live better

i begin my journey kinda backwards, by visiting my hometown before leaving for central america. though i gotta say, there is something nice about being in a place i know so well, and being comforted by family and friends before launching myself into the unknown.every time i come home,-stone mountain, georgia- there are several places i must visit to make my trip complete. things that, while living here, i either deeply cherished or took for granted; things they don't have in los angeles. they are mostly restaurants (which makes it difficult to stay on any kind of healthy eating track i may be on), but there is also the drive around my high school stomping grounds in tucker, georgia. i found out yesterday that they have torn down most of the school and are rebuilding a rather huge structure; i guess there are just more people 'round these parts now.

there is one of the largest wal-marts known to man just down the street from my parents' place. i remember when it was built; it's always a big fucking deal when a new wal-mart opens. it started out as just a regular size wal-mart, but then grew into a monolithic beast that lies in the shadow of the great stone mountain.

i decided to visit wal-mart today, because there are a few things i need still for my trip but also because it is a completely different cultural experience than one can expect in los angeles. 

DISCLAIMER: i do not mean to offend people who do not live in los angeles, or big cities, or everyone who resides in small town southern america. i think there are so many quality, kind and caring human beings that live in my hometown, and i would never be prejudiced or judgmental to people who just want to live a nice life that fits their needs and wants, as long as it is not effecting anyone else in a negative manner. that being said, their are a lot of interesting characters found in a wal-mart, and if they ever want to write a blog about how funny my life is, more power to 'em.

i took the pickup truck down the street. it has been storming on and off (another thing you just do not see in southern california. there is nothing like a real thunder and lightning and pouring down rain STORM.) 

i walked in to find that they were doing a major overhaul and rearranging everything. that's ok, i still found some really great products. 

i also did some serious people watching. i was ecstatic to hear an old man use one of my favorite southern colloquialisms, "if it was a snake it woulda bit me" (used when finding out

 something you were looking for was really close the whole time). there was this other guy whose aim was to have a conversation with every person in the store. i saw him giving gun advice to a teenager in the gun isle, and shoe advice to another guy in the shoe isle. to me he said "you seen my wife? as soon as i turn my back she goes out and shops. cain't turn my back on that woman." aren't we in a store? isn't she supposed to be shopping? my reply, however, was a simple smile.

this wedding cake topper is just sad. it screams: "women! always tryin' to rope you into marryin' them when you knock them up!" 

cinnabon candles, for when you want your home to smell like a food court.

this lady sure seems excited about never having to leave her home. "y'all, don't tell anyone you can walk outside....for free."

guns and knives!

guns! yes, they're BB guns, but it just looks so sinister, all those guns in their packaging, up on a shelf. shivers.

you'll be happy to know that wal-mart sells live bait! see, they even want to take down the mom and pop bait and tackles. damn mega corporation.

"whadda you mean your sister wants to go fishin' with us?"

i am not sure how this product slipped by. bohemian, indeed....

i always show support for the shitty beer i drink by walking all over their logo. 

then the wal-mart turns into a full on grocery store. with the most impressive selection of jerky and preserved meat ever.

and the best part? it's right next to the soy milk.

i am sorry, but saving a few pennies by giving your already hyperactive child overly sugared cereal will not make you "live better".

i just loved these because they look like you could couple them all with big floppy hats and have yourself a ready made southern bridesmaid outfit!

"math is hard!"

i walked out of wal-mart with a grand total of nothing. all i wanted was a rubber door stop, and they didn't have that. perhaps i could have just used a WWF homoerotic action figure?

don juan's reckless daughter

a friend of mine called me a professional escapist. there is some truth to that, and though i am ashamed to admit it, i'm pretty good at getting away. movies, novels, booze, music: all fairly effective tools of avoidance. not too mention extremely entertaining.

the idea of being able to up and leave has always been appealing  to me. i lived in an rv one summer, and the 26 ft ford econoline had the name "the escaper" emblazoned on the side. we named him houdini, in conjunction with his model, and i felt an immediate kinship.

          

so yeah, i like to get away. but i also like to get toward things as well.  it's not just fleeing from responsibility, a job, several failed romances and failed career moves....it's running toward the promise of learning new things, meeting interesting, like minded folks,  and seeing things i've always dreamed about.  

i think getting out of one's comfort zone simply for the sake of travel has it's merits, but consider the contrast it creates for one's "normal" life. yes, there is that laundry list of things up there that yes, i find myself fleeing. but. there is also comfort in routine. security in your own home, your own city, country. clean sheets, hot showers, and toilets you can sit on. man, you will never love those things as much as when you get back from living life as a smelly backpacker. 

this duality drives me. one of my favorite joni mitchell songs uses the metaphor of a hawk and a serpent-"the serpent fighting for blind desire, and the eagle for clarity"... we all crave some sort of chaos and excitement in our lives, just as we want to have a steady income and constant roof over our heads. it's the battle between the two, to find the balance, that makes us who we are. fight your appetite for adventure and feel restless. refuse to settle down, find some routine...grow tired.

so travel constantly gives me something to look forward to, be it my next trip to a new place, or the thought of being in my own bed again one day soon. some people have said to me: "so are you going on this trip to 'find yourself'?", and the truth is, i have already found myself...and that's why i travel.

decisions, decisions...

trying to use this day, a very rare and precious day off, to pull the trigger on some big trip decisions.

first: i am trying my damndest to make it to my friends' wedding in colorado, right before my flight to belize. which means a round trip flight from atl>den, hotel room, etc. my funds being what they are, i'd have to find these things pur-etty damn cheap.

next: i have no flight home yet. this is because i don't know where i am coming home from yet. my original plans had me leaving lima to go down to santiago, chile to bum around southern south america for a while, possibly trying to find a way to easter island. as it turns out, not the best time, weather-wise, to be in those parts of the world. not to mention i will most definitely be out of money at this point, which is why what i should do is book a flight home from lima to los angeles.

but i probably won't do that.

i'm looking into a couple of options: hitting buenos aires before coming home. i've heard it can be pretty cheap and good for solo travelers.

also, meredith is going to new orleans after leaving lima. i could come back to los angeles via nola, and catch voodoo fest, a big honkin' music festival. and drown my travel weary bones in chicory coffee, beignets, po' boys and bourbon.

i think you know which way i'm leaning.

slogging through itineraries, travel websites, and flight plans is both exciting and frustrating, especially when one does not know from where one will be departing. this is just another one of the downsides to traveling (partially) solo. making decisions.

while i have always loved traveling alone, it means that you have to make some big decisions without really having it effect anyone else. which can be amazing and liberating, but it also means you can't pass the buck sometimes when you just want shit to be taken care of. 

luckily, i am not doing the whole trip solo, so we've made some group decisions. very little compromise was needed, as we all wanted pretty much the same in an inca trail hike. it was nice to have a couple people weighing in on the issue. i have been bouncing ideas off of people, of course, as well as using social media (facebook, this here blog) to try to get different opinions. but there is only so much a person can stand to talk about someone else's fabulous vacation. it's come down to me.

countdown to travel times

2 weeks until i depart los angeles!

first it's off to atlanta to visit family/friends. looking forward to this as it's been over a year. i am sure i am in all kinds of trouble for taking so long to get back, but i hope to charm my way out of such trouble in person. lots planned for this part of the trip, mostly catching up with some pretty important people in my life.

i leave for belize september 14th. arrive in the morning, and according to all i've read, it's best to get out of belize city as soon as possible. so, i plan on jumping on a taxi boat to caye caulker, to spend a couple of days on this "backpacker destination" island, right off the coast. life here should be fairly cheap, and i'll be able to meet some fellow travelers and get some ideas on where i'd like to head next. ideally, i'll spend a little time in mainland belize, some time tin guatemala, then off to san salvadore to visit a friend. this should be around 1 1/2 weeks. i am probably crazy.

also, today i went to an orientation for couchsurfing.org, an organization dedicated to bringing travelers together. you can either host, if you are in your hometown, or meet up with locals while in a new place. hosting can mean letting someone stay with you in your home or just taking them out on the town and showing them how the locals do it. i hope to utilize the organization while i travel, but the problem is i don't tend to plan too much in advance. luckily there are plenty of low cost hostels in most places in central america, but it would be nice to hang out with some people who live in an area. we shall see.

have any suggestions or ideas? contact me!

my plans for the rest of 2009

hello all!
there have many questions and confusion regarding my upcoming living situation and travel plans. instead of continuing to answer everyone back directly, as i have been doing, i decided to fire up the 'ol blog once again (about time!). this way, i can direct any people who are interested here. plus it might help me keep my shit together.

anyway, enough set up.

i am going to be in my studio apartment on beautiful marathon street (aka "the peace sign street") in los angeles until the end of april. on the 19th, i am having a shindig here in my soon to be ex apartment for people to come over, grill out, drink beers, and take my shit. i am getting rid of a lot of furniture, mostly because i will not be getting my own place until february or so and i don't want to store a bed i've had for 7 years; time for another! i'll be renting a small storage space for books, art, some kitchen stuff, etc. all else is up for grabs. no prices, just maybe drop a couple bucks in the donation jar (this will go toward new furniture when i return from my travels.) i've lived in this apartment for 3 years and it's served me well. i will not, however, miss hearing every little nuance of my neighbor's life.

may through july i will be living in a house in the highland park area, watching friends' cat while they are overseas doing some shows. it is a great little place: two bedrooms, plenty of sunlight, a pool, a turntable for listenin' to rekkids, and a great cat named harald. so don't cry for me, argentina: it's gonna be a sweet summer.

during this time, i will still be working at little flower and 826LA, plus all the other random jobs i do that are too numerous to name (let's all cross our fingers that i get paid to dress as a crack whore with jack black again, please) in fact, i'll need to work as much as i can as i will not be working for a couple of months.

first couple of weeks of august i will be watching another friend's dog and staying at her place in the jensen's building, steps away from 826.

at the end of august, i head home to georgia to visit home for the first time in over a year. i am very much looking forward to it, and so is my family. i cannot wait to see some friends i haven't seen in ages, and their new houses, pets, and children. i will also go to kentucky to see my grandparents. ah, madisonville. so, so far from l.a.

sept 10th i leave atlanta for denver colorado for my friends patrick and jaime's wedding in lyons. this wedding is going to fucking rule. fun folks in beautiful colorado-it's been too long since i've been to this majestic state. a bunch of friends from georgia will be joining in the trip over.

after the festivities and when all have gone back home, i will ship all of my extra luggage home to los angeles, and hop on a flight to belize with just a backpack. i'll hang out in belize for a little bit, and make my way by land all the way down to costa rica. my friend meredith will be meeting me at a point TBD. we will fly from costa rica to lima, peru, where we will be joined by beth. we will then head to machu picchu. i plan to do the trek up machu picchu on my 30th birthday, october 25th. after that ordeal, we'll retire to some nice resort type place for a few days to revel in our adventurous spirit. then...home? though i really want to try for easter island. so far, all travel there seems expensive, but i am still searching...

when i am in central america, i'll be doing typical backpacker type travel: cheap hostels, camping, changing course last minute. i plan on hammering down the details for machu picchu, though-the exact dates and hotels-so as to invite others who want to join us. i have found that sometimes it takes latching on to other people's plans to get us going on an adventure. i say latch away!!!! if you have some free time at the end of october, why not start looking into flights to peru? just sayin'...

when i return home, i have a few more housesitting gigs, and along with friends letting me stay with them in the small amounts of time i won't be looking after others' homes, i don't need my own place until mid-january/february.

i cannot tell you the feeling of freedom and fear that accompanies the act of sending in an intent to vacate property, turning off gas, electricity, internet....the mind reels. but it makes sense to me. lots of people think it's crazy (namely my family), but when i lay it all out like i just have, most people seem to understand. i am not going gypsy on ya, not getting rid of my wordly possessions in a mad dash for buddism, not trying to make a statement by going off the grid. i just have to wander around from time to time. if i have the means, why not?

i hope to keep up with notes about my plans as they come into focus more, so stay tuned.

much love!!!

what i listened to in 2008

so, here is my version of the "best of" 2008. it's not the best of, though. it's just a list of the albums that came out this year (it goes without saying that listened to a shit-ton of stuff that came out before this year, as well) that i listened to the most. it may or may not be best. but it's mine. 

i'm not really sure if i can rate it; some of it i listened to a whole lot, though, and i will note that. i will also discuss live shows of said bands, if i saw them this year (i saw a lot of live music. again.)

DEAD CONFEDERATE-EP (also, WRECKING BALL)

after seeing these guys open for drive by truckers this summer, i was hooked. their live show was electric, a mix of southern style rock n roll and early nirvana. i got their self titled EP (which they adorned with pictures of cock n balls instead of autographs, at my request) and listened to it over and over on the drive back to l.a. from san diego. 5 songs. over and over. it hits you all 'pretty pretty' then shreds your face off.

'memorial day night' is probably my favorite, even though it is more of the 'pretty pretty' variety, with the almost urgent lyric: and we stood/like we could/be good...

'wrecking ball', the full length album is fucking awesome, but to be fair, the EP was what got me hooked.

VIC CHESNUTT WITH ELF POWER-DARK DEVELOPMENTS

i had never really listened to elf power, an athens based band who is the latest to collaborate with vic, before this album. they mesh flawlessly with chesnutt's songwriting and mournful vocals, though, and i was impressed. you can read my review of the show in the post below! it pretty much sums it up; they used the track listing of this album for their set list.

KINGS OF LEON-BECAUSE OF THE NIGHT

i weirdly feel a little guilty about liking this album. i think it's because i realized at their show that these southern good 'ol boys were now the equivalent of the jonas brothers in the eyes of many swooning teenage girls. they sing about sex and fucking so much though that i can't imagine their parents are happy about this non-disney approved material. they would rather them read about abstinent vampires (by the way, i can't seem to get into this whole "twilight" series. sorry, america) ANYway, i like this album a lot, not as much as their previous albums, but enough to press repeat a few times. 'revelry' has to be my favorite track. though the creepy opener, 'closer' is nice. well, maybe not nice, but you know what i mean. and it's about vampires. i guess vampires are in right now. the single, 'sex on fire', is far from my favorite, and not just because it makes me think of STDs. ok, it seems like i am bashing this album now but take my word, it's damn good. and dirty.

as mentioned before, their show at nokia live was a bit of a spectacle, but with enough whiskey and rowdy friends, one can overcome hordes of sexually frustrated teenagers.

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE-NARROW STAIRS

i can honestly say that i have had mean, mean thoughts about death cab for cutie. i don't know, i think it's because "death cab for cutie" seems like such a dumb name for a band. i never listened to them (or postal service) mainly because i assumed they were a dumb band. that was really judgmental on my part, i am admitting to that now. i will, however, say that i still think it's a dumb name.

so when a person with discerning musical tastes gave me this album, i was surprised. still, i listened to it, and the opening track, 'bixby canyon bridge', blew me away. and after the 8 minute instrumental opening to 'i will possess your heart' i felt bad about all the shit talking i did in my brain about death cab. i really like songs about stalkers, and this a crowning jewel on that collection. 

i have since listened to past death cab albums (and some postal service) and realized that there is some good stuff there. it's music for sad people, to be sure, but what is wrong with that?

i was supposed to see death cab for cutie in october, when they opened for neil young at the forum. the show was cancelled due to a strike by forum workers and neil's refusal to cross picket lines. talk about sad people: i was one sad lady when that show was called off.

RAY LAMONTAGNE-GOSSIP IN THE GRAIN

oh, ray lamontagne. your voice, in the words of my friend kristin, is like butter on sandpaper. smooth yet rough. this new album, ray once again showcases his vocal skills along with songwriting that speaks to those of us who are alternately in love and reveling in it and being lonely and reveling in *that*. as with his other albums, ray has some sweet sweet songs about the highs:  'you are the best thing';  the yearning: 'let it be me' and 'a falling through'; and the oh god i am so tormented: 'winter birds'. *favorite* on this one is 'i still care for you'..the haunting harmonies and music just make the lyrics all the better: how to explain/so pristine the pain/kindness made the cut so clean....    shivers....

he was somehow able to command the wiltern to utter quiet at his show in november-you could hear a pin drop between songs. which is not the usual, as the peanut gallery can usually barely stand the silence. he is a joy to watch on stage, stomping passionately as well as standing oh-so-still, you wonder where he will go next.

CENTRO-MATIC/SOUTH SAN GABRIEL-DUAL HAWKS

yea for centro-matic and their alter ego band south san gabriel!! this double album combines the rockin' tunes of centro-matic with the more mellowed out sings of SSG, and for that i rejoice. the happy nostalgic voice of 'twenty four' is hard not to like. 'two seat gold reserved' is catchy and bold, something you could really belt out if it came on in a bar. on the SSG disc, put on your cozy slippers and sink into 'when the angels will put'. and man do i love the tune 'alabama crusade'...

i was lucky enough to catch both south san gabriel and centro-matic sets at spaceland a few months ago. it was a sit down kinda groove for SSG, then on to the rock n roll stylings of centro-matic. will johnson's voice just does something to me, my friends. let it do something to you.

FLEET FOXES-SUN GIANT EP AND SELF TITLED ALBUM

sigh....fleet foxes. these guys are bringing brain busting vocal harmonies to the masses, and i will follow them like lemmings until they stop. these songs could be played in a renaissance era church, or an out of the way music festival held in the forest in the early sixties, or in my saturn station wagon as it traverses topanga canyon. why so poetic? just the slightest strains of robin pecknold's voice is enough to make even the most straight forward person consider the clouds. this very very very young band has the chops of an entity way older. 'drops in the river' has a definite native american drum beat behind some seriously zen lyrics: days are just drops in the river/to be lost, always....the changes in 'mykonos' are another favorite: i love songs that suddenly become other songs.

i saw fleet foxes at the el rey a couple of months ago and was astounded that they were able to keep up the exact quality of harmonizing live as they do when recorded. which leads me to believe they may be cyborgs. kidding: no robot could have the soul these boys have.

DRIVE BY TRUCKERS-BRIGHTER THAN CREATIONS DARK

yup, the truckers lost jason isbell as a band member. and yup, that was sad, since i think jason isbell is pretty fucking great. but with the addition of athens mainstay john neff, as well as help from spooner oldham,  the truckers made another damn fine album. 

this album is a "grown up" album-with tracks such as 'two daughters and a beautiful wife' and 'daddy needs a drink', a political album-'the righteous path', 'the homefront' and 'that man i shot', along with those story telling songs the truckers are known for-'goode's field road' and 'i'm sorry huston'. it's also the first album where shonna tucker shows of not only her songwriting skills but her vocals-who knew? her song 'purgatory line' gave me chills from the moment i heard it, a song for those of us who found ourselves saying this ain't exactly hell/sure as hell ain't heaven/love you like the dickens/miss you like the devil...perfect.

while there are songs on this album i could do without ('bob' and 'lisa's birthday' mostly) i am happy with "creations dark", and feel that the evolution of this band is apparent. now, i do not mean to say the truckers have gotten better with this album-i actually like most of the past records better-but you can see the huge change from "gangstabilly" to present.  

i saw the truckers a few times this year, and while i miss seeing them rock out in a more fat in your face kinda way, i am never unhappy at one of their shows. the grandstanding, the infamous bottle of jack in attendance at all shows, patterson's sweat: all equal a happy happy lauren.

BON IVER-FOR EMMA, FOREVER AGO

this is, hands down, my favorite album of the year. it spent the most time rolling around in my ears this year than any album, released this year or any year. from start to finish, there is no song i do not like here, and i can listen to this album multiple times in a row (and have). though it seems to be one of those albums that sneaks up on you, and after a couple of listens, you realize you are hopelessly obsessed.

i first heard bon iver through pandora.com, i think it was 'skinny love'. i remember liking the song. then, while at the outside lands music festival, i was lured to the delicious sounds of justin vernon while wandering the festival grounds. when i got home, it was all over. i was hooked. 

though i love every song on this album, i have a special place in my heart (as most of you who have heard the record, probably) for 're:stacks'. it's sadness is almost happy. and when the line "your love will be/safe with me" is sung, well, let's just say i manage to hold it together...some of the time.

there you have it. good stuff this year. i added some new bands to my repertoire. i figured out, in writing this, that my old favorites produced works that were good but did not make me as happy as past works. but all in all, i am very gracious and jubilant in the fact that music....exists.

have a great holiday, all!

little fucker

i cannot seem to get the phrase "the kid with the aubergine eye" out of my head. sometimes this will happen-a sentence or song lyric gets stuck in my brain like a piece of popcorn in my teeth. i will wake up with it already playing incessantly in my mind.

i got to see the legendary (yes, *legendary*) vic chesnutt at the echoplex in los angeles last night. chesnutt is an athens, ga mainstay and always a pleasure to see live, especially when i am particularly missing home. athens has pretty much claimed vic as a hometown hero, though he is known around the world for his disturbingly dark and funny lyrics, haunting vocals, and musical collaborations with everyone and their brother. currently, he is touring with elf power, who he recently recorded and album with. they used the track listing of 'dark developments', this latest album, for a setlist for their live show (with the exception of a couple of the closing songs). 

chesnutt is an absolute pleasure to experience live. he is so charming and funny, you hardly realize that he just made a fart joke. after announcing that they were playing all songs from the new album, there was halfhearted applause from the audience. to which he replied, "hey, it's ok, 'cause by the time we announce that again at the end they will be *COMING*...."

the band and vic seemed quite at ease with each other and in a very relaxed mood (christina believes laura carter, elf power's multi-instrumental member, may have been napping during part of the show). as usual, the songs, which i had only heard snippets of before this show, were moving, sad, funny, lighthearted, intense, and esoteric all at once. i think i can truly say i've never not liked anything i've heard from chesnutt. he seems to be able to capture emotion that not too many can pull off, finding distinct humor in the major disappointments in life, while not coming off as very bitter, but with a finish that doesn't leave you feeling like cutting yourself. he sings love songs about dirt and blood clots and anthems to erections.  it's pretty, pretty stuff.

the opening track of 'dark disturbances', 'mystery', is a true vic classic, complete with harmonica and some random "la-da-das" sung in a falsetto voice. 'little fucker' is a song he wrote about himself, it seems. 'and how' ("like they used to say in old-timey hollywood!") is a feel good ditty, with some fun backing vocals by the elf power crew. i really liked 'we are mean': in the city is is gray/in the country it is green/in the country we are happy/in the city we are MEAN...

the song 'the bilocating dog' is about a family who thought their dog was in two places at once, which is awesome.

they closed the show with 'independence day', a song off vic's first record recorded 20 years ago. this heart wrenching tune is played often by vic, but i could hear it every time i see him. it is beautiful and can mean so many different things; he even prefaced it by saying it carried much different meaning for himself than it did when he first wrote it.

he had a hard time figuring out what to play for an encore, so he took a request from an audience member and did 'tarragon' before being carried off stage, flapping his arms as if flying.

so yeah, about that sentence: vic was telling stories before most every song, and before the song

"phil the fiddler" (vic was pissed that it's thunder was stolen by 'joe the plumber'.i think his exact words were "lying sack of shit".), he told us about a line in the song: "the kid with the aubergine eye". he was sitting on his porch, smoking, when he heard someone singing jubilantly. he even demonstrated with a childlike "la-la-la-laaaaa". he thought this was nice. he spotted the little guy, about 10, walking down the road singing...with a black eye. which he thought was even nicer. how we all should want to be the boy with the aubergine eye, singing even after getting our asses handed to us.