Alt Experimental Indie Pop Night and beyond.

It's been a pretty good weekend so far. Neither of us are sick for a change, and weather is absolutely great. Friday night we went to see Shearwater at Mohawk over on Red River. They were advertised to start at 9 with doors at 8, so, of course, I wanted to be there by 7:30. I had no idea what the attendance would be like. Well, we got there plenty early (in time to get a kickass parking place right across the street) - it was basically just us, a couple of people hanging in the main bar, and the Shearwater Super-Fan who flew in from LA to see the show. We got to hear soundcheck, which was we enjoyed, met the band as they passed by on the way out, and since we then found out that the band actually went on at 11pm we had plenty of time left to walk over to Koriente for a bite, and come back. Someone at Koriente had customized this sign on the wall using a black sharpie. Funny!

There were 2 openers for Shearwater, and the first one was this band, Black Before Red, that we hadn't heard of but turns out that one of the guys in the band was a friend of ours so that was cool, and I really liked their sound too. Listen to them at the link above. Here's one of the videos I took of Shearwater from the upper perch that we took. Song is called "Leviathan Bound." I have gotten into this band lately. The sound is rather haunting -- takes me back a little to the late 60s early 70s prog sound, it's very eclectic using lots of instruments. There's another video on my Youtube channel if you are interested. Review of show here.

Mohawk is really a fascinating club space. It's more than half patios, and is full of stairs going everywhich way, leading into different spaces. It's a great place. There's one place where you can stand and have a great view of the band playing on the patio next door at Club DeVille - and of course the sound bleedover is terrible - but it IS Red River.

Saturday morning, we went to Bouldin Creek for breakfast, and ran into Leslie (that's a good place to run into Leslie if you were trying to do that). It's a wonderful coffee house with an all vegetarian menu (the mural image at the top/right of this blog right now was taken across the street from there and shows the side of a now-closed now painted-over wall of a video store). Then it was home to do our annual cleaning of the birdhouses (which got skipped last year because both of us were sick). It was very odd, but there were only 2 old nests in those bird condos where we used to find them nearly all filled after one year. No wasp nests either, just one little mud dobber nest. I wish I knew what the hell was up with our bird visitors. I can't help but wonder if a neighbor is creating some kind of bad chemical event that is affecting the wildlife. There oughta be laws about putting unlimited poisons in the suburban environment, but there aren't. There's a spot along our west fence in the back where all the plants die. I suspect that the neighbor is using Roundup or some other thing we wouldn't approve of.

Today (Sunday) has turned out to be a beautiful day, contrary to the weather people's predictions. I have wrapped up a big project I've been working on for the last month, and finished up a couple of straggler things in the InBox today, so I am attempting to take the rest of the day off for ME time (who am I kidding? It's not really going to happen...), but tonight while MrB watches that game that will be on, I am planning to go over to Momo's around 8pm to see MiLkDrive. The show will last a little over an hour, and will feature some mighty fine picking, so come on out if you're not glued to the end of *the game*.

Tags: Music - Austin - Texas - Texas Music - Shearwater - MiLkDrive

Austin: drive-by snapshots

Woodrow's always has a clever sign up.

Seriously - that guy could write a book and it would probably sell well, because he is so bizarro nuts.

It's hard to resist a car with a dog enjoying the ride, and this beautiful weather. I zoomed in on the bumper sticker (which I didn't see when I was taking the picture). It says "AT LEAST THE WAR ON THE ENVIRONMENT IS GOING WELL." That's a good one.

Purrsday Night - The Feline System

All things revolve around the cats. Catblogging has been a little sporadic around here, and it's time for a status check. Here is Jax above, looking very mysterious while sitting where I don't want him - on the window ledge behind the sink in the kitchen. It's not the ledge that's objectionable, it's the route getting there and back down that's the problem. Anyway, Jax has now started his regimen of allergy shots, and so far, so good... with the shots, that is. We won't know for a *really* long time if the serum in them is doing much good.

Henry, below, is generally hanging in there. He's on a lot of meds for a laundry list of ailments, but pretty stable for now - although I don't think he's gaining any weight like we want him to. In 2 weeks he will be back in for his monthly checkup. Here he is demonstrating that he prefers fluff to the tile floor, but I can't blame him.

Below is a candidate for the cutest wine bottle you ever saw. We found this kitty-shaped bottle of wine at World Market over the holidays. It also came in red. Not sure if they still have it on hand.

And finally, here another installment of "Simon's Cat". This one has been around since July, but maybe it will be new to you. This is sooo much like a combination of Jax and Duncan (who was our other black cat we lost in 2007 to heart problems). More "Simon's Cat" episodes here, and there is even one starring a dog!


Tags and links: Friday Ark - Cats - Catblogging

Say "cheese"

I don't know where my husband is coming up with this stuff, but here's another emailed collection called "Kodak Moments," those perfect vacation/party/family fun pictures made even better by something unexpected going on elsewhere in the shot.

fishki.net looks like a Russian site that collects user-submitted photos of all kinds. Looks like a pretty good time-waster.

Not quite 48 questions

My friend MandoMama tagged me with the meme on Facebook, but I haven't really jumped into Facebook with both feet yet, so I'm putting it here. I'm not going to tag anyone (and left the ones blank that have to do with tagging), so if you want to play - tag yourself and let me know in the comments.

48 Questions, minus the four I left blank, so that's 44 - in honor of President #44.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Named after 2 ants... no, wait... Aunts.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
when my kitties died in 2007. I hardly ever cry even if I feel like it. Some movies make me cry. Songs too.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
I’ve used my own handwriting twice as part of the graphic design of CD sleeve art, which is neither here nor there. Since I type more than I write by hand, it's getting difficult to maintain good penmanship so because I am a perfectionist Virgo, I have a lot of cross-outs and start-overs. I'd really rather type it than make such a mess.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
How about none? I haven't eaten meat for years. Ick.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Nope, kidfree by choice, no offspring or adoptions except for the cats.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Heck no. Two shy moody introverted loners? Who would start the conversation? The people I make friends with in face-to-face world are extraverts: honest, frank and sometimes brash.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Sarcasm has no place in a humorless society. Seriously, this blog has been sarcasm-free for one zero days.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
No. had them out as an adult simultaneously with sinus surgery. I don't recommend that – I mean the sinus surgery and having the two things done together although I don’t miss my tonsils. If you are young – have them gone!

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
No way.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
The ones I like don’t like me.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
See question 10. All I ever have these days are nonfat no-sugar-added low-calorie fudge bars. {yawn}

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Accessories, and smiles, especially the eye-smiles.

15. RED OR PINK?
Pink

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
So many to choose from, I just can’t decide. Maybe my lack of self-esteem?

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
I guess it would be my dad, because I never got to be around him as an adult.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?
-------

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
black flipflops, blue jeans

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The ringing in my ears.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Silver. I always liked making the page shiny.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Jasmine, honeysuckle, coffee

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
It’s always the vet’s office.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Absolutely.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Probably baseball.

27. HAIR COLOR?
It’s brown, for real. I’ve got no more than a dozen gray hairs. It’s freaky.

28. EYE COLOR?
Dark blue.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, but people tend to think I do because of my unusual eye color. I need glasses for distances.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
I love olives.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings are annoying.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Color Me Kubrick (starring John Malkovich)

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
deep red with a leafy theme

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
In Texas and the sub-tropic/tropics? Winter!

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
hugs all around!

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
----
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
----

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Re-reading my 1925 edition of Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Same one I had as a kid.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
“PETCO – I’m a cat person” with a big blue cat.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
The NatGeo documentaries Air Force One and Marine One, and a DVR’d Lie to Me.

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S).
guitar, mandolin, kitty meows, birds, waves on the beach, MrB talking, anything but this ringing in the ears. (make it stop!) (I have an ear infection right now and it's driving me crazy)

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
I refuse to choose!!!

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
“Home” needs defining when you are a military kid. I lived in Greece and Hawaii, but they were home to me at the time. That unlimited bus ticket I bought back in ’76 took me into some places that are far from where I’d want to be in many ways.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
silly puns, and spotting typos on billboards. Anybody hiring?

46 WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
I was born on a rainy night in Phoenix AZ.

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
---

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
In a bar where I’d gone to see my favorite local band.

...and pets can poop on it

Newspapers are struggling to remain in existence, but it's hard for them to plead their case when (a) the content is anywhere from several hours to a day old and you already got that information on the internet or even on TV, (b) they require cutting trees to create, (c) they cost money, and (d) they create a recycling issue.

Here's an article called "More uses for Newspaper" that appears to be trying to address problem (d).

It offers a long list of valuable uses for your old newspapers, such as drying your shoes on them, cleaning up shards of broken glass with them, making an ironing board out of a pillowcase stuffed with newspapers, and even making a temporary leg splint out of them. All worthy uses for old news if you've got it on hand.

It's a bit ironic that I found this newspaper article written about newspaper in the online version of the newspaper.

The recycled house

I caught MrB's cold that he had 2 weeks ago, of course (how could I escape?), and also (typical me) followed up with yet another sinus infection, so I have been sick for nearly a week. This is getting sooo old. This one is in the ears. Ugh. Anyway, I spent some of my shut-in time yesterday building this birdhouse. I got the idea on Obamacycle, a networking site that's about reusing campaign materials instead of throwing them away. Last time we went down to our recycling center I asked if they had any campaign signs and they gave me a stack of plain white corrugated plastic boards that somebody had brought in. Here's a post about doing this showing signs that have printing on them, but since mine were plain white I recycled a bumper sticker as decoration and called it done.

Come on, birdies!

It was only a burrito

The final installment of clippings, and these are in the category of the police blotter. Enjoy!

We had no idea anyone was buried there

More funny clippings. These are either categorized as "Duhs" or "What Were They Thinking? Headlines." I've got another batch coming up soon (saving the best for last).

A good buy for someone named Grady

MrB emailed me a collection of funny newspaper clippings. These are the Classified ads. There will a lot more to come. I love this stuff.