FUNNIEST. THING. EVER.

If you haven't seen this yet, watch it immediately.

Lola is FAMOUS (again)!

Lola made her second appearance on STUFF ON MY MUTT!  She looks none-too-pleased with that Jenga block on her head.  

Nina Nastasia

So, the concert on Friday was great, but they weren't serving alcohol.  The venue is an art gallery, so they don't have a full bar anyway, but sometimes they'll bring in wine or beer to sell.  Not Friday.  Boo, hiss!  Two local bands opened up.  The first one was called The North Decade, pretty good.  Flavored guitars and good compositions, but lacking a real presence.  The second band was pretty/ugly.  They were better than I expected, especially considering that they only play like, two or three times a year.  Great vocals, layered and sweet, hairy boys and mousy girls.  Nina came on like an easy dream.  A chair, a mic, her Taylor guitar and a table with some candles on it.  There were probably 60-75 people in the audience, small, quiet and sober.  She was phenomenal.  So easy and pure.  My favorite song (aside from Stormy Weather) was That's All There Is -- I wish I could find a clip of it online, but for now, here's the lyrics.  So great: 

My dreams have come and gone 
The world is spinning faster each day 
And I am not the one 
My future promised I'd be 
I'm not hiding anything 
I'm not trying to fool you at all 
You keep expecting everything 
We're not like our pictures on the wall 
There's nothing wrong with us 
We still belong 

But that's all there is 
So stop all your dreaming 
It makes me so sad 
Let's keep what we had 

Sunday's never last 
It seems like it's the only time you'll sleep 
And you can't help looking back 
At everything you promised we would see 
You go out almost every night 
Pretending you're like everyone we meet 
All I ever want is you 
All I ever want for you to see 
There's nothing wrong with us 
We still belong 

But that's all there is 
So stop all your dreaming 
It makes me so sad 
Let's keep what we had 

'Cause that's all there is 
So stop all your dreaming 
It makes me so sad 
Let us keep what we had

She commented on how quiet it was, and asked if she was the only one who was drinking.  Someone shouted, "Yes, unfortunately," because the gallery didn't have anything but coffee.  So she got up, went backstage, got a bottle of Jameson, filled her cup and sent it around for everyone to share.  I poured a shot in my coffee and felt at one with the universe.  It goes on my permanent list of memorable concert moments.

I went up to meet her after the show, and told her that this was the first concert I'd been to in a long time that I didn't have to review.  I could just relax and listen and not have to take notes.  I bought her most recent album and had her sign it.  She wrote: "Mandy--Thank you for coming to the show.  I'm glad you didn't have to worry about work."  Good times.

Music Friday...STOLEN!

So, to rip off my friend Jonathan and his Forgotten Beatitudes blog, it's MUSIC FRIDAY!  I'm not really stealing it, because I don't think it'll become a REGULAR thing.  Everyone who knows me knows I can't keep up with anything consistently.  I have the attention span of a gerbil.  Regardless, it is with much love, respect and admiration that I pocketed this idea from him.  Please do me a favor and visit his blog, he's a genius wordsmith and funny as hell.  Plus, it's LENT, so some beatitudes just might do you good. BACK TO THE MUSIC!  Ok, so there's a singer/songwriter named Nina Nastasia performing in Springfield tonight.  I downloaded some of her songs, and DAAAAAMN.  Good stuff.  I can't wait.  I'm trying to convince my nephew Bryce to come with me, but it's not really his kind of music.  Take a look at her performing 'Stormy Weather' here:

Lola does not like Jenga.

Game.  Set.  Match.  I've been trying to take pictures of 'Stuff on Lola' so I can submit her to one of my favorite sites, STUFF ON MY MUTT.  She has not cooperated.  I tried to stack multiple Jenga blocks on her, but she wasn't having it.  I think I need to catch her when she's extra sleepy, that way she resists less.  

My new favorite saying!

Went out to celebrate Mardi Gras on Tuesday and ended up doing shots with my friend Cheryl.  After a particularly big gulp, she shouted, "That'll make you take back things you didn't steal."  I love it.  I want to find an excuse to say it every day.  

Leave the Past in Ashes

I am born anew each morning, expecting nothing and grateful for everything.  I am pulled toward an idea of god with every breath and sigh and whimper and hiccup.  I am the inherent nature of things.  I am the peace I long for.  I am letting go.  I leave my past, my pain, my fear in ashes at the edge of the world, swept up by the wind and carried away like the fading song of a distant Siren stretched taught to the end of her invisible tether.  All is silent.

Starting over.  AGAIN!