Angie - I didn't realized the house was finalFINAL. That is so awesome. Ted is just starting the house buying process. I'm vicariously excited. And busy learning all the terms. Any advice for a house shopping newbie?

Upma - where's your film playing in Chicago - I have some friends there. In fact, that's where I was this past weekend. Ted had to stay up there for work, so I went to visit him and old friends. We walked...and walked...and walked - by Sunday, my ankles were wimpering. But I had a blast. Went to a rock-a-tiki bar (you walk in, they give you a plastic lei, your drinks are on fire, good DJ with surf-lounge music), also saw the current exhibit at the Museum of Contempory Art - some I liked, some made me go - this is worthy to be in a museum ?!? Also hit the Botanical Gardens - shot a few rolls of film there - riots of color, loads in bloom. And they divide the gardens - the sensory garden, the edible garden, the medicinal garden and so on. Went to Navy Pier - upped our cheesiness content - but got to ride a carousel. Ate every two hours, crepes, appetizers, chocolate fondue, a perfect trip.

Thursday and Friday we did about 80-90% of the Dawn Chorus "album." Eleven songs in all. You are all going to be knocked out.

last night i buried little claudius
he'd had a Catholic wake all day
and i wrapped him in one of Jacob's plain white handkerchief's as a shroud
this evening, i dug a hole for him under Mimi, John & Linda' mimosa tree
and planted the bulb i got from the seattle center world trade center memorial
John read some prayers in Hebrew
i put a plain brick to mark the spot
we had a toast to the royal rat

i wanted to write a nice elegy for my little rat Claudius, but i don't think i can do it yet.
i'm so sorry about Lola.

Oh, Kanui, I'm so sorry to hear about Lola.

in new orleans
i got a chance to participate in the Sikh wedding of a very dear old friend marrying a pretty old accquaintance, good friend of other old friends.
somehow with the mendhi and the sangeet and the bharat and the bhangra and the swing and the secondline, i danced all the time away, and didn't even get to the shim sham for a final 80s retro.
showered & washed all the gold dust from my body
but my hands will be henna painted for the next three weeks to remind me
not packed yet
i need to be up again in 4 hours
trying to upload some of my art portfolio files from my dad's computer to a web based program
so i can access them at home

waiting waiting waiting
for so many things
waiting
connection is dial up and SLOW
there is a lightning storm starting here right now
and a heavy rain
i am glad i'm not sleeping through it
my ears still feel like there are heavy gold earrings swinging from them
my feet still feel like they're dancing
i am eating a left over shrimp poboy
7 more hours and i'll be flying high
18? more hours and i'll be home again
maybe
lack of sleep and my math is the first thing to go
giving up on the uploading
off to bed
xoxoxoxoxo

Hi guys - I guess it has been pretty quiet on the blog. I was out yesterday with a migraine - the whole throwing up, dark room, intense headache nine yards. Today I'm better but walking at about 1/3 my normal speed.

Do you guys remember me talking about Chris and Jennifer, the couple who lived with us for a few months last summer? They moved to LA last August. Anyway, they've managed to become friends, like legitimate friends, with Kelly Osbourne and some other celebrities. They were in town last night and, jesus, some of the stories. It's surreal to think that the fake world of celebs meets the real world of me and my friends through these two. They're so jaded about it already, but we're like, "Luke Wilson was there? And he was a sleazebag?" It's all too much. It makes it too obvious how easily impressed I am by this stuff.

Sorry, guys. I forgot all about it. We're working on the new issue of the magazine. My mind has been elsewhere.

There are some other holdups, too. For example, I have no idea who shot what. The log doesn't match the photos in any way that I can tell. Also, I think most of Upma's shots are gone altogether. I don't think they were ever on the film. In addition to all of that, the photos themselves are a little wierd. I want to give them some uniformity before I post them, or I think you'll all be a little disappointed. The few tests I did of my ideas were neat. Just posting the raw images would be kind of lame.

I'll begin work on it again next week.

Zach - what's the status of all the camera/photos stuff?

Angie: Kathleen Edwards - Failer. Get it. You'll love it.

Hanging with Denali is like hanging in the Parthenon. They're all weirdly perfect physical specimens. Maura is hard to look away from. Whew. As great as they are, and fun to hang out with, I'm glad they left. i was starting to feel like a different species.

Denali is still in our house tonight. Upma, I know you are partial to Keeley, but I'm a Jonathan man myself. I feel comfortable saying that he is the hottest man I have ever met. He's like male attractiveness itself. Lord have mercy.

Ran into the crush at the Faint show tonight. Not too awkward. Kind of a pleasant coda, actually. I felt unself-conscious about being so self-conscious. And that's really a good step for me.

Favorite shows:
Angel
Alias
Buffy
Gilmore Girls

I, too, do not have HBO.
Zach - that is awesome news about Japan. I hope you get to go. How very cool.

In other news, there's this designer I have to work with on my current project. He gives me the wiggin's. In that borderline creepy/friendly vibe. I hate it. I put up a major guarded wall and my bitch face on anytime I have to deal with his want to be my best friend ways.

bleh.

Angie - no new cheese. I'm riding this queso wave this spring and don't want to get off.
I haven't bought tickets yet to the ACL festival, mostly because I remember how much sweating I did last year. I may make it to one day but probably not all three of the festival.

I am hooked like a fish on these shows. I do not miss them:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Angel
24
Six Feet Under
HBO's Legendary Nights

Currently in reruns/off the air:
The Shield
Sopranos
The Wire

Newly discovered:
Boomtown

---

Dawn Chorus have set a goal. Japanese tour 2004. We're totally fucking serious. If Engine Down can tour Japan, we can. Denizen Witmer would tour with us. Shit, Atom and His Package would probably go with us if we suggested it to him. He plays to a thousand people a night there. We have good relations with both Secretly Canadian and Sub Pop, we might even get one of those labels to hook us up with a band to go with. It can be done.

Recording demos (or maybe an album, if things go well) the third week of March. This time next year we could have a record and a trip to the far east. Station.

Angie - great work on the run!

Thanks for the phone call last week, blogmates.
Went to a fun Kentucky Derby party yesterday. My horse (Offlee Wild) only came in 12th but I dominated on the croquet course and managed not to embarass myself during my first ever game of badminton. The best was my hat.
Large. Pink. Tulle. Fake butterflies. Fake roses.
Today - a matinee of X-Men 2 and the season finale of Alias. Entertainment goodness.