I've heard this on the radio recently, and it's a lot of fun. I've just started listening to Christmas music willingly (though I can't find one cd, and it's driving me batty), so even though it's not quite 12 days till Christmas, I thought I'd give you a gift...

  Anathem, Neal Stephenson
file under: celebration , music Posted by Jen at 9:34 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

because there's a lot of things going on right now. and I'm procrastinating as usual. seemed appropriate to quote a little John Mayer.

No, I'm not colorblind
I know the world is black and white
I try to keep an open mind
But I just can't sleep on this tonight

Stop this train
I want to get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly, won't someone stop this train?

Don't know how else to say it
I don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From finding life out on my own

Stop this train
I want to get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly, won't someone stop this train?

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game
To find a way to say that life has just begun

Had a talk with my old man
Said "help me understand"
He said "turn sixty-eight
You renegotiate"

"Don't stop this train
Don't for a minute change the place you're in
Don't think I couldn't ever understand
I tried my hand
John, honestly we'll never stop this train"

Once in awhile, when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
Till you cry when you're driving away in the dark
Singing

Stop this train
I want to get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I will never stop this train

I really need to finish writing a novel. I should have bought the Writer's Market with my gift card.

  John Mayer, Stop this Train

file under: muses , music Posted by Jen at 11:48 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

"Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them." - Nathaniel Hawthorne

Not quite where I should be, but that's not unusual, is it?

Anyway, I actually got off my duff and played a bit on that keyboard I bought months ago, inspired by Josh Groban's new cd and an uptick in the number of times that Five For Fighting's The Riddle has been playing on the radio again. It's a beautiful thing when it works.

Do you ever have the feeling that you have to put the things that you want to do off so you can do the things you should do? Why is it that I'm so much more interested in writing and reading fantasy the the science that I trained in? Why do I want to play music and read and write and draw and hike and whatever else so much that its hard to focus on the things I have to to make money?

I muse, then I write. See you at 20k.

  House on TV

file under: music Posted by Jen at 8:24 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

John Mayer is wonderful. I'm so glad he came back to St. Louis. Although I still feel whoever designed UMB Pavilion should be shot; the parking is awful and you have to drive these winding roads for 15 minutes before you can even see the ampitheater...

Anyway. A good show, with Matt Kearney (of Nothing Left to Lose fame) opening. John played first, then Sheryl Crow. Got a nice tour tshirt and paid an outrageous price for a SoCo Hurricane (it was good though ). Went early so my aunt and I could eat at Dave & Buster's before the show. It's the first time I've been; I was supposed to go for Senior week back in school, but had to pass it up when the 4x100 team made provisionally qualified. The food was good and our waiter Jason quite attentive, but I don't feel a pressing need to go again. Just wanted to know what it was like.

One day I will be able to play guitar like John, I swear. It amazes me that finger movement like that is possible. One day. Quit thinkin' and start doin'...

A setlist for you... * indicates new stuff from Continuum, coming out tomorrow (which I've pre-ordered, because I'm a JM geek)
Why Georgia
Bigger Than My Body
Belief*
Vultures*
My Stupid Mouth
I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)*
Daughters
Clarity
Good Love is On the Way (I really loved this version, I wonder if I'll be able to find it...)
No Such Thing
Gravity*
Waiting on the World to Change*

Sheryl Crow sang a bunch of songs, which were good, and even some I really liked. I might just have to find myself a copy of Wildflower. The backdrop for John's show consisted of several grids with square panels in some of the grid intersections. They lit up with pretty colors in the mood of the song. Sheryl had a scrim with light tubes behind it, and one song, Redemption Day, had quotes about peace and war and racism projected behind her.

The night was glorious, once the sun went down, and we didn't get wet. For once my fan club seats were quite good. We were slightly to the left-like, but we were on the floor and just kept having to move through the ranks to get to our seats. I've never been that close at a concert, so yay.

Also during the weekend, I participated in my first Habitat for Humanity. Bright and early Saturday morning (I thought I would be late, but the dozens of other people getting there the same time as me made me feel better) with my hammer and my green suede gloves (don't laugh, they work), I signed up for the women's build house, and was pretty promptly put to work. I installed hurricane clips, cut some wood for covering up seams (whoohoo! Power tools!), installed some insulation on a second floor wall, put up soffit, and installed two dryer vents.

I had a couple people ask me if it was my first time, and then be amazed because I actually looked like I knew what I was doing. Learn to use a hammer, people. It will help you in the long run.

I don't know when I'll be able to to go back, but I hope I can do it soon. Even if my arms are sore for days afterward.

file under: music Posted by Jen at 11:12 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

MCAT scores came out today. No, I won't tell you what I got, except to say that I did better than last time.

But.

I don't feel great about them. I had hoped for a little more elevation in score. It's nice to see that what I studied the hardest did indeed show the greatest improvement. But I actually went down in something that I thought would have been easier due to the classes I was taking. At least my writing is better. Given my luck, the median score will go up with mine, and I'll be exactly mediocre...again.

I guess it's possible that I might get in with those scores. But then it's equally possible that I would do much better in physical therapy. Course, I would have to take the GRE again. Sigh.

On the upside, I'm definitely joining the Browncoats. (Watch out, long one.)

A friend (I guess he's still a friend, just a friend) finally got me to watch the tv show Firefly, which was created by Joss Whedon, of Buffy and Angel fame. I remember when it came out, and recall being a little turned off by the "space western" theme. Westerns aren't my thing. It also wasn't on air very long; Fox, being the strange entity that it is, cancelled it after 11 episodes. But it gained a cult following, and now I can see why.

It's a lot of fun, very clever and funny in a lot of parts. Unfortunately my first exposure to a lot of the actors in the show was when they made guest spots on Buffy or Angel, and I didn't like their characters, so I didn't particularly want to see them in anything else. But they won me over. It's pretty amazing, the story they were able to tell in so short a time. I do wish there was more.

But wait! There is more! There's a movie, Serenity, for which, serendipitously enough, I just had a Border's coupon. It was only $10. Whee! So back on the 10th, after some rather disappointing news, I took myself to Best Buy and bought the entire series of Firefly , the tv soundtrack...and a digital piano.

We now interrupt your journaling for a rather odd story.

I was pretty upset by the disappointing news, so I decided to pick up Firefly to make myself feel better. Best Buy had the cheapest retail price, so I went there. On a whim, I took at look at their digital pianos. I'd seen good reviews for one of them, and since I was not feeling so hot, decided to buy it too. *bank account cringes*

I figured I should check out Circuit City, just across the way, which sometimes has better prices, or Border's to see if they had Firefly for less. I trekked to those places, fruitlessly, and so headed back to Best Buy. By this time the weather, previously hot and sunny, turned grey and prepared to rain. If I hadn't taken the price check trip, this wouldn't have bothered me, but...

Back at the store, I asked someone to help me get the box up to the register (88-key pianos are quite large, you know?) and was waiting for an associate when the power went out. Now, it's odd enough when the power goes out in your home or whatnot, but in a big store like that it's so weird to go from bright glaring light to the little illumination of emergency lights. Apparently whenever the power's out at a store like this, all the computers reboot and upload things, which takes a pretty long time, and we had to wait until they finished. Slowly appliances came back on, tvs started showing their loops, and one by one, the lights came on. I would guess it was less than 10 minutes until power was restored, but it's quite eerie to be in a place that's normally so bright when it's just half-lit.

Of course I had to ask for help again, and when I finally got checked out and ready to head to the car, it decided to start pouring. Big fat drops, too. I managed to get the sturdy box into the car (not without trouble and much wet) and home, and no damage to either. However...

My car has a sunroof, installed by the previous owner. DO NOT get a sunroof installed in your car unless it comes factory-installed! They leak anyway, but third-party sunroofs are awful for it. Admittedly it might have gotten a little off kilter when that silly person rear-ended me three years ago, but this is insane. I think the rain has to be in a certain direction and coming down for a long enough time, but for two days after that torrential storm the front seats were soaked. Not a pleasant feeling to sit down on one of those! I can't figure out where the drain tubes are, either, so I can't check to see if they're clogged. Eventually the car dried out. All good, until the next storm.

Anyway, back to the story. I finished the last few episodes of Firefly on Saturday and watched Serenity later in the afternoon. I wish I hadn't had to watch it alone. It would have been better with the friend. Sigh. The day was good, overall, having brunch with Ross and picking up a MIDI interface and an Apple Jam Pack so my piano can connect to my computer and make symphonic melodies. Then it was home for Father's day. Good times. My finances don't like me, but I'm pretty content, considering the middling MCAT scores and being tired today from an early study.

Guess it's back to it. Thank goodness for heading to Champaign this weekend.

Oh, I have a new roommate. She's nice, but v. young. I might have to teach her a few things about living in an apartment, once I've gotten over paying the newly-raised rent. I'll try to be better about writing here. Sometimes it's just not something you can put into words.

I'm rather amazed you went this far. Leave me a comment to show you care, eh?

  California Baylor, Elizabethtown soundtrack
  rereading Prophesy, Elizabeth Haydon
file under: education , muses , music Posted by Jen at 10:42 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

Nothing much to say today, other than I used a mortar and pestle for scientific purposes today. Yahoo.

  see above

file under: music Posted by Jen at 5:08 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum. --Frances Willard

Kingdom of Heaven, the Etown score, and Lifefrom Ricky Martin (yes, that Ricky Martin) all come out today. I'm excited. I'll have time tonight to head to the store (there's even rebates at FYE! Score!) after I talk to one of the deans from WU Arts & Sciences about med school. I feel like such a n00b about it. I don't even really know the proper progression of what happens once you're in it. That and I have to write essays. And find science teachers for evaluation purposes. Natch. But anyway, once I've spent they very little money I can this week, I'll be a happy camper since I will have Orlando goodness to watch. Whee! Maybe I can remember to pick up a new notebook at the campus bookstore, as it seems I've lost mine. *tear* all those ideas. Hopefully I'll find it, but it's not looking good.

Happier note, I found out that I did in fact get 100 on my A&P test, which just rocks my socks. I hope that the next one can be so high. I have a lab practical exam this week, which I suppose I should prepare for...I've probably mentioned it before, but usually I do better in labs than I do in the lecture. Here it's the opposite. Oh well. Study harder. Why oh why didn't I do that when I was actually in college? Ah, hindsight.

Still waiting on those MCAT scores. Oh, and the contents pages (linked above) have been migrated to MT. So there's nothing new, just makes it easier on me to put something new there when I finally do get a chance. Best be off to work.

file under: movies , muses , music , orlando Posted by Jen at 12:11 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

First: Happy Birthday Corey! Her birthday was yesterday, and no, I did not forget, I sent her a card and a gift certificate, but I didn't make it around to mentioning it here. Yay for being 24.

MSNBC - 'We Are the World' song celebrates 20 years and 'We Are the World' Re-Issue Set for 20th Birthday

Anybody got it and want to send it to me so I can listen in commemoration?

( CHORUS )
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let's start giving (Michael Jackson)
There's a choice we're making we're saving our own lives (Diana Ross)
It's true we'll make a better day just you and me (Michael Jackson/Diana Ross)

There comes a time when we heed a certain call (Lionel Richie)
When the world must come together as one (Lionel Richie & Stevie Wonder)
There are people dying (Stevie Wonder)
Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life (Paul Simon)
The greatest gift of all (Paul Simon/Kenny Rogers)

We can't go on pretending day by day (Kenny Rogers)
That someone, somehow will soon make a change (James Ingram)
We're all a part of God's great big family (Tina Turner)
And the truth (Billy Joel)
You know love is all we need (Tina Turner/Billy Joel)

( CHORUS )
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let's start giving (Michael Jackson)
There's a choice we're making we're saving our own lives (Diana Ross)
It's true we'll make a better day just you and me (Michael Jackson/Diana Ross)

Well, send'em you your heart so they know that someone cares (Dionne Warwick)
And their lives will be stronger and free (Dionne Warwick/Willie Nelson)
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread (Willie Nelson)
And so we all must lend a helping hand (Al Jurreau)

( REPEAT CHORUS )
We are the world, we are the children (Bruce Springsteen)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let's start giving (Kenny Logins)
There's a choice we're making we're saving our own lives (Steve Perry)
It's true we'll make a better day just you and me (Daryl Hall)
When you're down and out there seems no hope at all (Michael Jackson)
But if you just believe there's no way we can fall (Huey Lewis)
Well, well, well, let's realize that a change can only come (Cyndi Lauper)
When we (Kim Carnes)
stand together as one (Kim Carnes/Cyndi Lauper/Huey Lewis)

(REPEAT CHORUS AND FADE )

  Jars of Clay: Can't Erase It
  The Wizard, Gene Wolfe
file under: music Posted by Jen at 1:22 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

RENT rules, baby. Kate and I agree that some of the performances from the matinee on Saturday outshine those on the original broadway cast recording. Perhaps one day I'll get around to playing the music. RENT is a great soundtrack to sing along to. It was especially hard not to at the show, lol. Collins was great. I almost cried. I'm gonna have to revise that "I never cry at movies/theater/music concerts, etc" because I've almost cried at several. Perhaps I'm getting overly emotional in my old age. Eh. Perhaps I was just overly happy with getting a RENT long-sleeve tee, with NO DAY BUT TODAY across the back. *gleeful* So I was trying to explain how, as much as I love the soundtrack and have listened to it so much I know every word, even the crazy words to "La Vie Boheme," there's just something so...new/great/theatrical/different about actually seeing the show. Yes, I know, one's live and one's Memorex, but I guess listening to the soundtrack can inure you to the emotional content of the show. In both Phantom (the movie) and RENT (the musical) I noticed things that intellectually I knew were happening, since I'd seen both theatrical performances, but that you miss when you just listen to it everyday. Yeah. You should go see both of those.

Did you know you can see the first five minutes of Elektra at Yahoo? Go see. And the Troy dvd has an easter egg, which I shall go find tonight. When I'm not watching 24, of course. Anyone else peeved that the widescreen edition of Troy only features Brad Pitt on the cover? Sheesh. The whole reason I bought the thing was for Orlando. I admit it

Anyone have a vcr they'd like to let me have? The one in the living room has decided it likes the taste of tape, and thus will not do anything but sit there like a lump on top of the dvd player. Boo.

Page 7: You remember the shoebox project, right? What a bad fan I am. I didn't look to see if there was anything new over the break. Lo and behold, HUZZAH! there is! Enjoy.

  Yellowcard: Empty Apartment

file under: music Posted by Jen at 6:41 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

{ETA: This is insane. Ugh. Who thinks up these things?

My dad has to do an illustration of our new Governor, Matt Blunt, he who won because of the drug connotation of his last name, as some of my friends have mentioned. My dad is a Democrat. Unfortunately, as an artist he can't show journalistic bias for (or against, in this case) his subject. Sometimes I dread the next four years. This may be the land of the free but it certainly seems like we're losing freedoms. Sigh. Bad thoughts. Begone! /ETA}

Chantal Kreviazuk, everybody. Since I've felt that time is really rushing past me. How is it already the second weekend of January?

Time, where did you go?
Why did you leave me here alone?
Wait, don't go so fast
I'm missing the moments as they pass

Now I've looked in the mirror
And the world's getting clearer
So wait for me, this time
I'm down I'm down on my knees
I'm begging for all your sympathy
But you (I'm just an illusion)
You don't seem to care (I wish that I could)
You humble people everywhere (I don't mean to hurt you)
Now I've looked in the mirror
And the world's getting clearer
I'll take what you give me
Please know that I'm learning
So wait for me this time
I should've know better
I shouldn't have wasted those days
And afternoons and mornings
I threw them all away
Now this is my time
I'm going to make this moment mine.
(I shouldn't have wasted those days)
I'll take what you give me
please know that I'm learning
I've looked in the mirror
My world's getting clearer
So wait for me this time

...this time.

  Alkaemy: Nimune's Lament

file under: music Posted by Jen at 1:28 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

Remember how I told you that I was really enjoying Ben Jelen? Yeah. Rocks is a beautiful song. I'm really going to have to get this album someday. Lyrics follow
Deidre, please, let's go...Alta Meadow Ranch (check out the rainbow), or Zephyr Adventures. But we have to find a place that lets us get our gallop on! haha. Of course, there's always the Grand Canyon. (Want to know what it looks like there?)
I need a vacation.

Strokes of dark, a brush of light, I watch you bring your canvas into light
Oh I know that’s how you see the world, I know that you see anything you like
But now I’m doubting me, I know I shouldn’t be but
I’ve been down, I’ve been down

’Cause it was love wasn’t it?
Well it’s killing me not having it
It’s hard to not remember, forget it’s not the same
When still you come and tell me
“Sorry I came without an invitation — just wanted to be loved”

The last perfect thing, you know that you bring me back to life
On and on and on and on, I think about you all day long, I need you to be stronger
’Cause now I’m doubting me — I know I shouldn’t be but
I’ve been down, I’ve been down

’Cause it was love...

Yeah, I hear the sound, and I know that you’ll be
Coming ’round — you know I’ll wait for you

Oh love, it’s killing me not having it
I need you to be stronger
Don’t wanna hear the sound
’Cause rocks upon my window mean that you’re coming ’round
And how could I resist when I think you’re still in love
How can I move on when I wanna be in love with you

  Our Lady Peace: Innocent

file under: getmoving , music Posted by Jen at 3:14 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

Oh. It's after midnight. That means I only wrote like 200 words today. Bah. I was catching up, sort of, since I had some stuff that was already written. But I figured that orgo would make it difficult, and it has.

The following song is on the first Spidey movie soundtrack, and I like it (which was surprising to me, because most Pete Yorn songs I hear I'm not a fan of) but I wanted to figure out the lyrics for once and for all. So this is mainly a post to make that nagging 'find out' voice shush.

Say the talk and I won't mind
There's a cause you know I'll never try
And I love you like the one I used to know
And if you never had the time
That's an ordinary problem
And I said I'd like to have a place to go

And you held and you tried
I could never find another
If you walk me to the car park
I won't go
To my left I saw the time
Flash and fall it seemed to swallow you
I could love you like the sister
I never had

Drawing circles in your concrete
I will know your every move
And I'll send you
I'll send you

And you held and you tried
I could never find another
If you walk me to the car park
I won't go
And we held and we tried
There was heart and lust between us
I will love you
I won't let go

'Cos we are one inside these walls
Undercover
We are one inside these walls
Undercover
We are one inside these walls
Undercover
We are one and
We are one
We are one

And you held and you tried
I could never find another
If you walk me to the car park
I won't go
And we held and we tried
There was heart and lust between us
I will love you
I won't let go

We are one (undercover)
We are one (undercover)
We are one (undercover)
We are one

Also, the song "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked is on the B'Way soundtrack, and I really love it. You should check it out if you can. If only I could go to New York and see it for myself...as apparently the soundtrack is edited so it doesn't give too much of the story away. But I like the song anyway.
Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by
The rules of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes
And leap...

It's time to try Defying Gravity
I think I'll try Defying Gravity
And you can't pull me down

I think I'll try Defying Gravity.

  The Polar Express: Josh Groban: Believe

file under: music Posted by Jen at 12:25 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

So far behind in both orgo and nano. I'm going to die. Er. Perhaps not. Just be really disappointed in myself. So, to make myself happy, you have this pretty gratuitous music post, since all I wanted to do was waste a little time and learn the lyrics to a JM song. Regardless, I thought I'd share my newfound love of Ben Jelen, which has beautiful piano music mixed in with very nice beats (I recommend the song Rocks, which is not about the hard pieces of stone nor a particularly loud band, but a love song), Keane, which also has amazing piano and beautiful lyrics (I recommend the song Somewhere Only We Know, which you've heard on the radio, and several other songs that I can't think of just yet) and the
Graham Colton Band, who you might remember from sometime in 2003 when I mentioned that they opened for John Mayer the first time I saw him at Riverport/UMB Pavilion for an outdoor concert. Yay! They have good lyrics too. Are you sensing a theme?

As follows are the lyrics for my favorite John Mayer song right now. It's called Tracing. It's such a pretty song. I can't wait until he puts out a new cd. Can I just say that he has the most remarkable way of combining words to make meaningful lyrics?

Do you ever get the feeling
that we started in the middle
or have you ever had the sense
that we've been lying just a little
i mean come on
its not like we've known ourselves that long

and i cant say i really blame you
for being bored with the beginning
always staring at the score
just to figure out whos barely winning
but dont you know
there is a reason strong,move slow

and im okay
if your okay with
wasting time
but when we trace
you always see the bottom line

we are tracing
i hope you know
we are tracing

and if you want to know the moment
i knew that i was still alone
i found i never learned your number
i only stored it in my phone
you'd think by now
id know the shape of calling home

and im okay
if your okay with
wasting time
but when we trace
you'll always see the bottom line

we are tracing
i hope you know
we are tracing
we're both alone
we are tracing
we are tracing

did you ever get the feeling
that we started in the middle
or have you ever have the sense
that we were lying just a little
i mean come on
its not like we knew ourselves that long

More Amazon fun stuff:
Also really liking Story of the Year's Anthem of Our Dying Day. Of course, you've also heard me talk about liking Yellowcard, which is still true, because that song from Spider-man 2 rocks. Luff. And Lacuna Coil deserves some more listening, since I'm not really sure what genre that music fits into.

  Graham Colton Band: Morning Light

file under: music Posted by Jen at 10:29 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

I want this. Did I mention that my birthday is friday? No? Well, you could make me the happiest person in the world if you got me a keyboard. Hah. Like that's going to happen. So! Who's coming over this weekend?

Oh yeah. The HP soundtrack makes me want a recorder. Can you believe I never had one? awww. Although I did sort of teach myself how to play the song in the title of this entry on my ocarina. Yes, I do have an ocarina, soprano style, which is totally not right for the song but hey it sounds interesting or would if I had enough breath to actually play the song properly. Perhaps if I find the booth at the renfest this year I'll get an alto.

Wow. Ramble much?

  The Corrs: Forgiven Not Forgotten

file under: music Posted by Jen at 5:05 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

Well, here it is, finally...my John Mayer concert review...Admittedly yesterday I was busy, but I just really didn't want to sit and type up the whole thing. So I'm doing it today while I have nothing better to do. I could be making a Harry Potter birthday icon, I suppose, but perhaps I'll do that tomorrow...if I'm not at ShowMeCon, which I most likely won't be...ah well, money issues...
Anyway...onto the musicy goodness.

Sooo...while I was on my way home to meet the aunt and cousin, all I heard on traffic was bad bad accidents on all the highways, so I was worried. But we apparently left at the right time, or took the (slightly back-roads) right way, since we didn't hit any snags, just normal rushhour traffic. Yay! So we got there early enough to hit the restrooms and hear some random guy on the second stage (he sounded enough like JM that I was confused for a bit, but he was black, so no relation and he finished just as we managed to get in the gates, so I have no idea who he was) and get a cupful of free stuff, literally. Southwest Airlines was sponsoring the concert so they were giving away big plastic cups with stuff. And there was the obligatory free condom man He gave me two. Not sure what I should think about that. After enjoying a leisurely soft frozen lemonade, we took our seats.

DJ Logic started us off, but either his equipment was faulty or he was just randomly inserting scratching into popular songs I'll never quite know, since I wasn't really listening. It was really nice weather for the evening, suprisingly, but thankfully. The concert did start pretty soon after 7, which was nice...I guess Maroon 5 didn't come on until about 7:45, and they played to sometime after 8:30, so a good set. Will have to check out their cd now, I guess. Yay. more things to spend money on *sarcasm* They have a very clever logo: an M with a V cutout in the middle. Get it? Maroon V? I liked it, and they played pretty well. Didn't play the song from the Spidey2 soundtrack which I wouldn't have minded seeing, but they did play the three hits they've got on the radio right now.

And then came the good stuff...John Mayer came on just about 9 pm. Amazing it was neither humid nor raining like they'd said it might be, so everything was perfect condition wise. Too bad the sound isn't quite as good at outdoor concerts as it is indoors, because while you could hear the words of songs pretty well, whenever anyone was just talking it sounded like a blur of noise. Meh. But yeah, songs pretty. I followed my convention from the Josh Groban concert and made a setlist (with help from the official site and Scotty's road journal):

Bigger than my body
No Such Thing prefaced by some 80s song that I can't recall the title of
"This is playing the blues" A Blues Thing (because he's heard people call some of his songs bluesy and wanted to set the record straight)
Come Back to Bed
New Deep (source of the title of his latest disc, Heavier Things)
Wheel (everyone's favorite singalong)
Why Georgia with a side of Portable
Something's Missing with a side of Home Life
My Stupid Mouth with a side of something I can't remember
Old Love (an eric clapton tribute, I think. DeLa (his best bud/guitarist) had a big solo, and then he and JM did this great duet where DeLa stood behind JM and played JM's guitar while JM played DeLa's. Now that takes talent!)
Your Body is a Wonderland with a side of Signed Sealed Delivered and Maroon 5's She Will Be Loved
Neon with a guitarist from Maroon 5 and JM playing a Macintosh Apple-stickered guitar (yay!)
Clarity
encore
LA Song (acoustic, JM only, a new song he's working on for the next album. good stuff)
Great Indoors (acoustic, JM only)
Only Heart (JM and some of the band)

He ended sometime just before 11...all I know is that we were in the car at 11, so a nice long set. We left just as he was ending his last song, since Aunt Carol didn't want to spend as much time in the car waiting in the parking lot. We still had to wait a long time, but you'll hear about that later.

So, more thoughts:

JM had a really simple set. There were three large folding screens with a vaguely asian tree design, and were backlit or frontlit at certain times to set the mood. And as a backdrop looks like he stole the Counting Crows' backdrop from last year with a huge black sheet studded with lights. Beautiful, especially when they all flickered like a real night sky...

He wore his own tour shirt. They were selling signed concert tour shirts (black, natch. Why are all the good concert tshirts black? Color is good, people!) but they were $80 and that was $10 more than I had brought with me. So I got a raglan tourdate shirt which theoretically is cool since it's longsleeve but is slightly too large so might have to attempt something with the sewing machine I might get from my cousin since she won both the auctions she bidded on. (How's that for a run-on? )

Every so often he would fling his guitar pick into the audience. A silly little thing but man if I wouldn't have minded getting one. Of course we were just slightly too far away for that All in all, good seats, only slightly right of center and just behind the VIP seats. How on EARTH do you get VIP tix? Aside from paying $400, there must be a way...alas I am not that lucky.

Lots of younger guys there. I guess JM attracts them for his playing, which admittedly is very cool, unless you look at his face when he really gets into it. As I mentioned last year he either looks like he's in pain or having an orgasm when he's playing. Maybe he is. Maybe it's both. Guess I'll never know. But it's good for a laugh nonetheless.

Tried to catch his new tatoo on his right arm, but we were on the wrong side of the stage for that. That and he's usually strumming with that hand so we never see the underside. Ah well.

Gripes: No 3x5, but since he played my favorite song of his at both the previous concerts I was at I guess I can't complain too much. Leaving before he walked off the stage, but I guess I didn't really miss much and the song he ended with wasn't my favorite. It's the principle of the thing. And while we were doing the intermiable wait in the parking lot after, this Jeep Liberty (it's official, now I hate Jeep Liberties...that's the car that rear-ended me last year) tried to nose in front of us (quickly and scarily, really) stopping just short of hitting us and Aunt Carol got mad at the driver...she's volatile that way. They kept coming though, even after an application of the finger, and Carol got out to have words. They backed off after that. Ah well. Can't be totally perfect!

And I'm sad/not sad that i didn't get to go to the soundcheck as a perk for being in the fanclub. It would have been nice to see him perform in a slightly more intimate way, but it would have been too much trouble to do, so I'm glad I didn't. Maybe next year. Maybe he'll play at Savvis and the sound will be better. Who knows? I'd love to meet him but it's most likely not going to be at UMB.

I think that's all I've got, and I've got to get home so Ross and I can catch the Bourne Supremacy, so y'all have a good weekend and be sure to wish Harry Potter happy birthday tomorrow, and take a look outside tomorrow night and see the blue moon. Mwah!

  Fireworks mix

file under: music Posted by Jen at 5:22 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

Squee! John Mayer tonight! I love immature that makes me sound. Ah well. Let me put it this way...I'm going to what promises to be a spectacular showcase of stellar singing/songwriting this eve. Better? It should be a good concert. JM always does well live, and Kate said that Maroon 5 is good in concert as well. Here's hoping that it doesn't stay too hot/humid (or conversely, not getting too cold as it's been dipping into the 60s and even 50s in some parts of the city at night) and it doesn't rain!

Re: yesterday's entry...*facepalm* and that's all I'm going to say about that.

Welcome back Alex and Leo Hope you had fun in Detroit.

Kate and I went for Ted Drewes last night...yay st. louis famous custard! I had, for the first time, a Big Apple, which is their concrete custard mixed with apple pie and whipped cream. Fun! And very good. We took a walk around the block while we ate, and so negated some of the calories Talked about politics, mostly. I hate politics. I think it's because I don't have too strongly held opinions on many of the debateable subjects...I always feel a little out of the loop when I try to have a conversation about them. I don't know who I'll vote for in the governor's race if I do decide to vote. I might not. It's a bit of a pain since I'm still registered as living with my parents and have to go to their polling place. I honestly don't really even know what's going on with the ballot. I'll just have to trust the Post-Dispatch to fairly report the issues and ask my dad what he thinks

After the TD stroll we headed home, but Kate wanted to find a park with swings, and fortunately there happens to be a park nearby...so we went and see-sawed and played on the jungle gym and swung, and slid it was fun. Weird being in a park/playground when it's dark. And we talked more. It was a big day for talking, as I'd spent somewhere over an hour on the phone with Ross earlier. Hi Ross! We don't keep in touch nearly enough: he hadn't heard about the apartment, my mugging, my trip to San Diego... But we're going to see a movie on friday so that should be fun.

I don't know what I'm going to do with my family this weekend...tomorrow is softball, so I won't be around till late, and then going out on friday...they're here until sat, but I don't know what time. Hopefully I'll get to spend some time with Corey, especially, as she's my favorite cousin and very shortly she's going to Kent State in Ohio for grad school. Alas. Everyone is going away...at least she'll be close(er than I am) to Cedar Point so maybe finally I'll have a reason for going out that way.

Must remember to leave earlier and get book from library and milk and oj from store! Stupid groceries. sooo much money to be spent today! eek!

  "Ash And Smoke: The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King soundtrack"

file under: music Posted by Jen at 10:53 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

Ahhh, Josh Groban. He's my man right now. And apparently St. Louis is collectively the man, as we gave him the first standing ovation of the second half of his tour. Yay StLGrobanites!

Have to say, the set was really nice. Except for the parts where the lights would sweep up dramatically and blind anyone not sitting on the floor level. And who are those people who can afford to pay upwards of $400 for tickets? Not me. So not me. Not in a million years. I can't even afford to upgrade my laptop or buy a keyboard. Mope.

At least when the lights were blue and teal and azure and shining up through the stairs it made a pretty picture, made better when Josh came out. We had to sit through a half-hour of a jazz lady, Mindy Avair; she was good and multitalented playing sax and clarinet and singing, but that's just not my type of music. Then we had to wait twenty minutes before JG came on, which was terrible because we were sooo ready for him. Ah well.

He had on this really great purple oxford shirt at first. He always looks so natty. Good stylist I guess. Then later he changed into a white shirt with this crosshatched pattern on it...looked really good in the binoculars that the nice couple behind me let me borrow for a few songs. He also changed into Adidas soccer sneaks I thought that was great.

Setlist:
oceano (a favorite! really good, loud, great opener)
per te
to where you are
mi mancherai
mi morena (spanish section, I guess, the guitar is great)
alejate (ok, one more)
canto alla vita (my absolute favorite, even if he sings it solo as opposed to the duet on the cd...started the song off by playing keyboards, which rocked, then at the end he busted out his drum chops...yes, the boy can play percussion, which is wonderful! So much fun )
a solo by Lucia what's-her-name, the violinist who is very very good. must find out her last name and check out her new cd. The solo included parts of Bohemian Rhapsody, which was suprising, being on a violin, but perfect. And hard, a showcase of her talent.
alla luce del sole (another favorite. I love the songs that sound classical then turn into this big loud pop song)
my december (yes, JG likes Linkin Park, and I like Linkin Park more because of this song. His voice is just wonderful on this one.)
caruso
remember when it rained (favorite off the Closer album, JG wrote it himself and plays piano throughout. Really makes me want a keyboard so I can attempt the same thing. Beautiful.)
vincent (aka starry starry night, a song about Vincent van Gogh, and how he killed himself, a favorite of JG's, pretty, but odd.)
remember me (Troy lives! Yes! Hah. even he said he was a little disappointed with the movie. ah well. troy footage showing behind him, but no orlando, alas. just shots of buildings and battles. man, when he belts out a song there is no one to compare.)
you raise me up (the big song for JG right now, unfortunately just at the edge of his range, so sometimes he sounds like he's straining. but pretty nonetheless. And damn me if I wanted to be the bishop dubourg high school choir...they got to sing along during the gospel section. eh. ran against them in high school...no way affton's choir would get picked for something as high profile as this. ah well...)

And for an encore...(you knew there was going to be an encore)

After he got the standing ovation (for a goodly length of time, I might add) he came back out and played his version of simon and garfunkel's america, which I didn't think I knew but turns out that I had at least heard it before. He did it solo on the piano, which just boosts him into the stratosphere in bonus points. anyone who can play and sing at the same time is amazing to me, since I have such a hard time doing it. And his voice never sounded better...just him and the piano, so pure and strong, even after singing for an hour.

Then he left and so did quite a few people, but the band (minus the string section from some orchestra in st. louis but I missed it...could have been the stl symphony but I'm not sure) came back out and they launched into never let go, which is another good song. Kinda suggestive if you listen to the lyrics One of the cool parts of the set was the big video screen just behind the band. most of the time it worked really well, like during RWIR, but there were times when you could tell that the projector wasn't getting turned off before the film ran out, because there would be this bright flash before it went black. Sort of distracting, but when it worked it was great. and if that was all the trouble they had on the first night of the second leg of the tour, after changing sets and songlists etc etc, I think it went quite well.

Met with the StLGrobanites before and after the show, which wasn't quite as weird as I thought it could have been. Before was at the Route 66 Brewery in Union Station, which probably has better food than what they served us, since it was quite a big group, but a little on the dry side. Got a goody bag with stickers and a glowpen (which came late and I forgot to bring to the concert for its specially designated waving times) and cookies which I'll eat tonight and a lyric book and a bookmark and probably other things I forgot.

Afterwards was in the lobby of the Drury hotel, where we waited a while for people to come back from hoping to see JG and his tour bus. The Savvis has a protected area for the busses so it's hard to catch a glimpse. Not like when I caught John Mayer at the Fox There weren't that many of us at first, and I actually left early because I did have to be at work today. Started an experiment late because I took off early on friday. Of course, just as I left saw more grobanites heading towards the hotel. Almost turned around but I was really tired. Glad but sad. Hopefully I'll catch up a little more with the people from the group on the boards later and make some friends...

Jen is a happy camper, and has a shirt and program to prove it.

Bring it on, John Mayer!

Random: I'm so glad the marriage act didn't pass.

  Josh Groban: Oceano

file under: music Posted by Jen at 7:51 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

When I was browsing around the John Mayer fanclub site yesterday (wondering where my membership kit was), I found out that a new benefit for fanclub members was a chance to attend the soundcheck party before the show. Now, this is really cool, and I would love to go. But, problems...of course. See, I'm seeing the concert with my aunt and my cousin, which is wonderful, because I hate going to concerts alone...but guests aren't allowed at the party. Just the fanclub member. And the party starts at 3:15 in the afternoon, which means that I'd have to leave work pretty darn early to get out there. Which poses another problem...I really don't want to have to drive out there myself, because it would mean two cars to deal with. So I'd have to find someone to drive me out there and then have some way to meet up with my aunt and cousin without the use of a cell phone. And, while cameras are allowed at the soundcheck, they're not (I'm pretty sure) allowed at the concert itself. So once we've gotten past all the meeting up in the first place I'd have to have someone tell me where the car is so I can put the camera there. Stupid UMB for not having lockers, or not allowing cameras in the first place. Boo.

So, anyone wanna drive me? Maybe I'll take a day off. Can't take the day off, have work to do. Damn. Nothing in my life is easy.

But hopefully this weekend I'll meet some nice peopleGrobanites at the meet&greet before the Josh Groban concert on sunday. This should be interesting...never actually met up with music fans before...must find a yellow rose because apparently that's what shows you're a fan.

Anyone wanna go to the Hanson concert with me? lol. Don't think there'll be many takers there. But it's at the Pageant, a really cool venue in town (much nicer than UMB, I agree with Alex) and it's pretty cheap, and Hanson is a good band despite their pop image.

I want to see Harry Potter and Spider-man 2 again. I'm so silly

file under: music Posted by Jen at 1:05 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

Was he just looking around for old links? I don't know quite why people visit the site and then criticize it without looking to see if the error was fixed. Whatever. Thanks to Jay who pointed out that *both* the lyrics and the translation for Imana Nushif, the original song from the Children of Dune soundtrack, are wrong. Of course, you have to note that the post in question was from just after the show aired and no one had proper lyrics yet...much less the site I borrowed them from. Eh. Still a good song. From Brian Tyler : Children Of Dune

Inama Nushif, Music and Lyrics by Brian Tyler

Inama nushif (She is eternal)

Al asir hiy ayish (No malice can touch)

Lia-anni (Singular and ageless)

Zaratha zarati (Perpetually bound)

Hatt al-hudad (Through the tempest)

Al-maahn al-baiid (be it deluge or sand)

Ay-yah idare (A singular voice)

Adamm malum (speaks through the torrent)

Hatt al-hudad (Through the tempest)

Al-maahn al-baiid (be it deluge or sand)

Ay-yah idare (A singular voice)

Adamm malum (speaks through the torrent)

Inama nishuf al a sadarr (Forever her voice sings)

Eann zaratha zarati (through the ages eternally bound)

Kali bakka a tishuf ahatt (Sacrifice is her gift)

Al hudad alman dali (one that cannot be equaled)

Inama nishuf al a sadarr (Forever her voice sings)

Eann zaratha zarati (through the ages eternally bound)

Kali bakka a tishuf ahatt (Sacrifice is her gift)

Al hudad alman dali alia (that Alia will one day equal)

Inama nushif (She is eternal)

Al asir hiy ayish (No malice can touch)

Lia-anni (Singular and ageless)

Zaratha zarati (Perpetually bound)

I repeat, I did not make the earlier translation, I knew it was written in the fiction language of Fremen from the Dune books, I know the composer did all the male vocals and world percussion, etc etc. Stop correcting me on this one!

file under: movies , music Posted by Jen at 5:34 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us

[edit]NOTE TO ALL WHO SEARCHED FOR IMANA NUSHIF AND GOT THIS PAGE: Stop commenting here! I know that some of this information is wrong. This was the first I'd heard about the song and very little information was available. Try this entry for more up to date and correct information before you feel the need to tell me what's wrong with this entry in a comment. Thanks. [/edit]

The Landsraad

Here's the lyrics to that song I keep talking about, from the Children of Dune soundtrack. It's a little like that song from Gladiator, indeed the whole soundtrack sounds quite a lot like Hans Zimmer in Gladiator and Black Hawk Down...but it has a voice all its own. And the composer, Brian Tyler, went through all Frank Herbert's Dune books and used Herbert's invented language, Fremen, to write this song. It's so cool. Buy the soundtrack just for this song.

For Best Results: Be Sure to Listen To Your Copy of Brian Tyler's Soundtrack As You Read

Vocals by Azam Ali

Though we deem the captive dead,yet does she live.

For her seed is my seed and her voice is my voice.

And she sees unto the farthest reaches of possibility.

Yea, unto the vale of the unknowable does she see because of me

Let it be deemed the captive lives,for the seed is our seed.

He sees far off in the possibilities and remains calm over the memories of grief.

Let it be thought of the captive,precious seed of my seed,

The desert weeps for the profound grief of the prevented voices.

file under: music Posted by Jen at 2:14 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} | add to del.icio.us