You hung the moon from a gallows in the sky
If you've been checking the blog lately, waiting for that podcast, I'm sorry to disappoint-- podcasting has been put off temporarily due to technical limitations. Turns out to... record? You need some sort of... mic setup? Who knew, right? Anyways, it's coming, and we'll burst gloriously into the already-overcrowded podcasting scene in early November, with extreme obnoxiousness and pedantry.
I've navigated the last couple of weeks with bemused uncertainty; every day stranger than the previous one. It's a good thing. I'd much rather be confused than bored. In the span of a couple of weeks, I've been dragged into a hip-hop party by drunken strangers, I've seen the viral-video stars of Latin America milk their 15 minutes of fame to the very last second by putting on an elaborate and ultra-kitsch live show, I've participated in a global Michael Jackson tribute and I've been convinced my sister was killed in a car accident. Yes.
A few of those might require further explanation. My sister, Cristina, who is currently wandering the globe (actually, the tri-state area) found herself (and her boyfriend. and his newly purchased car) in a terrible traffic accident in upstate New York, apparently flying off of the highway, doing a whopping 5 flips and eventually colliding with a tree. Thankfully, they're both alright, just a little beat-up and with a redefined sense of mortality. Which, come to think of it, is exactly what most 20 year olds need.
There was a moment this Saturday when I was honestly convinced my sister had died, since I received news of her accident rather disjointedly. In fact, I found myself questioning my fierce agnosticism (if there can ever be such a thing? I mean, by definition, wouldn't "fierce agnosticism" be an oxymoron?) after I nearly caught myself sending out a prayer for her. Words can't describe the weight that was lifted off my shoulders when I was finally able to make contact with her and confirm her well-being. As different as we are, I love my sister, and would be crushed if something had happened to her.
Speaking of, I've been granted permission to visit home for 6 weeks! I'll be leaving the 26th of December (yes, I'll be spending Christmas in Buenos Aires, thanks to my school's ridiculous idea to have finals 'til the 23rd), spending two weeks of vacation and then working from home for a month. I can't believe I'll be working from my dad's office. There's something strangely poetic about setting up residence in the office I grew up visiting. I'm looking forward to it.
Great news! The new Elvis Costello album is out and it is amazing. Yes, amazing is right. I realize I'm a fanboy and can sometimes go a little overboard with the praise but it is my honest belief that this album deserves every bit of praise it can get. A thrilling collection of songs ranging from straightforward rock and roll to Tin Pan Alley-influenced jazz stylings to delicate folk featuring only guitar, voice and bass. All brilliant lyrically, rich with imagery and emotion. It's his third new album in as many years (and the time I've been a diehard fan of his) and it's still unbelievable to me that somebody could still churn out such a masterpiece this late into their career. Just an incredible album.
In other, Elvis Costello-related news, I was chosen as the recipient of one of only 25 sets of two autographed 78rpm records containing four songs from the new album. Yes, only 25 people in the entire world. This is a huge deal for as massive an Elvis Costello fan as myself, as well as for someone who never really wins anything (except for the hearts of women... ahem).
This weekend has a lot to offer. Here are a few pictures of the last few.
I've navigated the last couple of weeks with bemused uncertainty; every day stranger than the previous one. It's a good thing. I'd much rather be confused than bored. In the span of a couple of weeks, I've been dragged into a hip-hop party by drunken strangers, I've seen the viral-video stars of Latin America milk their 15 minutes of fame to the very last second by putting on an elaborate and ultra-kitsch live show, I've participated in a global Michael Jackson tribute and I've been convinced my sister was killed in a car accident. Yes.
A few of those might require further explanation. My sister, Cristina, who is currently wandering the globe (actually, the tri-state area) found herself (and her boyfriend. and his newly purchased car) in a terrible traffic accident in upstate New York, apparently flying off of the highway, doing a whopping 5 flips and eventually colliding with a tree. Thankfully, they're both alright, just a little beat-up and with a redefined sense of mortality. Which, come to think of it, is exactly what most 20 year olds need.
There was a moment this Saturday when I was honestly convinced my sister had died, since I received news of her accident rather disjointedly. In fact, I found myself questioning my fierce agnosticism (if there can ever be such a thing? I mean, by definition, wouldn't "fierce agnosticism" be an oxymoron?) after I nearly caught myself sending out a prayer for her. Words can't describe the weight that was lifted off my shoulders when I was finally able to make contact with her and confirm her well-being. As different as we are, I love my sister, and would be crushed if something had happened to her.
Speaking of, I've been granted permission to visit home for 6 weeks! I'll be leaving the 26th of December (yes, I'll be spending Christmas in Buenos Aires, thanks to my school's ridiculous idea to have finals 'til the 23rd), spending two weeks of vacation and then working from home for a month. I can't believe I'll be working from my dad's office. There's something strangely poetic about setting up residence in the office I grew up visiting. I'm looking forward to it.
Great news! The new Elvis Costello album is out and it is amazing. Yes, amazing is right. I realize I'm a fanboy and can sometimes go a little overboard with the praise but it is my honest belief that this album deserves every bit of praise it can get. A thrilling collection of songs ranging from straightforward rock and roll to Tin Pan Alley-influenced jazz stylings to delicate folk featuring only guitar, voice and bass. All brilliant lyrically, rich with imagery and emotion. It's his third new album in as many years (and the time I've been a diehard fan of his) and it's still unbelievable to me that somebody could still churn out such a masterpiece this late into their career. Just an incredible album.
In other, Elvis Costello-related news, I was chosen as the recipient of one of only 25 sets of two autographed 78rpm records containing four songs from the new album. Yes, only 25 people in the entire world. This is a huge deal for as massive an Elvis Costello fan as myself, as well as for someone who never really wins anything (except for the hearts of women... ahem).
This weekend has a lot to offer. Here are a few pictures of the last few.