Archive for July, 2009
By Belynda, July 13th, 2009 in Other | 1 Comment
So I decided that it would be a good idea if I did something constructive with my hands while I was listening to audiobooks. Right now, I’m listening to “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett, which is something like 975 pages, or 41 hours long. Of course, knitting came to mind.
I tried knitting a few times over my life. God’s cruel joke was to make me left-handed, and make every other female member of my family right-handed, effectively removing any ability for them to teach me with my favored hand. So I decided to give right-handed knitting one more shot, and to reacquaint myself with it by watching youtube videos. Better living through technology.
The kittens were more delighted with this decision than I ever could have anticipated. Not only is there the potential that I will knit them silly little toys and snugglythings, but also the potential to turn every hobby of mine into a full-contact sport. So knitting quickly devolved into something that resembles all the obstacle golf they played in “Brave New World.” Except with kittens… that pull on the yarn… and chew on the yarn…. and chew on the needles… and chew on the knitter.
Now whenever I go and sit on the bed, they follow me into the bedroom with their little drug-addict saucepan eyes and their inquisitive prowl, ready to strike as soon as the needles begin to twitter and the yarn to dance. They’ve perfected their attack formation in short order; Jaws is in charge of stealing/knotting/chewing the yarn itself, while Indie gnaws on the ends of the needles and attempts to pull them out of my hand. They are persistent and cunning, and this will be my excuse when my very first scarf comes out looking like something from the set of Les Miserables.
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By Belynda, July 11th, 2009 in Other | 5 Comments
Tags: ani difranco, boardinghouse park, dream concerts, folk music, lowell ma, lowell summer music series
There’s something thrilling about a favorite artist going on tour. The excitement of ordering tickets, waiting-waiting-waiting for the day, even filing into the venue and listening for the stray notes of a soundcheck.
THEN there’s one of your all-time favorite artists coming to do a show two streets over from where you live. Ed and I got treated to a very rare event tonight. Ani DiFranco came to town to play the Lowell Summer Music Festival at Boardinghouse Park in Lowell, Ma. Boardinghouse is a little gem in the middle of our city, a gorgeous grassy place not much bigger than a high school cafeteria, with a large, leafy arbor and a killer lighting and sound system. Every show is packed to the gills with lawn chairs and blankets, strollers and little ones dancing around their parents, and the feeling is always breezy and intimate. The rain that’s been hanging around all summer took pity on us, and held of *just* long enough to let us all enjoy the show, and even get back to our cars. A few stray flashes of lightning were more exciting than ominous.
Ani took the stage in her usual style, diminutive size and understated fashion belying a BIG voice and strong guitar and vocals. She’s known for strong opinions and confessional songwriting as well, a real “people’s rockstar.” She opened with a familiar favorite, “Anticipate,” and got the crowd geared up for a powerful show, and moved on “Fuel” where she playfully got back in stride after skipping a verse. Interspersed in between new songs and old, she threw in some stories about her recent domestic bliss: a new husband this past winter, the joys of raising a baby in her terrible twos, her enthusiasm for the election and tears of happiness at the election of President Obama. Of our new President, she said “I don’t know how you grow up to be Barack Obama, but I’m grateful someone did.”
Her recent music, collected in the album “Red Letter Year,” reflects this change from punk alternative folk-rocker and roaming musician and lover, to the more grounded feelings of domesticity and motherhood (not, of course, abandoning the off-beat view of the world and our place in it.) She dedicated songs to her husband (”The Wedding Song”) and baby (”Present/Infant”), each of which reflecting how their influence in her life has changed her for the better. Ani DiFranco teaches with her music as much as she entertains, and her new focus on the happiness found in simplicity and home is no exception. “If you’re not getting happier as you get older, you’re fucking up.” she says in one song so new it doesn’t even have a name… and you know what? She’s positively right. The interesting thing about confessional songwriting, is seeing the journey the artist is on through their art. From “Red Letter Year”, it seems DiFranco is going somewhere good.
The best part of the night for us was being treated to not one but TWO of our absolutely favorite songs as encores. After getting the crowd to its feet with “Fire Door”, Ani returned to the stage to cheers and whistles to leave Lowell with “Both Hands” and “32 Flavors”. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect set if you mailed in a request form yourself. All in all, a very special treat from an artist that has been a staple in our house and our cars since all those years ago in high school.
By Belynda, July 8th, 2009 in Other | 3 Comments
Tags: Blogenning, Brandon Makes a Mess of Things, Vogons
So Brandon got this bright idea to start creating a backlog of blog posts, in part to keep up with the flow of posts coming from the rest of the Blogenning crew, and also to screw with us at will, sort of like the asshole bandito in those Merry Melodies cartoons who shoots someone’s feet to make them dance.
So here’s how it’s going to go….
Every time Brandon gets one of his little ideas… I’m going to filibuster. One line at a time… Vogon poetry, of course. Bring it on, Captain Zazz… I look forward to your grand plan of blog domination.
By Belynda, July 7th, 2009 in Other | 2 Comments
Tags: Brook Shields Self-Destructing Face, Michael Jackson Funeral, The Rain, Tom "The Overachiever" Quinn
(Since Tom had to be a damnable overachiever and post a blog, here’s my debtiness to him)
1. Michael Jackson’s Stadium Funeral* : I mean, c’mon. As soon as I see the term “heartfelt” plastered next to Brooke Shield’s whimpering mug (a mug that’s definitely not standing up to all that discount surgery) I think to myself. “Yeah. Actress? Tears really aren’t all that hard for someone as highly trained in the faking arts is Brooke. Didn’t she attend Royal Shakespeare? Oh, no you say? Hmm.. interesting. Actually… better question. Did she even KNOW Michael Jackson? And if so, what was her favorite ride at Neverland Ranch? Oooh actually, possibly the best question of all… Did she let him babysit her bundle of joy? ****Wharggarbl**** As the Magic 8-Ball says… “All signs point to NO.’” So in summary, no.. I’m not really down with the MJ post-mortem charity ball.
2. The Rain: Okay that’s a giant stinky pile of lie. I’m tired of the rain, tired in a way that makes my metaphorical balls ache. We had a two-hour monsoon today, which wasn’t as much fun to drive in as one might expect. Then the sun came out for like 30 seconds, and it was like the first day of a coke relapse. I wanted to run around the streets howling about the beauty of it all. Fortunately for all involved, I refrained.
3. Sarah Palin: A co-worker and I talked about the many reasons why this woman is insane, and should appear on no ballot but the one at the funny farm for “Inmate of the Year.” Any time SNL can gobble a whole season of ratings up like Hungry, Hungry Hippos based solely on the crazy shit you say in front of a prime-time newsjockey? Summary disqualification for the Oval Office.
4. Gov. Mark Sandford: Hit that exotic booty, big man. Hit it like Teddy Kennedy’s car on a hot Saturday night.
5. My typos. Suck it. You know you love the typos. You know they’re in here somewhere… look there’s one now! fdgijaerU4IRGIRAG. Fabulous.
* Disclaimer - Claire if you’re reading this, this particular section has nothing to do with your texting me about the show 
It’s just the easiest thing to bitch about today since it’s inescapable… and I wanted to make fun of Brooke Shields. Because she’s an impending face-avalanche.
By Belynda, July 7th, 2009 in Other | 1 Comment
Tags: blog overload, bloggenstein's monster, fabulous blogs, public shame, The bloggening
Okay. Color me slacker. I’ve gotten myself into this wonderful blog challenge/shitstorm with the help of the wonderful and talented Brandon Schory. This should mean blog posts begin to appear more than once every 30 days like a credit card bill. Here’s the deal:
The Agreement:
When anyone adds a new post to their blog, above and beyond whatever post debt they may have accrued, all others will endeavor to update their blog within 24 hours of the initial post. Auto-generated posts pulling from twitter do not count towards the agreement. Leniency will be provided in case something comes up of course, but try to do your best to be prompt. Failure to update without good reason may result in us calling you names or insulting your mother. You have been warned.
What would a crazy endeavor like this be without some partners in crime? Check out my fellow combatants - I mean… bloggers.
Brandon Schory - Extant Musings
Dave Halperin - Independent Thought Alarm
Ian Muller - Aberro Specus
Rachel Ober - Rachel’s Blog
Tom Quinn - Time With Tom
Jaco Vermeulen - Jaco’s Random Writings
So I sort of slacked my first day. Let’s be realistic here. There’s only one thing in my life that is never late, and that’s only because husband-face would become the Almighty Splody Brain were this to fall into the same category as everything else. I pay bills late… I write 15-page papers in the 10-hour window before the drop-dead date. I’m procrastimus maximus.
But remember that line in the agreement? The line about what happens to bastard slackers? Oh, it’s in full effect. Observe…
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bschory@SocioTom I bet @MrsCnc has been busy fishing Jaws from the toilet. All the poor thing is saying is “blog and I’ll stop”! #blogenningfailabout 6 hours ago from TwitterGadget in reply to SocioTom
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SocioTom@MrsCnC Man, Indie doesn’t have a hat or a mom that blogs on time. That must be one sad kitty.#bloggeningfailabout 7 hours ago from TwitterFox
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rachelober@MrsCnC Getting in on the action. C’mon, it’s the first one!!! #blogenningfailabout 8 hours ago from Tweetie
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bschory@MrsCnC You cannot disobey the cute, now can you?about 9 hours ago from TwitterGadget in reply to MrsCnC
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bschory@MrsCnC Do you hear that mewing in the background? That’s Jawsie and Indie whimpering “please blog mommy, you’re making us sad”.about 9 hours ago from TwitterGadget in reply to MrsCnC
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ravnos@MrsCnC I believe insults involving your personal hygiene and mother are in order… #blogenningfailabout 9 hours ago from Twitterrific
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FlyingJaco@MrsCnC and here I thought I was running late. You’re making me look good #blogenningfailabout 20 hours ago from web
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SocioTom@MrsCnC Hey, I feel like we’re missing something. But what could we possibly be missing…?#blogenningfailabout 21 hours ago from TwitterFox
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bschory@MrsCnC Your mother is a hamster!#blogenningfailabout 21 hours ago from Twitterrific
Ha Ha!! This is what happens when you fsck with The Enforcers 
Onwards to bloggy glory
