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November 9th,
2009 8:49 am
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As regular readers of this blog know, I watch a lot of Sesame Street since I had my daughter. Before that, not so much, at least, not since my own childhood. But I am part of the original Sesame Street generation: it turns 40 this year---this week is the beginning of the new season---and I turn 40 (gulp) this coming summer. I was pretty much raised on Big Bird and Snuffy and Oscar, learning letters and numbers with them, and I love that my own kid is doing the same, now. (Although right NOW she is watching Barney, which I hate. I know, I know, that's mean. But I can't help it.) Personally, I will be THRILLED for the new season to begin, if only because we have watched all the ones from last year multiple times. As much as I love Neil Patrick Harris as the Fairy Shoeperson, and Sandra Oh as the Cookie Fairy, I'm ready for some new material. Although I never really get tired of Prairie Dawn. I just love that girl.
In other news, how much did I love Taylor Swift on SNL this weekend? I thought she was beyond fab, especially her monologue. If you missed it, it's here:
There was also a great send-up of the Twilight movie, although I kind of missed a lot of the joke because I, um, haven't seen it. I know, I know. I really should, especially with the second one about to come out, for professional research reasons if nothing else. I mean, it's a great thing when a YA book does this well. But honestly, I'm kind of suffering from Twilight burnout even WITHOUT seeing the movie. I mean, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are everywhere these days, and I feel like every time I turn around there's another series about vampires on TV or in the new releases on the bookshelf. And I am just not a vampire/werewolf kind of person. It probably makes me seem wholly unimaginative, but I like stories about real people and real life. This is why I never got into Harry Potter, either (and why my husband maintains I am a Muggle. But whatever).
Finally, on a more serious note, I'm sitting here watching a segment on domestic violence on GMA, and it's breaking my heart. They're talking specifically about teenage girls, and what they are calling the "Rhianna effect," i.e. that since she came forward and talked about being beaten by Chris Brown on Friday night, calls to domestic violence lines---and specifically teen targeted ones---went up considerably. This is an issue close to my own heart, because I wrote a book about a girl in a similar relationship, and since then I have literally gotten hundreds of emails and letters from girls telling me about their own stories with abusive boyfriends. It's a terrible, terrible thing, that this happens, and I so respect Rhianna for coming forward and shedding some bright, needed light on the subject. I was never in an abusive relationship. But several of my close friends, in high school and since, were, and they were not weak women. They were strong and smart and just got overwhelmed. It happens. But it doesn't HAVE to. There are resources and help out there. So if you need it, speak up. Tell a friend, a parent, a clergyperson, a teacher. Tell SOMEONE. Please. The number for National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline is 1-866-331-9474. Their website is here.
I hope you all have a great day.
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November 8th,
2009 8:15 am
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Post your Paramore secrets here, anonymously.
Paste the DIRECT LINK to your secret(s) in the comment box.
Try to keep them in or around 500x500.
All comments are screened.
Secrets will be posted Sunday November 15th.
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November 8th,
2009 7:59 am
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( ++++++ )
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| bunk life |
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November 7th,
2009 1:44 pm
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mood |
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 on theraflu |
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"O Lord, sink me in self that I may rise in Thee." - Spurgeon
what humbles you? whether it's something that sort of breaks you down or really builds you up?
i guess i'll start.
loss of security humbles me... when i feel like the whole world is watching but no one knows me. i hate knowing that everyone can look but it's from such a distance that they get to make up their own captions and sort of say who i am on their own terms and in their own time. i'm simple. not hard to amuse... i like to laugh a lot. i like dirty jokes! and i like working my ass off. what i'm most passionate about doing puts me in a position to be judged on a daily basis and from a long way off. it's humbling because i have can't possibly have any control over that. on the other hand, i can lose my voice and walk off stage pissed at myself and then have the people in the crowd sing TO ME, instead of booing. that was an encore that i will never ever forget.
for the past couple of days, i've been thinking a lot about my life. the things i have. the things i've lost. i've never felt so empty and full at the same time. of everything that i've gained through joining a band and leaving home the thing i'm most grateful for is the constant humility. i'm humbled by the opportunities that we're given. by trials that i face alone. the people who love me the most, who hate me the most. the fact that i'm still figuring out the difference between some of those people. there couldn't be a better way to know exactly where you stand than to fall flat on your face. it's the moments where i know i don't have any of the right answers that make me excited to have what i do. a few real friends, a family that would do anything for me, music, being in love, getting to see the world... i could never take any of it for granted cause i don't deserve to have it so easy.
okay so again, what humbles you? the good and the bad.
- hayley
ps. can't believe this tour is almost over..
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| What Comic Book Sound Are You? |
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November 7th,
2009 2:29 pm
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http://feeds.blogthings.com/whatcomicbooksoundareyouquiz/ [ Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<img [...] "pow"?">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.] <p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="http://feeds.blogthings.com/whatcomicbooksoundareyouquiz/">http://feeds.blogthings.com/whatcomicbooksoundareyouquiz/</a></p><center><a href="http://feeds.blogthings.com/whatcomicbooksoundareyouquiz/"><img src="http://www.blogthingsimages.com/whatcomicbooksoundareyouquiz/button.png" border="0" alt="Are you a "ZAP" or a "POW"?"></a><br />
<a href="http://feeds.blogthings.com/whatcomicbooksoundareyouquiz/">What Comic Book Sound Are You?</a> - Are you a "ZAP" or a "POW"? |
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| The Friday Five! |
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November 6th,
2009 8:54 am
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1. This was the first week of what I'm calling TOFFT: Time Off From Facebook and Twitter. I won't say I've been able to avoid them altogether. At least once a day, I check in and see what's going on, and maybe update. But I USED to be on multiple times a day, updating and checking, and since I've stopped I actually feel better. I think that for me, all that updating and stuff drains the same energy I need to write, and I really need that for writing these days. So if you've been trying to contact me via Facebook or Twitter, I apologize. I'll be back sometime. Maybe in the new year?
2. Someone left a comment the other day, worried about Coco and wanting an update. You ask, I give. (Unless it's on Facebook or Twitter.) So Coco is doing really well. She's basically back to normal, which means following my daughter around vigilantly, waiting for dropped bunny crackers, attacking Monkey for no good reason, and bringing me her chicken to throw whenever I sit down. (In fact, just as I wrote this, she instigated a wild play session with Monkey has them racing back and forth across the house. I wish you could see it.) Anyway, we go back to the vet next week to get another set of x-rays, and that's when we'll see if her spleen is still really enlarged. I am thinking good thoughts. If her outer behavior is any indication, though, she's fine.
3. I was at the mall the other day, on November 2nd, when it happened. The clerk wished me a Merry Christmas. I couldn't help it: like a reflex, I said, "It's too early!" I mean, honestly. In the clerk's defense, though, I WAS buying a Christmas book, Olivia Helps with Christmas, which, incidentally, I now know by heart a mere three days later. I'm sorry but November 2nd is just too early to be wishing anyone anything but Happy Thanksgiving. Am I wrong? Oh, probably. Yet more proof that I am a cranky old woman.
4. In other news, my daughter continues her obsession with her little plastic Jesus Christ action figure. I can't figure it out, as she has TONS of other toys, but she insists on taking J.C. (as we call him) everywhere with us. Now, I am not a religious person. I was not raised in the church, nor was my husband. But we do live in the Bible Belt, so I am very aware that faith is a thing people take seriously, and I do not want J.C. being dragged to Whole Foods or our playgroup to offend anyone. So I went out the other day looking for another action figure that maybe wouldn't be so, um, sacred. I found a Cleopatra, which I thought was great. But Sasha was less than impressed. I mean, she LIKES Cleo okay, but really just as a buddy for J.C. to hang with while we build him block houses. I guess I need to keep looking. Meanwhile, I'll just do my best to make sure J.C. is properly treated. The other day Sasha left him on a table at this clothing boutique, where he was surrounded by lingerie. Not good. I'll work on it.
5. Finally, I'm excited to report that my office is really starting to come together. The bathroom is almost painted, this really nice blue, and the main room is a kind of apricot, the ceilings a bright white. We've ordered cabinets so people don't have to see all my clutter the minute they walk in, and I've pruned down my book collection a bunch so I don't have to haul boxes and boxes of stuff over there and fill it up the second it's done. There are still a few things I need, though. Like I'm thinking I really want to buy a time clock, the kind we used to have at the restaurant, and put it up right by the door. Then I can fill out a time card with my name (and maybe a little heart next to it, like I used to at the Burrito) and clock in whenever I sit down to write, then clock out when I leave. I'm thinking this might help me feel more professional, which I have not been feeling at ALL lately. Mostly because I'm in this weird no-man's land (no woman's?) where i don't have a full time job, but am not a full time stay at home parent either. It's a great thing to be able to hang with my daughter so much, and I wouldn't change it for the world. But it's hard to do all this--writing, blogging, updating, answering emails, just keeping up in general---in only twenty hours a week. I mean, I CAN do it. But I get kind of crabby, and that's not good for everyone. Maybe if I'm clocking in and out, it'll feel more like a real job and I won't feel so guilty about everything I'm not getting done. We'll see.
Have a great day, everyone!
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| Guitar, Lyrics book & candles |
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November 5th,
2009 6:54 pm
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mood |
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rock n roll! |
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music |
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you bet! :) |
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Finally I can start writing songs for A BAND again.. I mean usually when Im working on new stuff I also try and figure out drum and bass parts and then everyone figures out their own stuff. But since we havent really practiced any of the songs as a band lately, except for maybe me and Ina playing the songs at home on our acoustics, I kinda only wrote my parts, lyrics and guitar solos and used a drum machine to kinda get an idea of the song and put it on tape. But I just got off the phone with her and she said to look for some kinda rehearsal space & also a new drummer.. drummers are weird fellows, I dunno but so far we went through like six of them? maybe even more, I dont remember right now.
Anyways, good fun! Guess Im gonna spend tonight working on some of the new songs Ive been playing around with for like 2 weeks now. Also gonna change and finish some of our previous stuff, I was never really too happy with some of the lyrics, didnt put much effort/ thought into them I suppose. Ive been reading alot lately, really good books I got at the library! So I guess Ill use some of the stuff I've learnt from those books and also journal entries to work on those damn lyrics. Still try not to make shit too obvious tho..
Alright, here's to rockinnnnn out..!!
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| Our space @ MySpace |
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November 4th,
2009 4:23 pm
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I've never really taken the time to figure out how to upload pictures & songs and all the kinda info Clubs or potential labels need to book bands for so MySpace came in handy the other day. WAAAY COOL! Took us about 10 minutes to set up an "artist page", with mostly acoustic songs but that's okay, because that's usually how we write our songs, on the couch with our acoustic guitars and then I usually write the lyrics at 4a.m. - really the best time to write..
So here it is:
http://myspace.com/tragicgirlpoetry
.. we got the URL from our second demo called "Tragic Girl Poetry", but I think I've mentioned that before so I'm not gonna go into detail, because theres just never enough time when it comes to update our LJ page, because we all have jobs and I usually spend my off days working on new songs, so yeah..
Catcha later
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November 4th,
2009 8:39 am
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One thing that totally bums me out about fall and winter is the days being so short. When it starts getting dark at, like, 4:45, I just want to crawl back into bed and put my head under the covers. (That's sort of my default setting in fall and winter. I know, it's not healthy, but whatever.) Anyway, since I'm all about looking on the positive side these days---or trying to---here's a bonus to the time change: it's not QUITE so dark at 6am now. You can sort of see the sun coming up. A little light in the distance is always a nice thing.
In other news, I know the LAST thing I needed was another show to watch, but I've been totally sucked into The Big Bang Theory. We've been watching it on DVD from the beginning of the series, and it's just become another thing that makes these early dark nights that much better. I've been trying to figure out why, exactly, I like it so much, and I think it's that the premise is not like anything else on TV. The characters are unique, and so well drawn. I think in this time of reality TV (and believe me, I watch more than my share) you can forget how good a well-written, well-created show can be. I guess as viewers we've come to see people like Santino from Project Runway and the girls from The Hills as "characters," but they're not. A real character is someone like Sheldon on the Big Bang, so well drawn and distinct that there's no one else like them. Although, honestly, I kind of have a thing for Howard as well. I think it's those belts and mock turtlenecks. Who can resist?
Speaking of reality TV, last night I caught a bit of the Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion, and I just felt...I don't know. Discouraged? We learned this season that NeNe is writing a book, and Kim has a hit single with "Tardy for the Party." But if you watched the show, you saw that Kim didn't really SING that much on her song. And you saw that NeNe's book is actually being written by someone else. So can you be a singer without singing much, or a writer without writing much? Maybe I'm just bitter because I'm at that point in my own novel where I'm kind of tearing my hair out a bit, and I get bothered by people who don't have so much trouble. But that's MY issue, not theirs. In fact, I should just delete this whole paragraph so I don't seem like some cranky old woman. But instead, I'll just lighten the mood with a picture of my new crush:
Ah, that's better. Now I'm going to go drink some coffee and work on my attitude.
Have a great day, everyone!
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