This Beautiful Mess

My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-12-13)

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:57:50 -0500

My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-12-13)

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:45:17 -0500

Do you have Joel Plaskett’s new one?

I sure do! It is just filled to the brim with goodies. For some reason I forgot that it came out in 2009… it feels like it’s been part of my collection longer than that because it’s all just so classic. … now I’m going to have to readjust my top ten of the year to fit him in.

“you let me down” Joel Plaskett

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:42:41 -0500

“you let me down” Joel Plaskett

by Frank Chimero (part of Kitsune Noir’s Poster Club)

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:33:29 -0500

by Frank Chimero

(part of Kitsune Noir’s Poster Club)

My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-12-13)

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:28:51 -0500

Foreign Born (62)
Great Lake Swimmers (54)
Explosions in the Sky (45)
Joel Plaskett (42)
Sigur Rós (33)

Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz

12 hours and counting

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:40:03 -0500

… it’s so sad… but I’ve been at my place of employment for this long. Mind you, only 8 hours of that has been paid work. The rest I’ve been writing my ethnography. … an hour and a half before they close… got more work to do. Then I’m back tomorrow by 8:30am. Wooo wee! May as well make a bed of beans in the back, save on the commute.

… I actually had a few customers mention to me that I’m here all the time… I have yet to decide whether that’s a good or bad thing. But, I mean, I am basically working full time hours, so of course they’re going to see my lovely face every day.

k. back to work.

popculture-and-i: youroldarchenemycatwoman: Fittzlekitten by...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:14:23 -0500

popculture-and-i:

youroldarchenemycatwoman:

Fittzlekitten

by Team Macho

trying to figure out what to get me for Christmas? there you go.

This looks like a LOT of indie dudes in Stockholm. Li’l 50s haircut on a babyface. No?

(ALSO supercute and I wants).

bahaha… too cute. me likey.

Ewwww I post too much

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:12:18 -0500

youroldarchenemycatwoman:

popculture-and-i:

This is like realising after a great night out that you thought it was great because YOU were dominating the entire conversation, and then suddenly you feel really self-conscious. Bleurgh.

I’m sorry I’m one of those people who I’m sure you consider unfollowing every single day because I post everything I think. And then do a pointless reblog of a puppy, or Christmas lights, or something you’re bound to find completely inane.

Sorry! Next week: More pictures (not close-ups of my face, but fun things en general), less “You know, I had an AWESOME thought while I was walking to the kitchen and back”.

Thank you for following me, and to those of you who read and like and reblog. I appreciate that you like my weird brain. xoxo Every Thought Must Be Shared Girl.

bahhh c’mon. i love you. your posts are great! don’t you dare change a thing.

xo

fully agree! I love reading your posts. I love your energy and enthusiasm expressed in them. :)

Read on, reader

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:07:40 -0500

popculture-and-i:

You know what I don’t get?

People who get really hung up on what other people read, in a negative way. I like to know what people are reading, just because I think it’s really interesting to hear why a book appeals to a person. I don’t get the problem with just reading.

You know the ones. “Oh, you’re reading that?” or “Actually, that books isn’t great, you should read this author instead” or my favourite, as delivered in my high school cafeteria by a male peer when we were both 14 years old, and I was reading High Fidelity as I was a massive cliché: “You can’t read that, it’s a GUY book!”*

In Swedish we have this word - läsglädje - and it literally is just the words reading and joy put together. Reading joy. And to feel läsglädje is a great thing, no matter what you’re reading.

I’m sure a lof of you, like me, have your noses in academic writing most of the time. It can be a tiresome, word poopy world where you just want to hit the authors in the head with their own work for being so pretentious or long-winded when you sit there at 2 a.m. or 7 a.m. trying to make sense of their arguments.

I often find it easier to relax with something else than the written word - film or television, music, acitivities such as hanging out with friends, baking, cooking, hell, almost anything but reading books. And I used to win “reading competitions” where we logged all our reads for the year, when I was younger. I adore reading, but sometimes the constant heavy book bags that I drag back and forth to university make me associate it with being on a deadline and work.

I guess what I’m trying to say is: What’s up with people who get all hostile about reading? I’ve had arguments with people (mostly friends of friends) who get extremely judgmental about things like reading the Harry Potter series. I think reading at all is a great thing, and whatever gives you läsglädje is a great thing. I have no issues in saying that I got straight back into reading for fun by plowing the Twilight series after my third year finals/dissertation due date had passed. They’re not my favourite books but I got completely stuck in them and was up until 4 in the morning reading. That feeling is great.

Right now, I’m in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris (these are the books the TV show True Blood is based on) and I’m thoroughly enjoying them. So what if it’s not “difficult” or cool? They give me reading joy, and I keep the book in my mind all day and am always excited to get back to it. I just don’t see how that is ever a bad thing.

*Incidentally, this is not the best thing to say to an outspoken 14-year-old feminist/indie chick.

READING JOY! What a most wonderful thing. I wish I knew how to pronounce it… heck, I wish I knew how to speak Swedish! I haven’t confessed this to you yet, but I dream of going there for an extended period of time. In fact, every week when my carpool drives by the Toronto airport on the way to school we play the “where are we flying to today?” game. Guess where I choose almost every week? Sweden. Yup. Pretty much.

Anywho, back to literature, I think part of the joy of reading is being transported to a different world, time or place through the power of words and imagination. Sometimes those words challenge you to think differently, sometimes they’re there to make you laugh, cry, make your heart soar (or beat faster). Sometimes they allow you to escape from your current situation, even if just for 300 pages or so. BUT they don’t have to do all those things all at the same time, or every time! I’m like you in that I’m constantly reading for school. So, when I’m in the middle of a semester, the last thing I want to pick up at night is a book that makes me reconsider my sense of identity or whatever. I just want to forget about the 5 papers I need to write. (That’s where my love for some Chick Lit comes into play). So for me, it doesn’t really matter what type of book other people like to read- I’m normally just happy that people DO read. I just talked to my brother on the phone yesterday and was shocked to hear that he wanted me to buy him a book for Christmas! He’s been the ‘non-reader’ in our family, so it makes me really happy to know that he’s wanting to explore literature. (I am convinced that the majority of people who claim they dislike reading is because they haven’t found a genre or author they connect with.) So yeah, I’m rambling, so I’ll end with this: YAY READING!!!

popculture-and-i: (via fuckyeahkevinmchale) I’m a bit obsessed...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:19:43 -0500

popculture-and-i:

(via fuckyeahkevinmchale)

I’m a bit obsessed with that dress, it’s so pretty! Like a perfect mix between firework and art splattery style prints and liberty prints.

oooooo soooo pretty. that would make a lovely addition to the wardrobe.

My request for an extension was turned down

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:50:59 -0500

I rarely ask for them… but this is the first time a teacher has flat out told me “no.” The only exception would be for extreme health reasons or pastoral reasons. Well…. yeah…. so my reasons really don’t fit with these circumstances. It sucks.

I guess that means I’m going to be accepting a late penalty as I couldn’t get rid of my Sunday shift.

youroldarchenemycatwoman: current listening. love. SO GOOD....

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:45:59 -0500

youroldarchenemycatwoman:

current listening. love.

SO GOOD. for serious. SO GOOD.

Conversation with strangers

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:45:11 -0500

As I was sitting down to eat lunch and read, an elderly couple sat beside me and struck up a conversation. It was the most lovely thing ever! We talked about literature (she’s been reading ‘A Blade of Grass’ about South Africa, I’ve been reading “The Given Day” about Boston in 1918). We talked about their grandchildren and great grandchildren (they’re 84 & 90 years old!!!). One of them was born in South Africa, the other in England. They both immigrated to Canada about 50 years ago. I could tell they were having difficulty moving around in our store as it’s so squishy that even though I was on my lunch break I went and served them when they decided to get something sweet to eat so they wouldn’t have to fight their way through the crowd. I wish I could have sat there and talked with them longer to find out about their lives, but I had to go back to work.

Anyway, this moment totally made my day. It warmed my heart and made things (somewhat) okay.

youroldarchenemycatwoman: damn you Tim and your delicious...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:34:26 -0500

youroldarchenemycatwoman:

damn you Tim and your delicious bits

these are my weakness.

youroldarchenemycatwoman: popculture-and-i: Fruit Bats - When...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:24:08 -0500

youroldarchenemycatwoman:

popculture-and-i:

Fruit Bats - When U Love Somebody

If you like The Shins (two of the members are also members of The Shins) and Fleet Foxes and great folky stuff, this is for you. SERIOUSLY. See this band live. Everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves!

I’ve been hearing good things about them. Now if only their album would be released on emusic, cause then i’d snatch it up in a jiffy! Will enjoy this reblog in the meantime.

waiting

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:25:32 -0500

got some bad family news yesterday. am waiting for it to really sink in and tear up my insides. I felt a glimpse of the grief and sorrow yesterday while driving to work but had to push it aside in order to concentrate on my duties. I know the moment that I’m able to stop and breathe it’s going to hit hard.

youroldarchenemycatwoman: Foreign Born Vacationing...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:20:27 -0500

youroldarchenemycatwoman:

Foreign Born

Vacationing People

Lindsay, once again…on point.

I’ve been listening to their album multiple times EVERY DAY for a week straight. It’s awesome.

"The octopus costume’s taken me months… Eight is a lot of legs, David."

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:55:30 -0500

“The octopus costume’s taken me months… Eight is a lot of legs, David.”

- Natalie’s Mom (in LOVE ACTUALLY) talking to the Prime Minister (played by Hugh Grant) (via barelysarcasm)

Already viewed once this Christmas season. I think it might be time for another viewing.

(via clarityunfiltered)

oh gosh i LOVE this movie. It is my fave Christmas movie, although it doesn’t really have anything to do with Christmas. not really. but i don’t care.

....

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:21:59 -0500

just worked 9.5 hours with some intense back pain. it’s owy and drugs aren’t working. now sitting down with some Pad Thai and going to watch the latest Glee ep!!! They finally make it to sectionals. I’m so excited I could squeel.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Day three

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:19:27 -0500

youroldarchenemycatwoman:

And the ceiling looks exactly the same. There’s a hole that was clumsily punched in the roof/my ceiling when they were working on the deck this summer. As I lie here in agony I contemplate why that’s never been fixed. Also I’m hungry and I have to pee, but since getting up isn’t a possibility I’ll just lie here and complain about it via my iPhone to you guys. (if only I had a Macbook….SANTA? You listening old man?)

awww hun! that is NO good. sending lotsa love and prayers for healing your way. xoxo