Traveling Without Moving

This will come as a shock to people, but i'm not a patient person. One of the hardest things for me to do is sit tight and wait. I know, I know, good things and all, but I must move. It's the shark part of me. Even if i'm not particularly going anywhere, keeping the oxygen flowing is a necessity. So this weekend has been tough. Tree pollen counts are high so i can't really hang outside, planes are late, so i'm stuck at the gate, somebody is busy doing taxes and whatnot, and my local haunts seem diminished of late. I'm boxed in, i'm trapped, and i must be patient and wait for a better day.

But i haven't been totally idle. ELO (Balance of Power) and Dr. Dog (Shame, Shame) kept me company at the cell phone wait area Friday night (and a little bit of the twins radio broadcast). I'm kinda partial to BoP, yes, Jeff Lynne is recycling himself to the nth degree, but it's easy pop and there's a lyrical undercurrent to most of the album that signals the end of an era (and not just ELO). ELO always means the high school to me and i can't help but flash back to those days whenever i hear a super multitracked vocal (even apples in stereo does it to me) Kind of got lost in the reverie waiting for the plane, reminiscing (older times we're missing...) I think i wrote some copy about ELO in one of the yearbook editions, and i know i was jealous of a couple of my co-writers getting to go to the TIME concert at the Met Stadium. Sigh.

Dr. Dog has been growing on me. It's no Fate and that's probably its curse to my ears, but there are a few songs that are starting to call attention to me (black eye especially) and i really love the bonus track It (and i know it is some affliction of mine that always make me think a bonus track is better than 90% of the actual album. And i'm sure the show next week (am i going?) will shine a positive light on some of the other Shame, Shame tracks.

Saturday, i barely left the house (other than cupcake and mountain dew runs) because of allergies (when will the pollen be over) and sitting tight until the taxman was done, but i was productive. I logged 7 (SEVEN!!!) episodes of Breaking Bad (four from season two, three from season three, so i'm caught up) Killer show, and maybe that should be enough, but the producers are kinda Wire-Like crafty with there song selection. To say more would be giving things away, but when you watch (and you should for a whole host of reasons) don't forget to listen to the songs. (i also caught up on Flash Forward and Fringe. both occasionally spin some kinda good tunes, but they also veer into Grey's Anatomy pretty quickly. Not saying, just saying.

Oh yeah, during one of my runs, i listened to Fang Island. Definitely worth a spin. definitely.

and today? Hmmmmm. i started out waiting for things to happen, then i got impatient and headed to the gym. then i got even more impatient with sitting still and drove right by the gym. and drove and drove. and i guess i missed out on a good thing (i'm sorry man) and i really didn't end up going anywhere, but i did get a lot of music listened to. Totally in love with the new National single ("i still owe money, to the money, to the money i owe" and i might have to look into this surfer blood band. still kinda sure the new hold steady is gonna be a disappointment (based on the songs i've heard) but they are still fun in the car. and i like that Dan Black song a little more each time i hear it. and ok, i played sheena easton's greatest hits (up to a point, there's really nothing to hear after Sugar Walls even if you are a fan----and how the hell did that ever get played on the radio? sheesh) hmmm. what else, some chills (some of heavenly pop hits, but lots of brave words) Men Without Hats (really they have more than The Safety Dance, really), Andy Gibb (i dunno why either, maybe it's an ELO thing where i relive my past with this stuff....and of course, here's hoping the millenium collection flips quickly too) a little phil seymour (found a copy of his first one and there are YOU GUESSED IT, bonus tracks!!!!) and then finished up with some J. Geils (Just Can't Wait is a near perfect new wave song...hell, the keyboard fills sound like the Attractions). Nice drive, and thank odg for air conditioning. my sinuses feel so much better for being gone.

Upon my return from aimless driving (come a long way, come a long way....and never leave LA) i hit the gym for a run on the treadmill (continuing the theme, see?) 4 miles. music of choice? passion pit. Sleepyhead always kicks in when i need it the most.