1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year?
Robot Rock Band, Finishing my exams, meeting Carolyn- letting her win my heart.


2. What was your biggest disappointment?
I never get enough done, don't keep up my correspondances

3. What do you hope the new year brings?
Rendevous with friends old and new

4. Will you be making any New Year's resolutions? If yes, what will they be?
More work, applying for grants/entering competitions, festivals etc...Job applications
Less soda
A little More physical activity
A web page
100 pillows in the pillow room

5. What are your plans for New Year's Eve?
Maybe I'll be in Bethesda, Maybe here with my parents

Band: Breeders
Are you female or male: Invisible Man
How do some people feel about you: I Just Wanna Get Along
How do you feel about yourself: Do You Love Me Now?
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: No Aloha
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Divine Hammer
Describe where you want to be: Drivin' On 9
Describe how you live: S.O.S.
Describe how you love: Cannonball
Share a few words of wisdom: New Year

Band: Strokes
Are you female or male: Soma
How do some people feel about you: Hard to Explain
How do you feel about yourself: Is this It
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Alone, Together
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Someday
Describe where you want to be: The Modern Age
Describe how you live: Barely Legal
Describe how you love: trying your luck
Share a few words of wisdom: Take it or Leave it

Band: Yo La Tengo
Are you female or male: Tom Courtney
How do some people feel about you: outsmartener
How do you feel about yourself: Don't have to be so sad
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: How to make a baby elephant float
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Nothing but you and me
Describe where you want to be: Beach Party Tonight
Describe how you live: Today is the day
Describe how you love: Let's be Still
Share a few words of wisdom: Take care

I'm thinking about applying for a job at Tulane University, even though there's no way I'll get it.

1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year?
The album that Dawn Chorus recorded is easily my biggest accomplishment of the year.

2. What was your biggest disappointment?
Not watching the Great Muppet Caper with Hawaiian.

3. What do you hope the new year brings?
Many rock and roll shows and an official record release. Also money and women.

4. Will you be making any New Year's resolutions? If yes, what will they be?
I'm resolving to continue the progress I've made into healther eating and exercising. I know that's a common resolution, but I think I can stick with it this time.

5. What are your plans for New Year's Eve?
I'll be in Hickory doing nothing whatsoever. My mother is having some surgery two days before and I want to stick around to help her before I have to leave on the first.

This is endlessly entertaining...
1.
Are you female or male: Jokerman
How do some people feel about you: Clean Cut Kid
How do you feel about yourself: Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Love is Just a Four Letter Word
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: You Angel You
Describe where you want to be: Sitting on a Barbed Wire Fence
Describe how you live: I Am a Lonesome Hobo
Describe how you love: Can I Please Crawl Out Your Window?
Share a few words of wisdom: It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry

2.
Are you female or male: All-American Man
How do some people feel about you: God of Thunder
How do you feel about yourself: Not for the Innocent
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Love's a Slap in the Face
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: She's So European
Describe where you want to be: Detroit Rock City
Describe how you live: Dontcha Hesitate
Describe how you love: Let's Put the X in Sex
Share a few words of wisdom: The Street Giveth and the Street Taketh Away

---

> Zach, how does the three-day fast work?

Same as a ten day fast, except less days. Also, less overall cleasing and so on. By the third day, though, you should be feeling the effects of carrying around less waste. The three day fast is (I hope) just a nice refresher. I hope to do the ten day fast again in the summer some time.

Friday 5 then my other 10 band fill-ins.


1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year?
5 art shows.

2. What was your biggest disappointment?
I’d prefer not to relive them all to decide on the biggest

3. What do you hope the new year brings?
Music making, merry making, good food, travel, friends

4. Will you be making any New Year's resolutions? If yes, what will they be?

I make resolutions every day. I’m trying to be more real with my family and the expectations I have of them. I started on the phone with my sister last night, but I still have thousands of miles to go. At least 3000.

5. What are your plans for New Year's Eve?

Most likely sleep and starting 2004 well rested.


This is endlessly entertaining...
1.
Are you female or male: New Girl
How do some people feel about you: Scared Straight
How do you feel about yourself: Cinnamon
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Blanket Hog
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Medicine Cabinet Pirate
Describe where you want to be: Sound of Coming Down
Describe how you live: Prom Night at Hater High
Describe how you love: Give Me a Moment
Share a few words of wisdom: It’ll Be a Breeze

2.
Are you female or male: Girl on the Wing
How do some people feel about you: Pink Bullets
How do you feel about yourself: Weird Divide
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Pressed in a Book
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: The Past and Pending
Describe where you want to be: Gone for Good
Describe how you live: Fighting in a Sack
Describe how you love: Caring is Creepy
Share a few words of wisdom: One by One All Day

3.
Are you female or male: Summer Babe
How do some people feel about you: We are underused
How do you feel about yourself: Old to Begin
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Silence Kit
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Best Friends Arm
Describe where you want to be: Shady Lane
Describe how you live: Rattled by the Rush
Describe how you love: We Dance
Share a few words of wisdom: Type Slowly

4.
Are you female or male: What Difference Does it Make
How do some people feel about you: Big Mouth Strikes Again
How do you feel about yourself: I started something I Couldn’t Finish
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: The Boy With the Thorn in his Side
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Girlfriend in a Coma
Describe where you want to be: Nowhere Fast
Describe how you live: Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
Describe how you love: Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Share a few words of wisdom: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore

5.
Are you female or male: Girl Named Sandoz
How do some people feel about you: Obscured
How do you feel about yourself: I am One
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Rocket
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Sweet Sweet
Describe where you want to be: In the Arms of Sleep
Describe how you live: Tales of a Scorched Earth
Describe how you love: Hummer
Share a few words of wisdom: Farewell and Goodnight

6.
Are you female or male: Where Boys Fear To Tread
How do some people feel about you: Pissant
How do you feel about yourself: Take Me Down
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: To Forgive
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Crush
Describe where you want to be: The Bells
Describe how you live: We Only Come Out At Night
Describe how you love: Silverfuck
Share a few words of wisdom: Daydream

7.
Are you female or male: boys don’t cry
How do some people feel about you: close to me
How do you feel about yourself: why can’t I be you
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: jumpin someone else’s train
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: short term effect/ one hundred years
Describe where you want to be:out of this world/last day of summer/ in between days
Describe how you live: in the same deep water as you
Describe how you love:if only tonight we could sleep
Share a few words of wisdom:another day

8.
Are you female or male: I bleed
How do some people feel about you: Is she weird
How do you feel about yourself: Bone Machine
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: The Sad Punk
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Gouge Away
Describe where you want to be: Monkey Gone to Heaven
Describe how you live: I’ve Been Tired
Describe how you love: Gigantic
Share a few words of wisdom:Levitate me

9.
Are you female or male: Classic Girl
How do some people feel about you: Ain’t No Right
How do you feel about yourself: Idiots Rule
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: No One’s Leaving
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Ocean Size
Describe where you want to be: Up the Beach
Describe how you live: Pigs in Zen
Describe how you love: Standing in the Shower… thinking
Share a few words of wisdom:Stop!

Bonus:
10.
Are you female or male: Sasquatch vs. Francis Bacon
How do some people feel about you: Culprit Shy
How do you feel about yourself: Your Friends in Multimedia
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Satellite Texas Farm
Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Our Jedi Hero
Describe where you want to be: Formaldehyde
Describe how you live: Zeroes and Ones
Describe how you love: Plastic Afterglow
Describe how you love: Jupiter Fell Into a Lapse


1. Long Winters
2. Shins
3. Pavement
4. Smiths
5. Smashing Pumpkins
6. Smashing Pumpkins
7. The Cure
8. Pixies
9. Jane’s Addiction
10. Mars Accelerator

I could easily do 10 more of these.

Shelly - I'm happy with the fast for the most part. Its proven to be a surprisingly effective weight-loss tool. The weight I lost, I've kept off, despite having not changed my post-fast diet that much. The emotional high promised didn't really come through (although I guess I feel pretty good around day three or four), which I think had as much to do with my resistance to the lemonade as anything else. I basically hated it after the first couple of days and I only drank what I had to.

I'm tentatively planning to do the three-day version of the fast in late January or February. The fast provides a sense of control (and accomplishment) that I could stand to have every three months or so. It was good for me.

Leesee. I went and saw a bit of Upma’s brilliance at Con Works when Child Prodigies played. It showed with another film, a feature, called Pretend, which was pretty interesting. It was about two little girls who in order to try and mend their parent’s failing marriage, pretend one of the sisters has been kidnapped. So she hides in the woods and actually disappears. It starts out normally but then the narrative becomes non-linear and possibly non-objective. I don’t t see a ton of experimental film but this held my interest most of the way through.
I went to a graduation ceremony/ recruiting pitch for my friend’s self help church/cult organization (L an d ma rk Edu cation.) I can understand why it appeals to her, though I can’t say that I “get it.” I find myself searching as well. I briefly considered going to a midnight mass tonight because they are always so pretty. I went to the symphony to see Handel’s Messiah. I can’t say I enjoyed it properly, if what that means is actually paying close attention to the music, but I did let it carry me drifting, which made me briefly nostalgic for the pomp and circumstance of church (candles, choirs, incense, stained glass).What it really made me miss was an hour or so designated each week where I’d zone out and reflect quietly on my life. By middle school I’d given up on actually paying attention in church to the meaning of the proceedings because they’d only make me angry. Realistically I am not sure if I can ever make peace with the whole god idea, but I know I’ll never embrace it through a religion which condemns me and the whole wishy-washyness of all the new age spiritualism I’ve encountered rubs me the wrong way too. I suppose I’m contrarian by nature and religion doesn’t appeal to me because I don’t care for people in groups. In a lot of ways I’ve disconnected from the culture of where I grew up, and my family, and the religion they raised me in. Usually that feels liberating.

Anyway, just some stuff which touches on some themes we’ve talked about on here before; I’m resisting the urge to edit it out completely because in spite of the circular logic and poor sentence construction it is some of the stuff I’m mulling about lately.

I joined an art studio in Pioneer Square with 7 other artists. It is an experiment in location and collaboration for me. I hope it works out. It should provide some more frequent and higher traffic showing opportunities for me. Our first show will be in March. I curated an environmentally themed art show at my work, which is the best looking show in there to date, if I do say so myself. I sold a painting in a one weekend Restart show. It went to a collector in New York. Life interrupted quite a bit and my neck injury flared up pretty badly but I managed to finish the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge, though I was less than satisfied with the results. I sold a few, but plan on reclaiming most of them this weekend and reworking them in the coming year. I saw the documentary filmed about the painting marathon last year. Seeing myself on a screen that large was really odd. I hadn’t realized how low cut the shirt I’d worn was, for example. I was really (really) nervous for that filming. Seeing the end result a year later, I didn’t care for the way the film characterized some things but you live and learn. Next time. Next time.
Found out that a painter one grade up who went to high school with Steph, Angie, and I had been murdered. His wife was also from our high school. Not much else to say about that. I didn’t really know him though I remember him. Somehow I can’t get the story out of my mind though.

Thanksgiving was very quiet and very pleasant. Did the annual thing. Dutch was not there, though the professor was.

I am anxiously awaiting year end top ten lists….
I got the Jandek tribute album, which is surprisingly listenable. It will be a race now to see if it will be Mike or me who is the first Jandek completist. (Actually bet on Brendan.)

I spent a lovely week in Boston with Mike and all of his various friends, cronies, lackeys and cats. Of course since I am allergic, Zo felt the need to jump on my chest while I was sleeping and lick my face. I managed to fly in just under the first snowstorm of the winter, which was quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The private tour of the JFK museum Mike hooked up was awesome. I got to hold Ernest Hemmingway’s dogtags in my hand. I toured nothing historical since it was all under snow, but I had a bunch of lovely walks, got a pair of (pink flowered) galoshes to protect my cold wet feet. I was unable to verify the artist of the sculpture on the common that looked like a Giacometti. Further research is needed. It was a vacation I needed and a visit that was long overdue. I’ll be back.

Zach, how do you feel after the fact on the fast?

I’ve broken and fixed my jukebox several times. What can I say? She’s a tempermental lady. Surprise. Surprise. The playlist v1.1 is nearly complete though. Then I’ll have a party.

Christmas should also be somewhat quiet. I’ve already begun the process of opting out for next year. Tonight will be with Citron & Tara, tomorrow with Dutch & BL, Friday with Bonnie and Ray.

In lieu of, or in addition to the recently MIA Friday 5s, here is a little game I found amusing. I’ll post the other 10 I did later on:

Band: Blake Babies

Are you female or male: Girl in a Box

How do some people feel about you: Out There

How do you feel about yourself: You Don't Give Up

Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: I'm Not Your Mother

Describe your current/future girlfriend/boyfriend: Temptation Eyes

Describe where you want to be: Downtime

Describe how you live: Cesspool

Describe how you love: Over and Over

Share a few words of wisdom: Lament


oh and happy holidays ya'll.

Carl and I wish you Happy Holidays.

Last night the snow broke for a few hours so that I could leave Buffalo. Like thousands if not millions of people, I flew on the centennial of the first manned flight, flying for me has always felt special, in the sense that it should be impossible, barely imaginable. I saw the sun set on the Appalachians as we made our descent into Baltimore.

Tomorrow I head out for central/western Virginia. My youngest sibling is graduating from college, it's not so much a big deal for him (he didn't really have much of an interest in school) but the rest of the family is proud (because he did follow through) and it marks a serious turning point in my parents lives -- After putting 4 kids through college -with serious help from student loans - they no longer have to write checks to large universities. The economic burden of "higher education." I hope they feel as if they got good returns on their investments, it's probably too soon to tell.


I'm really for the first time, I mean really really going to try to get some work done while I'm at home for the next few weeks. I always have intentions of doing something but usually spend the days playing with the dog, the kids my mom babysits for and catching up on useless TV.
My parents like it when I stay for a couple of weeks at a time because they think it's the only time I relax, when really I start to get tense and nervous and possibly guilty when I'm not actively working on something. This time it's going to be different. It has to be.

I'm subtly fighting for familial paradigm shifts this time around, starting with my own attitudes about what it means to come home for the holidays.

Angie - I won't be in New Orleans for New Years or I would so be there - rocking and bowling with you.

Oh Mike. I can't offer anything worth flying to see. We're playing in NYC too. That's just a train ride from Boston, right? I think Upma might come to that one, too.

JT - Its the Galaxy Hut in Arlington, VA. Here's the site: www.galaxyhut.com

I'm very excited that you're coming. Maybe together we can talk Upma into driving down that night.

My last few days in Buffalo for a little while.

I've been on sabatical from my life. I thought things would be easier after my exams. It's never the truth. Now instead of giving exams I'm making (parts of) them, and grading them.

Just getting back into it, my life that is.

Ha Ha... Carolyn saw Anni DiFranco at Edritos a while ago eating a fish taco. Anni DiFranco eating a fish taco... irony doesn't come much sweeter than that. She's re-building a huge church downtown to house the Righteous Babe headquarters including a recording studio and performance space. Righteous Babe in a Church, she's full of irony.

Spent Saturday bumming around Toronto with Tony Conrad. We went to all his favorite Fallafel shops, an imported cheese store (I got some Swiss cheese aged in Apple Cider), the open air market on Kensington etc... He told me stories about how he spent three months in East Germany (Before the Wall!) living off a dollar a day. This was right after he was programming Belgium's only Computer. The guy is a nut.

I'll be in DC from this Wednesday until Jan 5. I'm sticking around to see the Dawn Chorus on the 4th. Let us know when you know the venue, Zach. Also, I like the Dawn Chorus stuff Zach, but there's still a spot in my heart for the Dirty Version's "sick day"

Robot Rock Band page has been updated.

Applying for jobs, I could possibly be the next Tech director for HallWalls. That would be nice. I would rate working there a 10, if I were to take a survey that asked me such a thing.

New stuff up at RobotRockBand.com

I'm resolving to post more often for real. I mean it.

I'm sure you've all been asking the same question as I have. Did the US really capture Sadam or Santa. I guess we'll find out in about 10 days.

On to catching up with other correspondances. I love you guys.

I decided I didn't like the other look. I hope you guys weren't too into it.

It's been a fun week to be a Greensboroite. Gate City Noise hosted its first ever 24 Hour Sale. December 9th was Reading Day, which is the day before exams begin when students are encouraged to study all day. We thought that if people were going to be up all night studying, we'd give them a chance to take a break, come to the store and buy a CD or something. When, Andrew opened the store at 11AM on Tuesday, everything was 10% off. Then at 12 Midnight the discount changed to 15% off. At 3AM, the discount became 20%. At 5AM, we had Greensboro's first ever early morning show. Dawn Chorus (my band) started things off at 5. Then, Tigerbearwolf at 6AM and Kudzu Wish at 7. It was a huge sucess. The store made almost record breaking sales. Most of which were after Midnight. It was awesome. I worked the register from 12 to 5, and I was busy almost the entire time. Our only downtime was from 1:30-3. Andrew wants to do it all again at the end of next semester.

Tonight, the Green Bean held the Winter 2003 Paper, Rock, Scissors Tournament. There were almost 100 hundred people registered to play, with probably double that standing around to watch. I got a buy on the first round because my opponent bailed. In the second round Shane Straight beat me with paper over my rock. Andrew got interviewed for the TV news. It was a pretty fun night. A good way to spend a birthday. People kept buying me juice.

Greensboro's been a nice place this winter. The weather's been cold, but clear. Since my job has ended, I've been taking long walks to downtown. The exercise is nice. It makes me feel better.

Things are less appealing in my house situation. I would probably benefit greatly from a better attitude toward my roommates.

Christmas looms. I'll get to spend a week or so with my family before Dawn Chorus goes on our mini-tour. Mom's going to have some surgery. Its nothing to worry about she says, and it probably isn't, but I worry anyway. I'm going to be glad to be there when she has it done.

Tonight, after all that Rock, Paper, Scissors, I'm totally beat. I'll sleep like log tonight.

Happy Birthday! Any special events planned?

It's my birthday today. Happy Birthday to me!

Angie - I love hearing about your trip.
It's craftytime at my house right now. I'm working on a few scarfs and made 90 personalized magnets for family and friends. I'm only now beginning to unhunch.
Last night I dreamed about getting keys made, giant-sized versions of my friends and a doll taking my seat in the movie theater.
I'm working on a science book now which is all kinds of fun.

New background. What thinks ye?

Got sick all last week. Cold. No fun, but Thanksgiving was good in spite of it.

TV on the Radio played the store last night. We hung out at Andrew's house after the show. They were really super cool. I hope to see them again when we play NYC in January.