Back west

I made it back from the east coast the other day and know I'm just trying to relax a little before a quarter of labwork. I'll be posting my "Best of 2006" very soon ... it just needs a few more tweaks, but I thought I'd at least post my top 10 from my iPod. I probably got too many CDs when I was in Boston (gifts: XTC, Jarvis Cocker; purchase: Band of Horses, Bright Eyes, Bon Savants, Tortoise & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Mittens) but ah well, what can you do. Today is dominated for me by a lot of nervous (good) anticipation about picking a certain someone up from the airport and heading to Big Lou's housewarming in Oakland (which will feature "Once More With Feeling"!)

Current iPod Top 10
10 Between the Moon & the Ocean - Bon Savants
9 Here's Your Future - the Thermals
8 Devil's Pie - Rhymefest
7 Pull Shapes - the Pipettes
6 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab for Cutie
5 This Sentence Will Save/Ruin Your Life - Born Ruffians
4 The Funeral - Band of Horses
3 Parentheses - the Blow
2 Blood - Klashnekoff
1 True Affection - the Blow

Two things to watch when you get a chance:
- The video for the new Bloc Party song "The Prayer" is kind of messed up.
- Somehow I missed this live performance of "Wake Up" by David Bowie & the Arcade Fire.

Heading back east ...

I leave for Massachusetts this evening ... And really, what says fun like a red-eye with a 2 hour stopover in O'Hare from 5-7AM? Nothing, thats what!

So, I will be very sporadic again as I will be returning to the world of dial-up interweb. Oh boy! And bad mobile phone coverage! Double oh boy!

But hey, at least I get my Dunkin' Donuts coffee...

Recovering ...

I am in recovery mode from AGU and one of the more remarkable weekends ever. At this point, I don't care what I get for Christmas anymore b/c I got enough already. Now, I just have to survive my week and a half back in Massachusetts.

I might have more to say, but my brain is gone right now. It will be back later. Maybe.

So, here is my latest iPod Top 10
10 The Funeral - Band of Horses
9 Magick - the Klaxons
8 Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone - Islands
7 Hope There's Someone - Antony & the Johnsons
6 Here's Your Future - the Thermals
5 Devil's Pie - Rhymefest
4 Parentheses - the Blow
3 55566688833 - James Figurine
2 Blood - Klashnekoff
1 True Affection - the Blow

And thats a wrap folks ...

I will be at the American Geophysical Union meeting in lovely San Francisco next week, so updates will be very sporadic. We'll see ...

I've finished preparing my talk for the meeting, so thats a good feeling. Now I just need to get myself organized. I also have a pile of semi-interviews with the likes of ... Texas A&M! The Nuclear Regulatory Commission! Central Washington University! Woo! Heck, if I'm bored, I'm sure I can talk to Chevron too (how do you like that, Bloodfist?).

Look for the beginning of my top 20 albums of 2006 starting after the meeting ...

Anyway, here is a little iPod top 10 ... Enjoy!
10 Rut! - B for Brontosaurus
9 A Pillar of Salt - the Thermals
8 Here's Your Future - the Thermals
7 Devil's Pie - Rhymefest
6 Magick - the Klaxons
5 I Think We're Alone Now (live) - the Pipettes
4 Hope There's Someone - Antony & the Johnsons
3 55566688833 - James Figurine
2 Blood - Klashnekoff
1 True Affection - the Blow

yeah

can you get carpel-tunnel (sic?) syndrome in your shoulder? in your entire arm?

Underappreciated ...

Alright, I can't remember if I posted this back when I attempted to run the "Island of Lost Records" column here, but after spending the morning working on my talk and listening to the Afghan Whigs, I feel like I need to remind people that they might have been the most underappreciated band of the 1990s. If you missed them, I recommend three of their albums that are near-classics in my opinion (in order of preference): (1) 1993's Gentlemen; (2) 1991's Congregation and; (3) 1996's Black Love. (Oh yeah, and if you can find, their cover of TLC's "Creep" is amazing). All excellent listens, especially Gentlemen - an album everyone should have a copy of, especially if you're a guy. (Greg Dulli, former lead singer of the Whigs, has his new band, The Twilight Singers, which are good in their own right, especially their cover of Bjork's "Hyperballad" and the entire Blackberry Belle album.)

Back to work!

Yeah

Note to self: Stop being dumb.

Busy Monday

Ok, busy, so not much to say ... except ...

I guess the Mariners are in on the Manny talks, so here is my 'Ners package: Putz, Piniero & Adam Jones. Yeah, like that will happen.

And for those of you who enjoyed the Blow's "True Affection", the album is even better. Yow!

I should stop comparing things to baseball ...

So, Boston is all in a crazed mood over whether the Red Sox should trade Manny Ramirez. On one hand, he is possibly the best and most consistent right-handed hitter in all of baseball, on the other hand, he is likely crazy as a loon. What do you do with a player who can produce on the field, at least in an individual sense, but can be a hugh distraction and has questionable dedication to the team? Do you gamble and try to get a package of talent in return for a future Hall of Fame player? It is a tough question, and right now for the Red Sox, they have a lot to think about and assess as they do with talent issues. The teams that are in the mix are apparently the Dodgers, the Giants, the Rangers and possibly the Padres. People have mentioned the Orioles, but I doubt the Sox would trade Manny within the division.

My dream packages for Manny
Dodgers: James Loney or Andy LaRoche, Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp, Jonathan Broxton & B-level prospie (Sox might send cash & B level prospie)
Giants: Their cupboard is much barer, but maybe Jonathan Sanchez, Kevin Fransden, Merkin Valdez + 2 A-level prospies. But thats still rough.
Rangers: Michael Young, John Rheinecker, Kameron Loe & Nelson Cruz or Victor Diaz
Padres: Chris Young or Clay Hensley, Paul McAnulty, Scott Linebrink

I dunno.

Anyway, what does this have to do with my life?
I think I currently an semi-involved with my own Manny and am in the same throes as the Sox. Do I stick with it even if she might not be a team player focused on the championship knowing that she is an All-Star? Or do I take my chance on prospects hoping to get a good roll of the dice? Can Erik really deal with Gladys being Gladys? Ah well...

Alright, here is an iPod Top 10 update ... enjoy!
10 Magick - the Klaxons
9 Rut! - B for Brontosaurus
8 Here's Your Future - the Thermals
7 Devil's Pie - Rhymefest
6 My Slumbering Heart - Rilo Kiley
5 I Think We're Alone Now (Live) - the Pipettes
4 Blood - Klashnekoff
3 55566688833 - James Figurine
2 Hope There's Someone - Antony & the Johnsons
1 True Affection - The Blow