I feel as if it is my duty to at least put this out there for you...

The uncomprehensive list of my favorite albums from the year 2008 alone. Please note I only included the albums I found myself listening to most, and I was unalbe to sample some of the stuff that has appeared in other lists...

That said, here goes:

Runner up: A Weather - Cove
(Totally overlooked by most, but a great little album in its entirety with a handful of addictive songs. "Pinky Toe" kills me. Beatiful analogy.)

10.d. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
(I mean it was fun, and the album artwork was insanely amazing but geeze. how much music can these guys put out before I get sick of it, right?)
10.c. Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
(to be honest, I was more a fan of their earlier stuff, and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about his voice, but still worth a nodd.)
10.b. Sigur Ros- asldkfja;lsdkjfa;lskdjf;owaje
(yeah. that one. so surprising. so upbeat and jaunty complete with the delightful naked runners on the cover.)
10.a. MGMT - Electric Feel
(I gotta admit... seeing them in the Fall of 2005, I thought they were easily the worst band I had EVER seen... and that show was pretty terrible, but these kids have certainly tapped into something interesting.)
9. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
(certainly good, and with an impressive opening, but not matching the genius that was Apologies to the Queen Mary. Also... what is with that melody in "Bang Your Drum"?? Does it not remind you of something else? Some other pre-existing song?)
8. Benoit Pioulard - Temper
(very nice. ambient.)
7. Little Joy - Little Joy
(I only got this album a couple of weeks ago, but it's nice and fresh not only for being new, but just in how in sounds.)
6. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
(hauntingly retro without being shoddy and ill thoughtout. "Kim and Jessie" = amazing. I still swear it should have been in Donnie Darko.
5. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
(She's Swedish and therefore georgeous and absolutely enthralling. Ok, so there is on song I absolutely can't stand, and her voice can be kind of whispey, but her persona did it for me... and some of those tracks are so darn catchy. They actually made me want to dance. no pun intended.)
4. Deerhunter - Microcastle
(I really got into this over the past month or two. Always good live. good record, though in my opinion, quite a different sound for the band. Bradford Cox blows my mind.)
3. Beach House - Devotion
(This album took up where Bon Iver left off at the beginning of the year. I played it TONS. Dreamy.)
2. Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron & Fred Squire - Lost Wisdom
(Definitely didn't make it onto many lists, but an absolutely georgeous and wonderful album. Seeing them play a few months back was such an amazing experience that I couldn't wipe the goofy grin off my face for maybe 5 solid hours, and I felt at peace with the world. soooo good. Female backing vocals = a nice addition to the typical Phil-heavy mix).
1. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
(Yeah. I'm counting it as 2008. Deal with it. If this is what Wisconsin sounds like, I don't care if it's -18 degrees. I will pack my bags and move. Hauntingly gorgeous, sparse and simplistic yet well-crafted and intentional. A stellar debut that EASILY makes the top slot for this year.)

A lesson in irony

The other day i was going about my business at The Strand as usual. In my attempt to get down a book from the top shelf, another one came tumbling down, unexpectedly, and hit me in the head. It was only after I bent down to pick up the book that I saw the title... This Is Going to Hurt. Indeed.

sometimes I go to the park just to see who will sit down on my bench

The other night, it was this well-dressed but presumably homeless old man. He spoke in a thick French accent though he claimed to be from China and instead of booze, he carried a red duffle bag full of old, worn-in books. I guess my 'mistake' if you will was making eye contact with him as he ambled by. I couldn't help myself. Before I knew it, he was sitting at my side and asking me all sorts of crazy questions. When I mentioned that I had been an English major, he asked me what single line of literature would be on my lips right before I died. wow. He also asked me if I thought he were crazy (to which I responded that I thought people were never entirely crazy or entirely sane, but a unique combination of the two).

I never know what I will encounter at McCarren Park. Once, I saw two guys, decked out in full armor, holding a medieval-style duel. Amazing.

Live Models Needed

An IKEA just opened recently in Brooklyn. While I admit that I have not been able to check it out yet, I am pretty excited that it is so close by. Reminding me every day that I need to go is an IKEA van parked out on the street (not the one pictured, obviously, but a similar one):


While the display is quite lovely, I think it would be a more effective selling point if there were people inside it, lounging around. How else am I supposed to know if it would make for a comfortable living environment? They could be talking, dancing, or even just reading.

The Great Laundry Fiasco

I have adapted fairly well to New York life. Sure, I think the lack of cheap grocery store chains is lame, but I have learned to deal with it. One thing that threw me was the laundry situation.

OK. let me just preface this by saying that I've never had to pay for my laundry before. I know. I've been totally spoiled, but there you have it. It's not that I haven't done my own laundry for years. I just haven't had to pay for it.

Right, so here's what went down:
A. I carefully put my tokens in the washing machine only to realize that the door locks immediately after you insert the last one... whether or not you have actually put your clothes in. So I stood back in horror as the soapy water swirled around behind the locked door of the washing machine I had just spent $3.50 to use.

B. The matron o' the laundry mat came over and had a good laugh at my behalf before giving me the 14 tokens I needed to start a new session that would this time include my clothes.

C. I sat back to read but was distracted by awful daytime television. I watched more television sitting there than I had watched in the last five months combined since I don't own a TV. Geeze I mean Kelly Rippa was on... and Rachael Ray has her own tv show?!!! since when? Wasn't she famous for being a chef and not a talk show host? Please stick to your daytime job, Rachel Ray!

D. I wrote a letter to my friend Charles for his birthday, and deposited it in the blue bin right outside the laundy mat only to realize fifteen minutes later that I had of course forgotten to put a stamp on the envelope even though I had had 7 in my bag with me. (I found out later that it did indeed get to him though... stampless and all, so a big 'thank you' to the postal service for that one.)

E. I let the dryer tumble for over 80 minutes, but my clothes were still wet.

F. I was late to my internship.

Did I mention I moved to New York?

Well it's true. I did.
I fly into the city on Sunday with a backpack, a messenger bag, and one suitcase. I kind of pride myself in being so mobile, but at the same time I of course long for a life to call my own. I guess that doesn't necessarily have to include a long list of material possessions and ideally speaking, it shouldn't, but it often seems to in the mind of the masses.

Sunday night/Monday were cool. I stayed with a friend and four other guys in their loft in Bushwick. Though I had never really spoken to most of them, there is something so intimate about sharing such an open space with people. Their bedrooms more often than not lacked at least one wall. At any given time, you could look up and see feet dangling off a mattress resting on the floor.

Then I moved into a new place... a place of my own until August 1st. Here, I am in the minority. It's kind of strange/frightening, but cool at the same time.

I just watched the movie Into the Wild, and although my experience is nothing compared to what Christopher/Alex went through, I feel a kindred spirit in him. New York City may be as far as you can get from the wild technically speaking, but in a more abstract sense, it certainly is the wild to me. It is the unknown... potentially dangerous, but full of possibilities and discoveries. There is the chance to forge a new life.

I wonder where it will take me...

Really?

The other day while I was reading, a fly literally fell dead from the air onto my arm.

Maybe it's because I'm an English major, but I find myself searching for the hidden meaning behind the metaphors of everyday life

She was dressed in a bright red two piece skirt suit and a fancy black hat--the kind reserved for church and funerals and considering the time (it was 12:57pm on a Sunday), I assumed it was for the former. She was maybe 70 years old--out of place at a hip and rather rundown coffee shop/bar. She walked in and instead of getting in line, made eye contact with me, walked over to where I was sittin in the corner by the open window, and said,
"Do you need someone to carry you home? We could carry you home if you wanted us to."
I, confused by her oddly phrased question and general appearance, hesitantly responded, "Oh no thanks. I'm fine."
She then sat down in a booth and continued to sit there for about five minutes before she got up and walked to the door without saying another word.

I only wonder what would have happened if I had said "yes."

Overheard in Winston

"Wait. You know who the murderer is?
...We know her?...You'd better tell me.
...Yeah. I'm sitting down.
...Oh my God! Oh my God!
I can't believe she did that!
Poor Jackie!"


Perhaps not what you want to hear your bus driver say on her cell phone when you are the only passenger on the bus.

Really?

Tonight at work I had a conversation with a woman that went something like this:

me: ok that will be $1.65
her: you know who you look like?
me: no. who?
her: {pause for 20 seconds, squinting eyes}
One of them Hanson brothers
me: oh.
her: you know who I'm talking about?
me: yeah

she walks away.

I wonder if she meant the 12 year old or the 17 year old. I assume she was referring to the early years of Hanson.

Hanson is coming to Raleigh in a few weeks. I'd better steer clear of that so as not to confuse people.

In other news, last night I had a dream that I had a horrible boy haircut, so she did a good job on playing on my subconscious insecurities.

more with time

If time sped up, would you be able to hear it passing?
Hear the clouds move at a rapid pace across the sky?
Hear the shadows dart across the sidewalk?
Hear the faint buzz of life as people mature and die before you can even exhale?

Spring update

It gets increasingly harder to be a student as the weather gets warmer and more pleasant.

Foreign ÅłρĥăβέŦ

Lately I decided that I would like to live in a city that contains a letter in its name that is not included in the American alphabet. You know, there are many choices: ö ø ü å... and of course all the ones with accents. I figure that if I live in a place with one of these letters, than I maybe I won't have to abide by the norms and expectations characteristic of the US.

Unfortunately, København will be harder to come by now as I found out this week that I did not get that DIS internship. Maybe sometime in the future it will work out, or I can try out Malmö, Zürich, or Münich... you get the idea.

Squirrels beware

They're installing an electric fence around the perimeters of the quad this year to keep off the students.



















We've got to have the quad looking good for when we put all those thousands of folding chairs on it.

guten tag!

Why is it so much easier to procrastinate when you have so many things to do?
I just listened to an eight minute podcast on how to learn German. It was actually quite good, and I like that it was hosted by Stephan, which is my brother's name (though spelled a bit differently).
check it out.
http://german-podcast.de/

Well at least I can say there is somewhat of a connection. I am supposed to be writing a paper on Walter Abish's novel how German is It? which does happen to contain at least a few German phrases.

I would very much like to visit the Black Forest.

Dear Ira Glass,

Will you please be our speaker for commencement?

Details:
Monday, May 19th - Hearn Plaza aka the main quad
9:00 AM sharp

Wake Forest University
1834 Wake Forest Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27109
Directions just for your convenience

Re-orientation

Last night I was having a hard time sleeping, so in the middle of the night I decided to throw my pillows to the footboards and sleep with my head down there instead. I think I fell asleep within about 2 minutes of moving. Sometimes you just need a change of perspective.

The year of movies?

What with my recent movie habits and my yet-to-begin film class, I get the feeling that my movie IQ will sky rocket this year. I have already watched 13 movies this year as of January 19th. If I keep going at this rate, I will have watched 240.84 movies by 2009. It's not going to be easy, but with stamina and perservearance, I think I could do it. I just checked out two more DVD's from the library today.

The list so far for 2007 (and my ratings):
1. Juno (1/4) 8.2 stars
2. Cashback (1/6) 7.2 stars
3. Ratatouille (1/7) 7.7 stars
4. Little Children (1/9) 6.3 stars
5. Casino Royale (1/10) Don't judge... I watched this one in a large group setting
6. Sweetland (1/11) 6.1 stars
7. Mutual Appreciation (1/12) 8.4 stars
8. Adaptation (1/13) 7.6 stars
9. After the Wedding (1/16) 6.9 stars
10. Margot at the Wedding (1/17) 7.7 stars
11. Funny Ha Ha (1/18) 6.7 stars
12. Control (1/19) 8.2 stars
13. Sweeney Todd (1/19) 7.9 stars (though very hard to judge)

*All movies were judged on a scale of 1-10. I rarely give out 9's or 10's, and I'm typically good enough at picking movies that I am able to avoid watching the ones that fall into the 1-5 range all together.

Musings on time

It's crazy to think that 10 years ago is 1998 and not 1992 or something. Time is such a tricky convention. Why is it that when you look back, time seems to have passed so quickly, but when you look ahead, things seem so far away? Time sometimes seems to stand still and often speeds by at a much quicker pace than we would prefer. Time is universal: we are all trapped by it. Time dictates our lives. Even the hermit in complete seclusion is susceptible to it and must grow old.

People don't give Time enough credit I think. Time exerts so much power over us. Why isn't time a mascot? Time is so much more menacing than a Demon Deacon or a Battling Bishop (my two mascots in college and high school, respectively). Death occurs when Time runs out.

some things that have happened since I've been back at school:

-a squirrel somehow got into some underground room the supplies the power to many of the buildings on campus and succeeded in turning off the power for 8 buildings (apparently without dying)... I heard the whole interaction between fascilities management personel over a walkie-talkie

-I overheard this conversation between two upperclassmen males:
frat boy #1: "Oh dude sweeeet! Check out the new vitawater vending machine!
frat boy #2: "Oh I love that sh*t"
frat boy #1: "Yeah and it's like so much cheaper here. I'll save so much money! It's only $1.50 per bottle here and a case of 24 is $30!"
frat boy #2: "Oh yeah, man. That's great!"

I am not the only one rebelling against the re-integration process

My computer refuses to reset it's clock. It doesn't matter how many times I change it, a few hours later, it always reverts back to Danish time. The timestamps for all the emails I receive are also in Danish time.

I decided to organize my closet by color this time

I really enjoy stores that organize things according to color. It's just more aesthetically appealing and it comes in handy when you tend to prefer some colors over others.

The closet:








I estimate that it will only stay this neat for a week or so, but hey, it looks great now, yeah?

creative licence

I like how every time I want to write a blog entry, I click on the button labeled "Create." This one little word gives me complete freedom to write whatever I want to and even empowers me. I could write the truth in these blog entries--the things I never actually say but secretly want to, or I could just make up a story... and the beauty of it is, you have no way of knowing which you're getting: fact or fiction. There's really so much potential in each that it's hard to pick which to work with sometimes. True to the title of my blog, I just started rambling in this blog entry... propelled by a single word. Create. I had intended to tell you what classes I would be taking this spring, but this came out instead.

You may be wondering what life has been like post-Denmark since I haven't written in a while. Life is strange. As I told my friend Amelia, I feel like I'm in this strange time warp back at home. I know that I have seen and experienced many indescribable things during the last four months, but nothing at home seems to have changed much, and it's as if I am sucked into stasis by merely being here. It's strange. For some reason I thought everything would be different when I got back; I thought that everything would be unrecognizable. Maybe I was just trying to project my own differences onto the environment. I don't know.

What I do know is that I definitely needed to get away for four months and to start figuring out how to live independently of my past and all the pre-conceived notions of who I am. I could go on, but I fear I am starting to sound too hokey or even glib, so I'll stop for now.