Looking out from inside the Observatory

An election day that will surely end crazier than most days around here begins as many days lately have: me sleeping in 'cause I get home late from work, waking up in time to put Julian down for a nap, eat breakfast and think about going back to bed. It seems like the schedule around here has been sprint-crawl for a few weeks. From a lazy day when I don't leave the house except to go to work, others when there are a thousand things to do (wedding invitations, anyone?) before I step foot in the office. My two online classes are overlapping these next few weeks. It doesn't really matter how well I do in either (one's a headline-writing course; the other is for HTML), but I don't want to just blow them off and do poorly. So I've added a few more things to my plate and my body's readjusting to the extra work.

It's a give and take, though. I'm still halfway through Middlesex, progressing a page or two at a time before something comes up that I have to take care of. I've been relying on easy-to-throw-together meals lately, which means I haven't been eating or cooking like I want to. Julian and I did manage to watch the season 3 finale of Lost yesterday (wow! I love that show!), and Ian and I have arranged a few dates in the past few weeks, the most recent of which deserves it's own paragraph.

Ghostland Observatory is an Austin band that blew up a few years ago after a performance at the ACL Fest. The duo plays pretty awesome electronic dance music; the lead singer wears his hair in Willie-style pigtails and evokes Freddie Mercury in a very good way. We saw them at a CD release party for their new album "Robotique Majestique" at the newly renovated Austin Music Hall downtown. We danced and danced and danced. Damn, it was a good time. Members of the Longhorn drum and horn line came out at the end, at which time I promptly freaked out and danced some more. Felt good to get out to a show. We don't do that as often as I'd like, but when we do, it's a good time.

Before the show, Ian and I hit the Tiniest Bar in Texas, in honor of the recently Coloradofied Blythe. She's started her new reporting job at a newspaper out there. Seems happy about the move; I'm so glad for her. She's an adventurer whose adventure here had dimmed. It was time to take on something. We all miss her so. Work just isn't as fun without her. I keep thinking she's on vacation and she'll be back in a few days...

Anyway, here are a couple Ghostland songs for your to enjoy (or to decide you hate. The first song here is their big "hit" from the last album. The second is a new single of the new one. Having listened to all of "Majestique", I kinda prefer the older stuff.)





And a little Julian to get you through the day:

The good, the funny, the ugly

A few things from the past few days:

The good:

Musician Marketa Irglova's acceptance speech Sunday for winning an Oscar for best song. She and Glen Hansard accepted the award for "Falling Slowly" from the movie "Once."

Hi everyone. I just want to thank you so much. This is such a big deal, not only for us, but for all other independent musicians and artists that spend most of their time struggling, and this, the fact that we're standing here tonight, the fact that we're able to hold this, it's just to prove no matter how far out your dreams are, it's possible. And, you know, fair play to those who dare to dream and don't give up. And this song was written from a perspective of hope, and hope at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are. And so thank you so much, who helped us along way. Thank you.

The funny:



The ugly:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry was interviewed by Deborah Solomon of the New York Times Magazine this week. I'm not allowed to make comments on politics here, thus the text of the previous post removed, per ethics policy at work, but I will provide you a snippet of the interview.

Let’s talk about your new book, “On My Honor,” which draws on your experience as an Eagle Scout and champions the values of the Boy Scouts of America, to whom you are donating your royalties.

Yes, to their legal-defense fund.

Which has been fighting the A.C.L.U., to keep gays out of the scouts. Why do you see that as a worthy cause?

I am pretty clear about this one. Scouting ought to be about building character, not about sex. Period. Precious few parents enroll their boys in the Scouts to get a crash course in sexual orientation.

Why do you think a homosexual would be more likely to bring the subject of sex into a conversation than a heterosexual?

Well, the ban in scouting applies to scout leaders. When you have a clearly open homosexual scout leader, the scouts are going to talk about it. And they’re not there to learn about that. They’re there to learn about what it means to be loyal and trustworthy and thrifty.

But don’t you think that homosexuals might also be interested in being loyal and thrifty?

The argument that gets made is that homosexuality is about sex. Do you agree?

No.

Well, then why don’t they call it something else?

Did you know that there are no term limits for governor in Texas?

Obama rally in Austin

From the Obama rally Friday night:

Can you kinda seem Obama in there?
As you can tell, we didn't have the best view.