros and cons, to make sure I'm making the right decision. So far there haven't been many ticks in the pro column for Arizona, but I do have to admit to one I've noticed outside my sliding glass door the past three days as I've sat at my desk working: the skies. Arizona seems to have some of the most beautiful skies. Is that enough to keep me here? No. But it's something to appreciate whilst I bide my time.

to do #49: find a pro for living in Arizona

Traffic School or Iron & Wine?

This is the conundrum I was presented with when I contemplated how to spend my Sunday evening. If you recall, a few weeks ago on the way back from Vegas to see Oasis I was issued a traffic ticket for speeding. Said traffic ticket needs to be taken care of with online traffic school before October 19th. As is my typical fashion, I planned on doing it all weekend but put it off till Sunday night. That is, until a friend called to say he had a couple tickets to the Iron & Wine show he wasn't going to be able to use, and would I be interested? It took me all of a few moments to contemplate: Traffic School or Iron & Wine? Those of you that know me know that traffic school had no chance. And so it came to pass I went to see Calexico and Iron & Wine tonight, and put off traffic school another day.

Earlier in the week I had contemplated getting tickets for the Iron & Wine show because I was going through a bit of live-music withdrawal. It had been ten (*gasp*) days since the BRMC show, and I was dying for another music fix. But the pragmatic side of me won out, and I decided to skip the show. Afterall, I'm not a massive fan, nor very familiar with his music, though I was sure it would be a good show. Never one to happily capitalize on the misfortunes of others, I would be lying if I said I wasn't happy I didn't buy a ticket and that my friends who did were now unable to go. As they say, one man's misfortune is another man's fortune. Do they actually say that? No, I don't think that they do. Anyhow...

Oh, and before I give you a show review, let me just tell you something I realized tonight- I have no concept of what music is popular in Phoenix/America right now. I didn't think Iron & Wine was very well-known, and thus assumed the show would be pretty empty, especially on a Sunday night- wrong. The place was packed, probably around 700 people! This isn't the first time I've grossly under/over-estimated the turnout for a show. Kings of Leon come to mind: a friend and I gave our two extra (free!) tickets to the ticket-taker at the door because we couldn't find anyone to give them to, and there ended up only being around 100 people at the show. And Wilco, I waited until a week before the show to buy my ticket because I was certain there wouldn't be many people there, and the show had already sold out. Clearly my finger is nowhere near the pulse of the music listeners here. I know what I like, and I figure everyone else should like them too.

So, tonight at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Calexico was the opener for Iron & Wine. I was somewhat familiar with the band, but had never seen them, nor do I own any of their music. They're a semi-local band, from Tucson, and have a couple core members and lots of guest musicians. They were incredible, and I wouldn't hesitate to see them again. Their music straddles so many genres, going from an indie rock sound to a highly Mexican influenced sound complete with trumpets to an alt-country sound with lap steel guitar. Their collective of musicians were amazing and the resulting sound was so unexpected and beautiful. Which is probably why Iron & Wine recruited them to be his opener and his backing band. They played the initial set of 8 or 9 songs from 8:45 until around 9:30. Iron & Wine then came out around 9:45 and played the first couple songs on acoustic guitar with a female back-up singer. For the rest of the set, the guys from Calexico were the backing band, with as many as 12 people on the stage at once. The resulting sound was deep and layered and gorgeous. There were two or three percussionists, a harmonica, a lap steel guitar, a bass, two or three guitarists, two trumpets, a xylophone, and those are just the instruments I can remember.

My main issue with Iron & Wine, and the reason I never really gave the cd's I have much play time, is that the songs tend to all sound the same after a while. An acoustic guitar and him singing. You can only take so much before you want a little variety. Because of this sparseness, I wasn't sure what to expect tonight. But performing alongside the members of Calexico was such a wonderful surprise. The result of their collaboration is an indie jam band. With so many musicians and such a variety of instruments, the songs often extended into long instrumental jams punctuated every now and then with singing from Iron & Wine. Jams aren't usually my style because I find them to be self-gratifying and boring, but I was never bored tonight. It may have been the lap steel or the trumpets or the harmonica but I was always captivated and excited about the music. The hour and a half passed quickly, and I was sorry when it was over, as I always am. Luckily for you, Iron & Wine and Calexico have recorded an EP together that was just released, so you can hear their collaboration too. Enjoy!

to do #237: see Calexico and Iron & Wine