Albums I listen to all the way through

Albums I listen to all the way through

The Futureheads – s/t
Weezer – Blue Album
Sleater-Kinney – Dig Me Out / The Woods
Various Artists - The Once Soundtrack
Nirvana – Unplugged/Nevermind
The White Stripes – De Stijl
Violent Femmes – s/t
Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
The Postal Service – Give Up
Jay-Z – The Black Album
Beastie Boys – Licensed to Ill
Beatles – The White Album
CSS – Cansei De Ser Sexy
Girl Talk – Night Ripper
Feist – The Reminder
The Gossip – That’s Not What I Heard/Standing in the Way of Control
Interpol – Turn on The Bright Lights
M.I.A. – Arular
Spoon – Gimme Fiction/Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Toots & The Maytals – The Very Best Of

Introvert/Extrovert

I recently read a book on introversion and it was pretty interesting, especially as I’ve always considered myself an introvert. I have all the classic signs, according to the book: spending lots of time alone voluntarily, a phone call phobia, a few deep but meaningful friendships, an avoidance of the spotlight. I’ve had those characteristics since childhood, so they’re not something that popped up during a life transition.

I was discussing long-distance commutes with my future roommate last night, specifically commutes where one works in a city in one state for the week and then returns to home in another state for the weekend. I was saying that I couldn’t do it, that work wouldn’t be enough to sustain me during those five days because I’d want to do something else and I’d miss interacting with my family and friends during those days. Future roommate, who asserted that such a situation wouldn’t be a problem for her, then looked at me and said, “So maybe you aren’t as introverted as you think, if you need to be around people like that.” This knocked me for a loop. Then we talked about solitary confinement, which is probably the ultimate test of an introvert/extrovert personality, and future roommate said she thought it’d be great. I was not so enthused.

So all of today I felt like a personality hypocrite. If I am an extrovert, which my book defined based on where one gets one’s energy from, whether it is from outside sources (extrovert) or inner ones (introvert), then I have been so totally dense as to never notice it or I’ve been lying to myself. And right as I was coming to terms with being an introvert. So much for that.

It does help explain why I’d get so horribly lonely and depressed during summers away from college, and last fall/winter. A truly introverted person would have been totally fine, and I fell apart.

This is really not cool. I was looking forward to a deep, meaningful relationship with my introversion, and now the honeymoon is over.

A Conversation With My Mother

Mom: "Emily, why do you want a polaroid camera? It's so OLD."
Me: "Well, I just want one. I've wanted one for a long time, and I finally decided to get one."
Mom, baffled: "Well...it's just so old and outdated. I mean, don't you want a digital camera? They take such better pictures, and everyone has them."
Me: "But I don't want one. I'll get one and they'll come out with a much better model within six months."
Mom, reasonably: "But Em, the film is expensive. And if you move the least little bit it comes out blurry. Digital pictures look so nice."
Me, exasperated: "This is just like the time I wanted a record player and you said it was a dead technology and a pain in the ass and records are unpractical in every way. And I didn't get one and I REALLY WANTED IT. And I would really like a polaroid camera."
Mom, mildly: "Allright, fine. It's just such a strange thing to want."
Me:"I don't care. I would like one."
Mom: "Ok. Here is your father."
Dad:"Hey! What's this I hear about you wanting a polaroid camera?"
Me:"Grumble grumble JUST LIKE THAT TIME WITH THE RECORD PLAYER grumble."
Dad, brightly:"Heck, turntables are great! They're really classic. Why didn't you say something?"
Me, dumbfounded:"What?"
Dad:"Find one you like and let us know!"
Me, still taken aback: "Sure...I saw this portable one in a suitcase...I'll email you the link."
Dad:"Sure. We can take a look at it, see how it sounds."

I had best be getting a LOT of oudated technology for my birthday. I am thinking about wanting eight-track players now, and slide rules.

Feist - 1 2 3 4

Awesomely amazing. Cannot wait to get the whole album.

Cat and Girl Anniversary

So tomorrow is the 8th anniversary of the webcomic Cat and Girl. I could tell you why Cat and Girl is so very awesome, but the post would go on forever and you would quickly lose interest. And Cat and Girl is ALWAYS interesting, and hilarious. Anyway, in honor of this important date, Cat and Girl creator Dorothy is giving out free stickers, and also encouraging sending in things to share, like other comics and mixtapes. Immediately I saw myself creating the most ferocious mix possible, sending it in and having it sent to five other people who would listen and later testify about how this mix Changes Your Life. Flush with the glow that only a truly ambitious and anonymous mixtape project brings, I began. Here is the playlist for the end result.

Off the Hook - Y Pants (Rolling Stones cover)
Fun Fun Fun - Tidal Waves (Beach Boys cover)
Send Me A Postcard- The Shocking Blue
I Gotta Get Outta This Town - Nancy Sinatra
Face For the Radio - The View
Science Books - Arrah and the Ferns
Saltbreakers - Laura Veirs
Satisfaccion-Modern Art Studio (Rolling Stones cover)
Poison-Bell Biv DeVoe
Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby-Islands
Yea Yeah (Flosstradamus mix)-Matt and Kim
Earth Invaders (Spank Rock Remix)
Half Invisible-The Shivers
Turn Into (acoustic)-Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Marianne, You've Done It Now-Vandaveer
I Can't Go For That-Hall and Oates
Past in the Present-Feist
I Found Love-Styrofoam and Sarah Shannon

All come highly recommended. There might be mp3 links for various songs later, there might not.

Movies

Since I've had a pretty bad case of insomnia for the past couple of weeks, why not put it to use and update my woefully neglected blog? Gosh, there is just SO MUCH going on in my life right now, it's like I don't even have time to write about it on the internet!

Saw Knocked Up last weekend and it totally lived up to expectations. Jude Apatow and his whole crew (they should really have some sort of collective name and matching T-shirts) are just so funny and real, and the women always get to be funny and real as well, and not just sex with a fringe of conversation. Plus it's basically a big PSA for USE A CONDOM OR YOU WILL GET PREGNANT and boy, that is not fun at all. For me it was a lot like "Undeclared has a one night stand and gets pregnant" since most of the guys were there although the girls weren't. And if you haven't seen the wonder, the hilarity, the awe-inspiring goodness that is Undeclared, I will totally lend you my copy. This is a show that is guarateed to get you laughing within the first five minutes of viewing, no matter where or when.

And since it appears we are in the middle of the Summer of Apatow, there's another movie he produced, Superbad, out in August. It stars Michael Cera, and those two facts should be enough to get my ass to the local over-priced multiplex.

If you like musicals, Ireland, and pretty music (or if you are Kyle Schuster) go see Once. It was touching and awesome and I've already bought the soundtrack, despite the little old ladies (!) who sat behind me complaining that there wasn't enough song variation. THERE TOTALLY WAS, OLD LADIES.

M.I.A. Can Hit That

I'm feeling kinda crappy today but the fantastic Discobelle.net posted the new M.I.A. track and suddenly I'm feeling a lot better. You should feel good too so here it is via Z-share.

M.I.A.-Hit That