A photo from my "Sleep" series.

One of my best photographs to date.

My relatively new hair.

"Stormy weather

The kids are making a racket

In the wilderness

The wild lives are so mild

And I get caught up in the moonlight

Reaching out for a rotten egg

I don't want to beg

It's crystal clear

Your time is almost gone."

-Beck, Mutations (1998)

10 Things I Like, Have Done, or Enjoyed these past months:

1. Trip to Michigan for Festivus; Saw the whole fam and shot my final for Digital Imaging. It was wonderful and all I did was guzzle Busch beer for four days and make leftover bowls and they all love me anyways.

2. Got the free iPod I somehow accquired up and running; It's only 4 gigs, but that's okay because it's blue, free, and in working order.

3. Treated myself to some records today because I finished one of the hardest courses I have ever taken: Bed on the Floor (Woody Guthrie, 1965), Gone Gone Gone (Everly Brothers, 1965), The Father of Bluegrass: Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys (1974). And, I absconded with a slew of 33s and 45s from my grandma's attic including Harvest (Neil Young, 1972) and Tapestry (Carole King, 1971).

4. Kodak Professional Black and White 400 CN film. Oh god

5. Reverend Horton Heat, Legendary Shack Shakers, and Split Lip Rayfield at the Exit/In in November. J.D. Wilkes is one of the most extraordinary front men I have ever seen.

6. Went to Little Rock for the weekend to celebrate my roommate Heidi's birthday. There, we: went to the CIRCUS, drank coffee, I rode her sister's hornery Walker, shot a really strange photoshoot, ate Chinese food with her grandma, and became mentally recharged in time for finals week.

7. Cut my bangs real short and kind of found my hairstyle stride.

8. Pall Mall Blues, though these are kind of a constant.

9. Netflix television binges and Saturday Night Live catch-up marathons.

10. New mustard convertible gloves, purple knit hat, red ear warmer band thing, and an olive anorak coat with plaid quilted lining and a furry collar with snap buttons.

Currently listening to: Muffled Vanilla Ice from our upstairs neighbors.

Currently drinking: Ugly Mug coffee (Memphis, represent!)

Currently thinking: Blogging is better than printing at school, school ends in a week, and DAMN, it's cold in here.

This was me running across Cooper with my shutter open.






Well, I'm lonely. Not so much I'm-forever-alone-and-I'm-ugly-and-terrible-and-I'll-die-a-sad-spinster, but like I-want-to-watch-The Notebook- and-cry-but-Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron-made-me-cry-not-but-a-couple-of-days-ago-so-that-kind-of-cancels-it-out-and-come-Halloween-I-will-dress-sexy-so-maybe-something-will-happen kind of lonely. Who am I kidding. Get me a whopper! Now I'm quoting Burger King commercials. This is bad. Aretha? Where are you? Sing me a song. If Leonardo daVinci came back to life and wanted to make a tricycle, he would pick me to help because I am the greatest third wheel in history.





Reasons I'm A Great Third Wheel:


-I can keep the conversation going when you can't.


-I will be genuinely interested in what the prospectful new beau is saying.


-I am nonthreatening lookswise; I will not steal your man, and he will not be distracted.


-Since I'm not trying to impress anyone, I will be goofy and entertain the two of you.





Tricylces are important. To toddlers, and alternative motorcycle men. People who need to make money pulling people around town on a bike. Bears in circuses like them.





Crybaby.

Oh, and since this is mainly a music blog as of late, I've been listening to 98.9, Music For Generation X, a lot because my tape deck broke my Don Mclean cassette and now I don't trust it. Can't lose Roy, too, because then I'd surely be sad. I like hearing "Say My Name" and Blindmelon songs all day. Sometimes "Tootsie Roll" comes on and I know it will be a good day.

You know what's awesome?

"Binge and Purge" - Clutch

"Exit Music For a Film" - Radiohead

"Prison Song" - System of a Down (No shame, it's good with whiskey)

"Cisco Kid" - Sublime

"Fujiyama Mama" - Wanda Jackson

"She Said" - The Cramps

"Ace of Spades" - Motorhead

"Superfreak" - Rick James

So is string cheese, free refills on Gibson Donuts' coffee, refund checks, bolo ties, and leather boots.

I go to the "French Riviera Spa" which has the least spa-like atmosphere to sweat out nineteen years of dormant belly fat every night, four times a week. d'Holbach's musings on the determinism of man kept me from leaving my square apartment last night however and made me drool face first on the depressing dark vortex of the free couch we acquired. I sprung for a vanilla latte for myself and a cinnamon concoction for the roommate last night, freeing my seven dollars in cash I've kept locked inside my wallet for a week just in case I decided to watch loud shitty music at the Hi-Tone one night. Our house smells like diapers a little, which can only mean the garbage trash has reared its ugly vile rotten head to remind us it's time for it to die. I found out that a living room the size of a minivan takes just two or three days of forgetfulness to descend into a claustrophobic shit pit. I guess it's really not that messy, it's just small and it's hard to step over notebooks and photo paper and plastic cups when there is a couch you have to dodge as well. Time for another biweekly mean clean. Since I am le bum roommate without a retail job, I will do it and help out my more active house sharer.

The playlist that I have created entitled "Dishwarshin' Music" is as followed:

"DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" -Usher and Pitbull

"F**ck You" - Ceelo Green

"Drop it Like it's Hot" - Snoop Dogg and Pharell

"Lady Marmalade" - Don't make me type this out. You all know anyways.

"Teach Me How to Dougie" - Cali Swag District

"A Milli" - Lil Wayne

"Right Thurr" - Chingy

Nothin' like a little Top 40 from not-so-then and now to pump up those scrubbing muscles.

Reviews and Obligatory List Making

September, Side A:

1. Rubber Soul - The Beatles

2. Aretha's Gold Hits - Aretha Franklin

3. Consolers of the Lonely - The Raconteurs

4. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - Mamas and the Papas

5. Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits - Patsy Cline

This is about all that's touched the turntable this month.

• Cee-lo Green put out a new single that is one of the highest quality break-up songs ever; "Fuck You" is a bouncy, brash and crass tune that harks back to the spectacle of 50s big band pop. A trio of sexy black lady harmony, over the top vocals that break it down half way through, tambourines (?), some funky bass track, and a handful of scathing lyrics (I see you driving down town with the girl I love/And I'm like, "Fuck you!"; I guess the change in my pocket wasn't enough/ And I'm like, "Fuck you, and a-fuck her too!"). Every once in awhile Top 40 hits the nail on the head (radio did censor it to "Forget You" which dilutes its punch, most unfortunately).

• Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs' new album, "God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" is a lap steel's wet dream. The album meanders and rambles without making much of a point, but Ray's voice is oh-so-sexy all the time. In "Like Rock and Roll Radio," he hits this waterfall note that streams into the next line seamlessly and keeps moving. Two tracks stand out to me, one of which being the expected "Devil's in the Jukebox" (it can be compared to Gossip in the Grain's "Hey Me, Hey Mama") and "Beg Steal or Borrow." "You've been howling at the moon/ Like a slack jaw fool/And breaking every rule that they throw at you/But one of these days it's gonna be right soon/You'll find your legs and go and stay gone" is a particularly fantastic verse in "Beg Steal or Borrow." The melody has a 6/8 feel to it, but it's catchy and makes you feel deeper than you are. Heidi and I agreed, back up on the steel guitar a bit. It lends a down-home feel to the album, but it borders on overkill. All in all, it deserved its number four place on the Top 100 list.

September Favorites:

1. Cantaloupe
2. Horizon Chocolate Milk
3. Granola of any kind
4. Working Out
5. Pall Mall Blues
6. Having flowers in the house
7. Reading (Virgin Suicides, Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, Cold Mountain, Philosophy essays)

I got my first taste of cool air here in Memphis tonight. My god, it was wonderful; It is so dreadfully sweaty here, no matter what time it is. I can already feel sweater shopping and midafternoon coffee in my bones. Listening to the Mamas and the Papas is not helping my autumn lust and neither is the fact that I know fall doesn't come until November here in the south. The heat is melting me slowly, and I tend to stay inside. My days have been starting at six o'clock lately. But, even though it is horrible, I'll miss it when it's gone. Skinny dipping and rum get you through the heat in fine form.

"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it." -Russell Baker, 1925 -

Things I Love About my Apartment:

• It's my house (and Heidi's, but still).



• I can eat Creamsicles for breakfast.



• I can smoke cigarettes in the den while I watch movies.



• I am five minutes away from Nicholas and Adam's place.



• My record player is in my room, and I can listen to Patsy Cline when I wake up every day.



• Coffee is not confined to morning hours.



• I can invite people over to "my place."



• Liquor can stay in the freezer and beer can stay in the fridge and it's all good.



• A dog is in my near future.

• Buttondown shirts and underwear is standard fare.
  
  

Things I Hate About my Apartment:

• Taupe.



• The train down the street.
  
• Potential creep neighbors.

• Empty side of the bed.

Nirvana and I are really beginning a wonderful new relationship. The 'Unplugged' album is just the thing I want to listen to all evening. You know I've always liked them though, it'd be a crime not to really. But Kurt is starting to worm his way into my psyche. What a shame he died. But, to quote Don McLean, "You took your life like lovers often do."

"Others decided it was nowhere except for where they stood...But those were all just guesses. Wouldn't help you if they could." -Plateau, Meat Puppets, Performed by Nirvana on the 1994 album MTV Unplugged New York

15 Things About Music That Make it Amazing.

1. The way Dan Auerbach raises his I-can't-go-on palm.

2. When Jack White squints his eyes and pushes his hair out of his face.

3. Neil Fallon's conversational arm movements.

4. Allison Mosshart's cat-barfing back hunches.

5. Son Houses's off-beat clapping.

6. Robert Plant's relationship with the microphone cord.

7. Buddy Holly's breathing pattern.

8. Rivers Cuomo's stage presence.

9. The way Chuck Berry shimmied around the stage.

10. 90s music half-rests.

11. Bluegrass breakdowns.

12. The in-between third verse and last chorus freak-outs.

13. Music festivals and music movies.

14. Unexpected collaborations.

15. Nashville underground.

Good Things Since Last Post:
1.Bonnaroo
2.Books
3.Club Sandwiches from Noshville
4.Acquiring Records
5.Pools
6.Colored Pencils
7.Finishing School for the Summer
8.Bonnaroo
9.My Ongoing Weight Loss
10.Thomas and Smokey, Our Cats


Bad Things Since Last Post:
1.Flood
2. Rue McClanahan and Carol Fey's Passing Away
3.Lack of Money
4.Buying Tags for Car, Getting New Muffler
5.Stomach Bug from Bonnaroo

Rabo Karabekian

• I just finished the novel Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut; profoundly good. I really enjoyed it. I read the last 186 pages of it tonight, in fact.

• The new MCA banner at the east entrance on Poplar Ave. features a youngish man (whom I have come to find out is named Amel). He looks exactly like a friend of mine who killed himself when I was fourteen. I don't take that entrance too much anymore.

• I leave the balcony door unlocked so that Adam can come in throughout the day. I think it's kind of symbolic. Maybe I'm waiting for not only him, but someone else as well. Maybe I should stop reading Kurt Vonnegut books.

• To misquote Sam Cooke, "It's Friday night, and I ain't got nobody."

• And to correctly quote Charles Darwin, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."

It is necessary to uphold the appearance of the law, especially when it's being broken.

This tea tastes like shit,

my coffee is worse;

At least I'm not dead in the back of a hearse.

I'm in a odd mood, and I'm not sure why.

If Forrest Gump came on,

I know I would cry.

A nice little diddy for this evening. All I've been listening to lately is Bob Dylan. I didn't even like Bob Dylan. 'Highway 61 Revisited' has stayed in my car Walkman, only to be swapped out with 'Gossip in the Grain' every once and awhile.

One time my grandma told me, "It's better to fart and bear the shame, than not to fart, and bear the pain." One time my grandma also threw a Seagrams 7 bottle into the trashcan over her shoulder without looking.

The gas station guy didn't chat me up tonight like normal.

I've watched 'Gangs of New York' throughout the day; Daniel Day Lewis is a god amongst men. He uses the word 'excrementitious.'

Top 5 Favorite Things About Spring:

1. Dogwood Trees

2. Ice Cream Trucks

3. Dresses

4. My Straw Hat

5. Opening the Windows

"Do you have the slightest idea what a moral and ethical principle is, DO YOU? Has it ever occured to you what would happen to my future if I were to fail to live up to my responsibilities? Has it ever occured to you? HAS IT?"
-Jack Torrance, The Shining, 1980

This is a nice little quote to make me stop sitting in the park and wrap up my last three weeks of freshman year with head-nodding satisfaction. Not like Jack Torrance ended up very well, but that is besides the point.

Ways to Procrastinate and Feel Alright About It:
-Buy donuts at 3 PM
-Find a tree that is easily climbable
-Make bluegrass versions of Disney tunes
-Always have a pack of cheap smokes on you; do not keep count of cigarettes consumed
-Take off your shoes, leave them tied; Having to untie them will make you stay away
-Find a place that offers cheap food/beverages and enables loitering; have them keep refilling your coffee
-put color film in your camera instead of taking rolls of B&W for class; finish entire roll




My favorite epitaph I've ever seen said, "He never killed a man that did not need killing."


I've been real big into doo-wop for the past month or so. It's cheesy, cavity sweet, safe, but extraordinarily sad. I like to be crooned at.


I'm missing my home or really, my figurative home pretty bad as school winds down/up. I'm getting frantic and grumpy. I have a budget of $5.85 a day.

I hate Abstract Expressionism, and the more we speak about it the more I want to vomit.

Top 5 Favorite Foods Lately:
1. Quesadillas
2. Tempura Sweet Potato
3. Spinach
4. Coffee
5. Pall Malls