windex'd bugs and low hugs and dances in kitchens,
head scratches, leg rockets, salmon with fixin's.
all of those darn doodoo songs that you sing,
these are a few of...
merry mishmush,
LRV, b
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Day Fifteen
well, it's officially two weeks down, eleven more to go. i must admit, all the renewed bachelor-pad-ness ((the dirty dishes, the unlimited music time, the toilet seat up, etc)) has officially lost its luster and now it's just straight-up Missing You time. even if it wasn't holiday season, it'd be tough. but it is, and i ain't feeling so merry.
it's great that your West Coast family is there for you, and embracing you fully. as much as you miss us, your parents and me, they'll help soften that edge. you're gonna have a blast tomorrow!
enough lamenting. here's yet another song that will forever remind me of you, and has become my favorite holiday song of all time. appropriately bittersweet, no?
Merry Mishmush, m'lady.
LRV, b
the Vince Guaraldi Trio, with choir: "Christmas Time is Here"
it's great that your West Coast family is there for you, and embracing you fully. as much as you miss us, your parents and me, they'll help soften that edge. you're gonna have a blast tomorrow!
enough lamenting. here's yet another song that will forever remind me of you, and has become my favorite holiday song of all time. appropriately bittersweet, no?
Merry Mishmush, m'lady.
LRV, b
the Vince Guaraldi Trio, with choir: "Christmas Time is Here"
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Day Fourteen
please let me know if Christmas arrived. and have fun tonight. give everybody an extra hug for me. words cannot express how badly i could use a Kashka low-hug right about now. miss you terribly. just reverse the gender in this song, and it's me singing to you from afar.
LRV, b
Betty Davis: "Your Mama Wants Ya Back"
LRV, b
Betty Davis: "Your Mama Wants Ya Back"
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Day 13
oooooooooh, 13. treacherous! but only if we give it power over us. otherwise, it's just a number, just another day. naturally, there's an urge to post something dangerous. but The Screamers hollered at us yesterday, and you hate Slayer, so we'll go another way.
back to the first mix you made me, mentioned a few days ago. i think about it a lot, obviously. sadly it's no longer listenable since it's been through so many sleeve-holders and sat naked in stacks over the years. it's scratched and skippy beyond repair. but that cd was instrumental in shaping our relationship very early on. it was only a couple weeks of dating before you presented it to me. and, as you know, we were by no means fast and furious in our courtship.
first song, right off the bat, you turned me on to the Stylistics, "People Make the World Go Round". it hit all the right spots: style, soul, ambiance, a not-square groove structure... i thought "this girl knows what's up. let's investigate further..."
then there were these other songs. you've maintained that there was no hidden suggestion in your track selections. but still, i'm hearing "oooh babe, here i am, signed, sealed, delivered, i'm yours"... and "do you know what today is? it's our anniversary..." what's a guy to do with signals like this?
when i got to this song, i was like "definitely".
the Pharcyde: "She Said"
you may not have meant to, but you totally hooked me with this song. i've been yours ever since. and i truly believe your intentions were to innocently share some music that you love, not to lure me in to your den. (to be fair, you also included "Passing Me By"; almost the opposite message from the same group.) but it did. thank you, Imani, Booty Brown, Fatlip, and Slim Kid 3. (we do it this way.) and the immortal J Dilla. but most importantly, thank you, Babygirl, forever, for that cd.
LRV, b
back to the first mix you made me, mentioned a few days ago. i think about it a lot, obviously. sadly it's no longer listenable since it's been through so many sleeve-holders and sat naked in stacks over the years. it's scratched and skippy beyond repair. but that cd was instrumental in shaping our relationship very early on. it was only a couple weeks of dating before you presented it to me. and, as you know, we were by no means fast and furious in our courtship.
first song, right off the bat, you turned me on to the Stylistics, "People Make the World Go Round". it hit all the right spots: style, soul, ambiance, a not-square groove structure... i thought "this girl knows what's up. let's investigate further..."
then there were these other songs. you've maintained that there was no hidden suggestion in your track selections. but still, i'm hearing "oooh babe, here i am, signed, sealed, delivered, i'm yours"... and "do you know what today is? it's our anniversary..." what's a guy to do with signals like this?
when i got to this song, i was like "definitely".
the Pharcyde: "She Said"
you may not have meant to, but you totally hooked me with this song. i've been yours ever since. and i truly believe your intentions were to innocently share some music that you love, not to lure me in to your den. (to be fair, you also included "Passing Me By"; almost the opposite message from the same group.) but it did. thank you, Imani, Booty Brown, Fatlip, and Slim Kid 3. (we do it this way.) and the immortal J Dilla. but most importantly, thank you, Babygirl, forever, for that cd.
LRV, b
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Day Twelve
ugh. will forgo spilling aggro beans about work and all the b.s. happening there. this is a running memoir, not a full-disclosure diary. suffice it to say today has not been all peace-y and flower-y.
with that in mind, a diptych from LA's finest punk band: The Screamers. and it couldn't be more appropriate. i've had "122 Hours of Fear" chosen for a while for Day Twelve. yet the song that stuck in my head all day was "Through the Flames", as the protagonist gets fed up and burns everything in sight because everything around her is shit. but there's no decent YouTube video for it. and on my way home from work, i listened to "The Beat Goes On" three times. why? because it's a snarling satire of transparent pop culture, making it the perfect punk anthem. the venom in the delivery trumps any of Johnny Rotten's tacked-on "bollocks" posturing 100-fold. LA DE fucking DA DA indeed. this live version is one verse shorter than the demo version, and the sound quality leaves a bit to be desired, but the energy is wonderfully intact. conversely with the video for "122 Hours of Fear", it's almost too clean a sound, but again, The Screamers' knack for embodying crippling anxiety, and using it as a weapon, is crystal clear.
hoping your day is light years better,
LRV, b
The Screamers: "The Beat Goes On"
The Screamers: "122 Hours of Fear"
(and for any others who may be listening/reading, this isn't just for me. Kashka is a Screamers fan as well. i've heard her shout "hundred and twenty-two!" in the shower on numerous occasions.)
with that in mind, a diptych from LA's finest punk band: The Screamers. and it couldn't be more appropriate. i've had "122 Hours of Fear" chosen for a while for Day Twelve. yet the song that stuck in my head all day was "Through the Flames", as the protagonist gets fed up and burns everything in sight because everything around her is shit. but there's no decent YouTube video for it. and on my way home from work, i listened to "The Beat Goes On" three times. why? because it's a snarling satire of transparent pop culture, making it the perfect punk anthem. the venom in the delivery trumps any of Johnny Rotten's tacked-on "bollocks" posturing 100-fold. LA DE fucking DA DA indeed. this live version is one verse shorter than the demo version, and the sound quality leaves a bit to be desired, but the energy is wonderfully intact. conversely with the video for "122 Hours of Fear", it's almost too clean a sound, but again, The Screamers' knack for embodying crippling anxiety, and using it as a weapon, is crystal clear.
hoping your day is light years better,
LRV, b
The Screamers: "The Beat Goes On"
The Screamers: "122 Hours of Fear"
(and for any others who may be listening/reading, this isn't just for me. Kashka is a Screamers fan as well. i've heard her shout "hundred and twenty-two!" in the shower on numerous occasions.)
Monday, December 20, 2010
Day Eleven
some people came to look at the apartment upstairs a little bit ago. two sets of shoes, at least. i was wrapping Christmas in the living room and listening to the Locust; not terribly loudly, but enough to have some fun while cutting and taping. didn't get to sneak a peek at them as they left. was 'occupied' in the bathroom, so to speak. will they move in after being audibly confronted upon entering the premises? who knows. your plants are still on the staircase, too. hell of a welcome.
your parents and i are going to see "Black Swan" later. by the time you read this, i'll probably have talked to you about it (yet i will reveal NOTHING). i'm really looking forward to it. not just the movie, but hanging out with your folks. i haven't seen them since we dropped you off at the airport. i miss them too.
here's another LA transplant. as you know, LIARS have made records in many different places. NYC, a forest in NJ, Berlin... but their last two were made in Los Angeles. the latest, "Sisterworld", is about the many pockets of people, and scenes, in LA, and how even though there seems to be infinite cultures and subcultures, it can be tough to find your way to "fitting in". there's a palpable sense of alienation in the music, yet it's accessible in its own weird way. it's seeking its place in its environment, yet comfortable enough in its own skin to reach beyond any particular social assignment to embrace many, and take any willing travelers on board with it.
and this is one of the many things i love about you: you're not concerned with all that Hollywood mess. showbiz doesn't faze you. lotsa people would probably clamor to meet their best friend's Big Time Movie Star boyfriend, or their aunt's Jazz Giant pal (like me), but you're more interested in Real People. (although i'm sure if Christian Bale or Mos Def were in your proximity, you'd melt instantly.) you go for substance over shine, you don't discriminate based on what's supposedly hip, you're continually intrigued by people from different walks of life and never pass judgment on anyone, unless they deserve it. and that, my love, is incredibly refreshing.
to sum this up in the corniest way possible, i am Proud of your Evolution in your career and into the woman you want to be. i feel honored to have been by your side these last 7.5 years, to witness and love all the wonderful things that make you uniquely Kashka Booker, and no one else. i'll stay here forever, too, even while yr away.
LRV, b
LIARS: "Proud Evolution"
your parents and i are going to see "Black Swan" later. by the time you read this, i'll probably have talked to you about it (yet i will reveal NOTHING). i'm really looking forward to it. not just the movie, but hanging out with your folks. i haven't seen them since we dropped you off at the airport. i miss them too.
here's another LA transplant. as you know, LIARS have made records in many different places. NYC, a forest in NJ, Berlin... but their last two were made in Los Angeles. the latest, "Sisterworld", is about the many pockets of people, and scenes, in LA, and how even though there seems to be infinite cultures and subcultures, it can be tough to find your way to "fitting in". there's a palpable sense of alienation in the music, yet it's accessible in its own weird way. it's seeking its place in its environment, yet comfortable enough in its own skin to reach beyond any particular social assignment to embrace many, and take any willing travelers on board with it.
and this is one of the many things i love about you: you're not concerned with all that Hollywood mess. showbiz doesn't faze you. lotsa people would probably clamor to meet their best friend's Big Time Movie Star boyfriend, or their aunt's Jazz Giant pal (like me), but you're more interested in Real People. (although i'm sure if Christian Bale or Mos Def were in your proximity, you'd melt instantly.) you go for substance over shine, you don't discriminate based on what's supposedly hip, you're continually intrigued by people from different walks of life and never pass judgment on anyone, unless they deserve it. and that, my love, is incredibly refreshing.
to sum this up in the corniest way possible, i am Proud of your Evolution in your career and into the woman you want to be. i feel honored to have been by your side these last 7.5 years, to witness and love all the wonderful things that make you uniquely Kashka Booker, and no one else. i'll stay here forever, too, even while yr away.
LRV, b
LIARS: "Proud Evolution"
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Day Ten
today i feel like garbage. without being too graphic, let's just say Fat Tire's seasonal ale, 2 Below, is a lot smoother going down than it is in reverse. it's delicious, holy hell is it delicious, and potent. (6.6) but after 9 of them, and very little to eat prior to imbibing... yeah. not my smartest moment. i will say, though, that the hangover was manageable. by no means fun, but mild enough to survive an 11 hour work day (immediately following passing out)without killing anyone. but i still maintain that it was the lone Miller High Life that sent me over the edge. without that, i probably would have been fine.
are you going to wear your new watch and scrubs to work tomorrow?
Although Mingus was born in Arizona, he grew up in Watts and got his start playing in bands around LA. in thinking about these posts as a mixtape, it feels a little soon to go to a slow jam. but there are no rules here. and this song is the best medicine for a hangover. we have this version on DVD, and it's pretty solid. (couldn't find the album cut on YouTube.) Don Pullen's mute solo is incredible, and Gerry Mulligan lays it down too (trumpet, bari sax). and of course, the drummer, Danny Richmond. i f-ing love his jazz cowboy outfit. classic.
LRV, b
Charles Mingus: "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"
are you going to wear your new watch and scrubs to work tomorrow?
Although Mingus was born in Arizona, he grew up in Watts and got his start playing in bands around LA. in thinking about these posts as a mixtape, it feels a little soon to go to a slow jam. but there are no rules here. and this song is the best medicine for a hangover. we have this version on DVD, and it's pretty solid. (couldn't find the album cut on YouTube.) Don Pullen's mute solo is incredible, and Gerry Mulligan lays it down too (trumpet, bari sax). and of course, the drummer, Danny Richmond. i f-ing love his jazz cowboy outfit. classic.
LRV, b
Charles Mingus: "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"
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