8.31.2004

august 2004 archive

Tuesday, August 31, 2004

::pick of the week::

tonight's post is brought to you by a bowl of oatmeal and this post-class adrenaline rush, with motivation from my new friend enid, who left speech tonight with my card in tow and my url on the back. i must post something brilliant!

my latest discovery in the exploration of talented musicians was quite by accident as sunday night found josh & i at the coach house for the last leg of aimee mann's tour. the opening act was a mostly acoustic bit by teitur, with awesomely talented superhereo duo jeff & sara of nickel creek fame. talk about spoilage: i cannot recall the last time when an opener was such a treat to the ears! i ran, not walked, to buy the cd from the man at the front counter and rushed back for an autograph from teitur. oh yeah, that good.

what i said before about cover songs: i take it back. teitur did the most amazing rendition of "great balls of fire", only in minor. haunting. beautiful. my heightened level of excitement, or is it the declining levels of adrenaline, find no words capable of expressing my newfound sentiment for this lovely songwriter. teitur, incidently, looks an awful lot like my friend toni janz. um, well, i digress. it is late. i relinquish my writing talents to the sleep fairy: i do have to go to work tomorrow.

::pair of aces::

historically, the idea of being paired off in class for random projects has been a horrifying experience for me. i consider myself quite sufficient on my own. however, tonight i was caught off guard completely since last week's warning in class ("next week, you will introduce someone else in class.") was totally absent from my memory. lucky for me i'm quick to forgive the past and forget my preconceived fears. and then there was enid, fellow music-phile (yes, this will be the 2nd or 3rd time i've said/thought/written that word in the past 3 hours) and sunday aimee mann concert attendee. fate couldn't have been nicer! sadly, introductions were limited to roughly 20 seconds a piece. we learned more in 10 minutes about each other than i know about starbucks' caramel macchiato, and i've been drinking those for years!

i am not afraid of school. it's really good to be back. good enough that even i am surprised. since when has education given me an emotional high?

Saturday, August 28, 2004

::saturday funnies::

In the wake of the roller coaster stock market chaos of the past few months, I wanted to make a few close friends aware of next expected mergers so you can get in on the ground floor and make some BIG BUCKS, Watch for these consolidations in mid 2004 and make yourself a bundle.

1. Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush and W.R. Grace Co. will merge and become: Hale Mary Fuller Grace

2. Polygram Records, Warner Bros, and Zesta Crackers will join and become: Polly Warner Cracker

3. 3M will merge with Goodyear and become: MMMGood

4. Zippo Mfg, Audi Motor Car Co., Dofasco and Dakota Mining will merge and become: ZipAudiDoDa

5. Federal Express is expected to buy out UPS and become: FedUp

6. Fairchild Electronics and HoneywellSystems will consolidate to become: Fairwell Honeychild

7. Knotts Berry Farm and the National Org of Women will evermore be known as: Knott Now

8. Mobil Oil will purchase what is left of Enron and will become: Moron


GOOD LUCK!

Thursday, August 26, 2004

::i want my i-tunes!::

2 things:

josh just called. we're having guests in about an hour. lens crafters, can you do house-cleaning?

itunes is currently unable to take my money. maybe they're trying to tell me something.

lots to do. ciao!

p.s. i do have a fun story from my first day of class. can't wait to tell it to you. don't let me forget. also, i have proof that a person with 2 left feet exists. really: i was at ross, hunting for shoes, and happened upon a lovely pair of asian-inspired sandals. 2 sandals. both for the right foot. tragic. but funny. ... all humor was lost on the clerk at the register. she just didn't get the 2 left feet thing. devastation ensued.

Monday, August 23, 2004

::monday musings::



i miss new york. this was taken just a little bit before midnight at the empire state building, looking up from the observation deck. it was an incredibly clear night!

::thank you!::

a shout out to the kind lady whose phone rang this morning at 8:30 and heard me say, "hi! i'm running a little late & should be there in about 7-10 minutes!"
wherein she responded, "who is this?"
"it's sara."
"oh, well, i think you've got the wrong number..."
"oh, sorry!"
"well, drive safe!"
"thank you!"
needless to say, her kindness was appreciated. i can't tell you how upsetting it is to accidently mis-dial and end up with a completely belligerent moron on the phone who would rather belittle you than accept that you dialed him purely by accident.

Sunday, August 22, 2004

::garden state::

it's a rare event when a film captures your attention and invokes such a plain plea to be a part of your philosophy, in a non-brainwashing sort of way, of course. i saw garden state on friday night as josh has been strong-armed by a Deadline for a majority of the weekend. and, since then, i have turning over various scenes in my mind.
initially, my motivation for seeing the movie was purely for the joy of seeing natalie portman work her craft after what seems like a long absence from the silver screen. i had done little research on the plot or content of the movie, but the catchy frou frou tune "let go" always caught my ear and this film was itching to be seen. i was treated to an extremely talented cast and wonderful story (no spoilers here, sorry. go see it!) which just the understatement of the year.
i feel as much excitement for mr. zach braff as i do for ms. sophia copolla. so young, so talented, so natural. different styles of course, but the writing and directing, the lighting, and a story as normal as can be: all ingredients for an extraordinary film in such capable hands. i can't commend braff enough for speaking to the twenty-somethings in such a poignant way. i hope everyone comes away from this film with a little more insight about life.

that said, well, i found myself embarrassed by the (lame) comment i left on the garden state blog and thought "oh, well, if braff ever checks out my blog he'd be horrified!" or something childish & insecure like that. now i feel much better. i think.

school starts on tuesday. argh! nervous! posts may be rather infrequent here, but i'll post the mundane details on livejournal as i'm trying to keep the 'muse a bit more sophisticated, you see. happy day!

Saturday, August 21, 2004

::gardening::

saw garden state last night. great movie. i berated patricia this morning with some of my random insight about the movie. noteably it was strange to have bilbo, that guy from scrubs, and princess amidala in normal people roles. well, not really. natalie portman espcially rocks as an actress and has been rockin' since the professional. a beautiful movie of self discovery with a wonderful message to live life and not constantly try to fix the past otherwise you'll lose out on what you have right now. i give it a 9/10.

school starts next week. thank you to the state of california for passing some law that says i must remit an additional $8/unit in order improve my edumacation. we love LA. or OC, as the case may be. i'm not complaining, i could almost throw a rock at campus from my home. and i can definitely through a rock at the grocery store, but i won't because i can walk there & they are open 'til midnight. ya groceries!

life is short. play hard. --nike

::saturday funnies::

Did I read that sign right?


TOILET OUT OF ORDER.

PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW

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In a Laundromat:
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES:

PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT

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In a London department store:
BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS

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In an office:
WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

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In an office:
AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT

AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD

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Outside a secondhand shop:
WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

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Notice in health food shop window:
CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS

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Spotted in a safari park:
ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR

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Seen during a conference:
FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR

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Notice in a farmer's field:
THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.

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Message on a leaflet:
IF YOU CANNOT READ,

THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS

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On a repair shop door:
WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING.

(PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK)

Tuesday, August 17, 2004

::pick of the week::

as i seek forth on a quest to have a new album to recommend every week, i realize that i am starting school and tend to keep a very busy schedule. and i haven't done a single load of laundy in, like, two weeks. josh has done two. sweet.
i have respect for those who critique anything, since i've had this album on for about a week, almost non-stop, in an effort to capture its lasting qualities. almost to the point of making me sick. however, i'm still listening, and i'm still riveted. here goes...


sam phillips, a boot and a shoe

a week ago, after a lovely sushi dinner yet again, josh dragged me to his car on a matter of urgency.
"you have to listen to this!" he insisted. "no," he persisted against my protests. "right now. it can't wait until we get home."
what i heard next just pummelled me into the floor. a rollicking walking upright bass dancing with swinging guitar rhythms and dry, booming percussion. enter dark, sultry vocals from ms. phillips and a masterpiece is awoken from the archives of the swing era. i don't think this song could have existed in the 30's. we hadn't mastered the recording quality, the earthy distintiveness that rings through the entire album. although a boot is most definitely a nod to Retro, and so many are trying Retro on for size in the past decades: squirrel nut zippers, cake, & jolie holland for starters, it definitely rings in a cut above the rest. mind you i haven't given ms. phillips a listen since my disappointment with omnipop, but i stand corrected and ready to give a second chance if only to understand where she's coming from. josh is all too ready to give me her history down to her intimate relations with the famed t-bone burnett. i am eager to learn. i think that fan dance, which debuted her current stay with nonesuch records in 2001, will be my next purchase (if josh doesn't have it already!).

in the spirit of the olympics, my vote is a "10"!

i hope to dig deeper in future reviews, but presently real life is requiring my full attention. cheers.


Saturday, August 14, 2004

::get going, get gone::

ah, saturday. laundry calls. oh so many things to get done. i'm warming up to the idea. i really should get dressed & get outside and plant some things in our yard. and, as i watch the words appear on the screen, i'm feeling more & more guilty as i write this post. well, here are some current highlights, in no particular order:
. went to a chamber of commerce mixer on thursday. they raffled off tickets to aimee mann. the women who won them gave them to me when i went to congratulate her! woo-hoo!
. my manager is going to try to get regional approval to promote me back to my former position before i left the bank. that would mean a total raise of $1.00 this year. i don't feel i deserve it. this branch rawks!
. my sister is staying with us this weekend. we talked till the wee hours, it was good. oh, well, it was only 11:30 at night, but we were really tired!
. two words: sam phillips. i can't wait to review the album next tuesday. wow.
. last weekend saw vicki, who i went to junior high with, for the first time in something like 10 years. time stood still, let me tell you! it's so normal to hang out with her, only now she has 2 kids. weird. (i mean that in a good way)
. annie lennox: wonderful
. cousin gary & shakeh got married. we ate. we danced. we ate some more. servers brought out a roast pig for the wedding party, complete with an apple in its mouth, at about 10pm. we ate. we danced. shakeh is armenian. they know how to par-tay!
. i can't get napoleon dynamite out of my head. "i caught you a sweet bass. wanna play me?"
. joanne's baby shower last weekend. she's having a girl! cheers to the new mom-&-dad-to-be!
. adrienne found work. walking distance from her flat. yeah!
. x-box. i'm not sure about how i feel about it all. i like neopets. do they make fantasy/old-nintendo-style games for x-box? i'm not feeling too high tech. too many buttons. justin, you rawk!
. payday. it's not just a candy bar.

::saturday funnies::

from ye olde inbox @ work yesterday. i want my MTV!

Please check your mail boxes as I have provided you with the new dress code for our division.The changes that you need to pay attetion to are as follows:
NO SLEEVELESS DRESSES OR TOPS
NO DENIUM OF ANY KIND
NO T-SHIRTS
NO CAPRI PANTS
NO SCANDELS WITHOUT
A HEEL STRAP
NO FLAT SCANDELS WITHOUT A HEEEL STRAP
NO CANVAS SHOES
NO SCANDELS THAT GO BETWEEN THE TOES..THESE ARE STILL CONSIDERED FLIP FLOPS....EVEN IF THEY HAVE A HEEL STRAP

THIS APPLIES TO WEEKDAYS AND SATURDAYS
PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT AS WE WOULD NOT WANT TO SEND ANYONE HOME WITHOUT PAY TO MAKE A CHANGE.
THANKS

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

::new music tuedays::

sorry to miss the regular post yesterday. check my livejournal to understand i was in a really crummy mood & couldn't even think i was so upset. today has been much better. a thousand times over, i think. yeah.

care of itunes music store and my keen eye (ha ha) i've decided to peruse the new releases to see what's out there & what's interesting. hopefully you'll get something out of it too.

first, don't laugh, i noticed miss lisa loeb decided to tell us "the way it really is". while i enjoyed enough of the reality bites soundtrack & "stay", i can't say that there's been much of a draw to her since the high school years. of the samples i put my ear to, "will you wander" sounds like the diamond in the rough of the 11 songs i tasted. in fact, i listened to it about 3 or 4 times. very singer-songwriter. nice guitar tone. gentle, blushing, chord changes. itunes lets you buy individual songs! izn't zat vonderful?! ya! the whole song is wonderful. incredible harmonies, contrapuntal vocal lines (who else is singing, i want to know!), very warm, beautiful over all. worth every penny of the 99 cents. wish she could be more consistent, but that'll go for jonatha brooke circa "plumb" as well. where did she wander off to?

er, reo speedwagon must've run short on cash as they are subjecting us to "the essential reo speedwagon". i liked them back in, say 1985. but, they've had their hey-day and i'm not even going to listen through the samples.

i'd like to continue this, especially since josh just called & told me about a new sam phillips record, and i stumbled on k.d. lang's recent "hymns of the 49th parallel", but sushi calls and i could use a good dinner with my hubby.



::tuesday schmooz-day::

i have this image in my head from sunday night as josh drove us home from our cousin's wedding in glendale. we're on the 110, westward bound and leaving the beautiful cityscape (it was extremely clear for LA). as i peered out through the darkness, i noticed the palm trees. hundreds of them, it seemed. in a comical displacement of skyscrapers, they towered above the surrounding buildings. it made me smile. i logged the image away in my head, knowing that there was no possible way of capturing the moment on film as we cruised down the freeway on our way home.

today was just an ordinary day for me. my eyes have been hurting though, so i'll take my leave now. cheers!

Monday, August 09, 2004

::quick-changed::

i've been in a bad mood since about 2 o'clock today, when a not-so-nice person pulled a fast one at work and left me $80 short. i immediately realized it, but for some strange reason i was powerless to do anything about. needless to say i learned my lesson and will become one of those rude & unfriendly tellers who always asks for your ID and refuses to dole out even a roll of quarters for your $10 bill. in the words of napoleon dynamite, "argh. (deeply exhale) Idiot!" aside from that, i actually had a lovely weekend. great times spent with friends and family and i'm just too turned off by the lameness of the day to really write anything positive about it. i have to get over it though? why should i let this one thing ruin my day? i still have my job, and my health, and there's so much to be thankful for.

Saturday, August 07, 2004

::saturday funnies::



"it's a liger. it's only, like, my favorite animal...."

it's all about napoleon dynamite. peruse the site, watch some video clips, open up your mind to the possibilities. in theaters now.

Monday, August 02, 2004

::lundi musicaux::

mr. robert watson got me thinking. why him? well, friend of friends, and josh, and because he's doing what i want to do. what i claim as my passion. i have no basis for my beliefs that i'd been worth anything as a film score composer. and i have a nagging urge to delve into the pasts of current blockbuster names and find out what kept them going. where they started. how they found success. their formulas which made them famous.

a few weeks ago i poo poo'd john williams' honorary degree and even his abilities as an artist, but Where Am I? i'm here, blogging away and fantasizing about my talents, freshly enrolled at the local junior college, and reluctant to play or even practice piano. i am finding a great deal to relate to in bernhard's the loser, and, frankly, i'm terrified! i cling deeply and desperately to a small theme i dreamed up in high school after reading dickens' great expections and inspiration from michael nyman's soundtrack to the piano. i mix the percussive repetitiveness of john adams' chairman dances with the rich colors and unexpected key changes & chord progressions of m. debussey. however, i don't write a drop of it down. so, most of it is a one time performance which melts away in the silence which follows the creative spurt. i have no clue how to orchestrate. and, were it not for the encouragement of my coworkers, there is no way i would be braving speech 1 this semester. i've dreaded that class as much or more than math.

I'm Not Giving Up. i want very much to be involved in music. i feel it course through my veins as i hack away here with beethoven's symphony no.7, 2nd movement, spinning in the foreground on the ol' itunes player. it is enough of a passion that is tattooed onto my flesh. i believe i do have a God given gift, but it's a big, scary, intimidating world out there and i'm so anxious about It. i'm so nervous about failure or rejection or success or just going nowhere with this life i have and i know it's so horribly awfully silly of me to have such a self-whatever-ing view of the world. still, it's what i'm feeling, experiencing, facing, coping with right now. i reread my words and shake my head and grin at what appears to be such childish angst. so unattractive in my late 20's here.

ah, well, let's be honest....

this is an audio post - click to play

c. 2004, poor audio quality & all. all musical ideas are the sole property of sara parker & furiousmuse.com so please do not use without permission.


::we wish you a great deal of success::

it has been a monday to top all mondays in that it went by extremely fast. can someone explain to me why 2 of my greatest girlfriends got the boot from their jobs this past week? what is that about??? i mean, these are two very decent, extremely hardworking, and rather attractive (uhHUM!) women, who have way more than that on their side. simply, it sucks! i'm cheering for you two though, adrienne & lauren. the Man doesn't know how talented you are!

on other news, well, i went ahead & registered for my 2 classes at saddleback. and, for as long as i can remember (which means, for as long as the nine years i've been attempting, though not always actively or successfully, my college education), upon completing the registration process be it by phone or via the internet, i have always heard/read the words "we wish you a great deal of success this semester...." and i kind of chuckle at it now. especially considering my long stretch as a student, the dozens of dropped classes, the vending machine food consumed, the money spent on textbooks which were never studied. those words have been embedded into my head for a lifetime...much longer than the career of the average collegiate. i've long passed the supposed "5 year plan", so, take me seriously now, won't you? i'm paying much more for my education than i would have 8-9 years ago. what's wrong with this picture? am i really getting ahead in life? now?

Sunday, August 01, 2004

::seeing stars::

went to LA today to jackie's baptism celebration for her son derrick. i stuffed myself with an obscene amount of food at her aunt's house, primarily empanadas from a lovely bakery in glendale. ummm...yummy!

after that, josh & i headed for the sunset strip in west hollywood and katana for some sushi. i gorged myself some more. we saw pat sajak. josh spotted him first. i, of course, was oblivious because i just don't pay attention to such things like a regular human being. all the celebrity spottings in new york city were josh: horatio sanz, neil patrick harris, uma thurman, paul schaffer... actually i saw paul, but we had just been at a taping of the late show with david letterman and we were walking around the times square area immediately after the show. and he was wearing a purple suit. hard to miss. needless to say, i had to actually make a second (unnecessary) trip to the bathroom in order to catch a glipse of the famouse face from wheel of fortune. my luck hasn't changed.