And Hudson comes into the world.

Had sort of been blawg-quiet lately in the last week or so.

Though my actual-life was quite the opposite.

Got a call a week and a half ago and found out that a renter was going to take over the lease of my apartment in LA (good news), 
so I had to fly back the following day with a sinus cold (bad news) to start packing up my life 
for the second time in 5 months - the first was my move from Portland to LA in October.
Managed to sell a ton of stuff - sofa, desk, bookcases, furniture in general and made a bunch of donations to Goodwill.
All of which felt amazing to let go off.
Stuff. Goodbye stuff.
I also sold my car, which was actually the toughest thing to let go of.
It's not that it was the most awesome car (2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue), rather it was the "meaning" of the car - the sense of independence, 
and all the memories it held - roadtrips out to the coast, the desert, to LA and back, from Milwaukee across the country to Portland, etc.
The same day I was selling my car in LA, my best friends, Molly & Dyrayll, were having their first child back in Portland.
I was letting go of things, and at the same time, something living was coming into the world.
Something beautiful and much more important.
It was an interesting moment for me.
I was sitting in a Starbucks in Burbank contemplating the amount that Carmax offered me for my car 
and whether I was going to take their offer.
Evening was coming on and the sky was a moody color and busy with clouds.
At some point a feeling of letting go came over me and I realized that it was time.
Felt very clear to me.
Goodbye stuff.

So I then flew back to NYC and got back to working and my new routine out here.
Working hard on a TV commercial at the moment.

Friday I get a call from the Beverly Hills Police Department.
Apparently they've got two fellas in custody that had some of my possessions on them.
Turns out they broke into my storage unit and jacked some of my things.
My head was swimming.
Did they get my records?
My music gear?
Personal information?
Felt violated and bummed out.

That was Friday, today is Tuesday.
It is still being sorted out by the police, but it's looking like I may have caught a super lucky break 
in that they caught these guys in time before they may have unloaded any of my possessions.
So, ah...
Feels like spring is coming on and things are getting better, warmer, sunnier.
I got a gal that loves me, great friends and family, some work at the moment and my health.
Counting all my blessings.

And here's a song from a band called It Hugs Back from their new album that I'm feeling:

Give 'em some support.

http://4ad.com/ithugsback/releases/inside-your-guitar-0/

I Dreamt That I Dreamt That You Loved Me In Your Dreams.

Last summer I was out in London for six weeks working on a Nokia project with Wieden + Kennedy.

It was honestly some of the best times I've had in my life.
I was in an especially raw place in my life, where I was choosing to live blown wide open.
I was full of wonder and really rooted in the experience of the nowness.
The friends I made at work were/are such an amazing bunch and I saw more art and live music 
in a six week period than I usually see in six months (and I go to a ton of concerts!).
Plus I managed to be drunk nearly every night, because that's apparently how they do it in London.
And being a competitive, patriotic American, I couldn't let them beat me.
They did anyway.
Wankers.
Them Brits are like fishes, they.

So one of my favorite shows I went to was a double bill of Favours For Sailors and Dananananakroyd 
that my friend Martin Jackson took me too, as they are mates of his.
It kicked my ass all over the place and I jumped around like a teenager.
Here's these young kids from London and Glasgow clearly influenced by American rock, 
especially mid-90's indie stuff (Pavement, Sebadoh, etc.) making a fun, fucking ruckus.
Had such a joyful time.
And now I hear they're getting more recognition over in the UK, particularly with this track leading the charge:

Good on them.
It's only matter of time before they come crashing our shores.
In the meantime, have a listen and support them (like I did) by buying their new EP:

Love me some Brits.
Especially music Brits.

What's the use in dying, dying, if I don't know when.

It's my dad's birthday today.

He turned 65 and according to a telephone conversation with my mom, 
apparently he has flown down to Florida for a fraternity reunion event of sorts.
Tried to reach him on his cell phone, but no luck.
He's not one for that kind of technology.
Was hoping I'd get through to him though.
Miss that man.

And last night I dreamt of being back in Los Angeles, driving around.
I actually miss that city, though I lived there so shortly.
I think my body is having a slightly hard time adjusting to the colder weather and really craving light.
Perhaps partially due to the fact that I am working in an office most of the day, save for breaks, and finishing up every day when it is dark outside. 
Can't wait for spring.

Listening to this album by Here We Go Magic right now.
Amazing stuff.
Right tone for the day.
Kind of melancholic, yet oddly hopeful.
In this track, his voice reminds me of Paul Simon's a bit.

 

Also, saw School Of Seven Bells last night at Le Poisson Rouge and got to see my old pal, Sam Ghostly. Good times.

Getting Lost, Getting Found in Other Music.

Got a really great batch of music today.
Especially super excited that I got to pick up the most recent Mississippi Records releases,
as it's tough now that I don't live in Portland any longer.
I always pick of multiple copies to give to friends.
 
Really digging this album too:

Support local music.
Support great music.
Support independent music.
Make new friends.
Support old friends.
 
http://www.othermusic.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_Records

http://www.myspace.com/thetallestmanonearth

How does someone with nothing, end up with so much to show for it?

Still in NYC, hanging in my office right now, listening to the School Of Seven Bells album.

 

Reminds me of driving around in my car in LA, windows rolled down, warm sea air blowing wildly in.
Makes me miss good Mexican food and reminds me of the recent time that Sam Ghostly and I went 
to a little taco place on Pico Blvd., the day after we heard about Charlie from Telefon Tel Aviv.
Sad, sad news.

Trying to do good things with my life.
Trying to be creative.
Trying to live compassionately and passionately.
Trying to be full of truth & beauty.

http://www.schoolofsevenbells.com/

http://ghostly.com/artists/school-of-seven-bells

Wind, snow.

A photo from my current office in NYC.

 

So funny to be working out of a mid-town/Madison Ave. (i.e. Mad Men) space.
The fluorescent lights hurt my eyes, so I turn them off and embrace the darkness, which reminds me of Portland.
Speaking of which, I finally picked up the Grouper album today at Other Music on my lunch break.
It is so beautiful that I don't know what to say.
I just keep listening to it on repeat.
This particular song reminds me of listening to Galaxie 500's This Is Our Music during winter 
of my freshman year of college at University of Whitewater in Wisconsin.

I would turn off all the lights in my dorm room and leave just the Xmas lights on.
It was freezing outside and snow would be piling up and the heater would make knocking sounds and steam up the windows.

 

Chasing Wavvves.

When you don't what else to fucking do, or you feel scared or sad or frustrated,
just put on the new Wavves LP and skank around your house.
 
It'll all get radder.
Much radder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skank_(dance)

http://ghostramp.blogspot.com/

http://www.fuckittapes.com/woodsist.htm

http://www.myspace.com/wavves

Skankin'-in-my-Los Angeles-apartment-photo courtesy of my ol' pal, Dyrayll: http://www.freshpaintpdx.com/

All The Stars, Your Eyes, Raining Just For Me.

Last Friday, Cali (http://www.rvca.com/advocates/?cat=10) and I were driving to Whole Foods to get some lunch for the Beta Petrol crew.
I asked him if he had heard the new Antony & the Johnsons, as I had only heard the EP and the first few tracks on the LP.
He popped the CD in and said that there is a line ("Hold that man I love so much") in the song "Aeon"
that Antony will be remembered for, and proceeded to play it for me.

 It was raining in Los Angeles that day, and as I was listening to the song for the first time,
there was a certain alchemical and powerful reaction I had
to the intensity and tenderness and beauty of that song unfolding
right there in Cali's car, in the grayness
of the sky, on a day filled
with the gravity and magnificence of my own life unfolding.

http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/thecryinglight/
http://www.secretlycanadian.com/onesheet.php?cat=SC194
 
http://betapetrol.net/