list of bands to download

akron/family
atlas sound
bon iver
boys noize
caribou
chromatics
city and colour
cold war kids
crystal castles
cut copy
daft punk
death cab
deerhunter
devo
digitalism
espers
explosions in the sky
feist
foals
frightened rabbit
Health
jens lekman
john vanderslice
joy division
kings of convenience
LCD soundsystem
liars
M83
M. Ward
She and HIm
Marissa nadler
Mazzy Star
My Morning Jacket
Mum
Nick Drake
Of Montreal
Okkervil River
Panda Bear
Priscilla Ahn
Ra ra riot
ray lamontagne
shocking pinks
soulwax
tv on the radio
tears for fears
the cure
the strokes
weezer
why?
yeasayer

Little Shop of Priceless Things

Cutest ad ever.

Cry until you can't cry no more

You know, it's funny. I think the ideal is to have a best friend that you can say anything to, and know that everything is in confidence. You want to have someone to share basically anything and be completely open. And what if you have that, and for some unconscious reason you want to fuck that up? I've never been completely open to anyone in my life. Ever. Not my parents. Not my siblings. No one. And that's completely normal to have things to yourself. However, you should be able to tell your friends things, especially when something's bothering you. I just don't like confrontation. But that's how you resolve things and move past issues. Not every friendship or relationship is perfect. If something's bugging you about that person, you should be able to just tell them so. But for me, I have this issue where I have to keep this friendships perfect and not bring up things that are bothering me. I've done that with every friendship since...idk all of them.

Let's see. My first best friend was Sophie back in first grade. Our friendship worked out because we were young and it was based on pure fun. She liked going to the mall, watching movies and having play dates, so that was perfect for me. We were best friends until high school, and we were separated because of classes. I went into honors classes while she was in all regular classes. Isn't that horrible? I should have been able to stay friends, but the convenience wasn't there anymore...and also I started to realized that friendships were more than just based on fun and games. Our outlook on the world and our interests began to differ as well. We were still cordial to each other, but I never again called her to hang out. It was kind of weird. There was this non-verbal understanding that we probably weren't going to be friends in high school, and that wasn't a problem for either of us.

I haven't considered anyone a best friend until college, and now I don't even have that anymore. I've had really good friends in high school, but not best friends. We have common interests, but I could never share any of my secrets or vulnerabilities with them. Not that they wouldn't listen or help me out. I hate feeling vulnerable. I hate burdening people. I was raised to keep shit to myself, and even now it takes a lot out of me to do so. But back to the friend thing. I've been really good at sabotaging friendships. I really don't know why I do it. Maybe I'm not a good friend? I don't know. I thought I was, but with the track record that I have, it doesn't seem like I do. I try to please people too much, and the last person I try to please is myself. And I feel like now I'm starting to deteriorate. I've been saying so much shit without regarding other people's feelings. I thought it would help with relieving all the baggage I have, but it has only added to it. Mainly because that shit wasn't even part of my baggage. I've been alienating people because I've finally realized that I am not happy with myself. I'm not happy with the life I'm leading, but I've fooled a lot of people into thinking I am. I mean, I've fooled myself until now, so that's some pretty good acting. I would like to be truly happy someday, and not just escape happy or fake happy.

Cold Weather

sucks.

Cookies

yay

Margot and the Nuclear So and So's- My Baby

Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - My Baby - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Mmmm, this is so great.

I'm coming around to it.

"Back in your Head" -Tegan and Sara

I was not a fan of The Con at all, but the second listen around in months has actually enhanced its appeal. Definitely not a top album of theirs, but it's cute. And I would totally want to be their best friend fo lyfe.

Blah! I hate bars now...

The bar that I used to frequent has now become such a BRO bar. What the fuck? Playing T.I.? Really? And Snoop Dogg? Ummm, play some good shit please. And yeah, the mugs are really cheap and the bartender used to be cool, but now he's so lame. Definitely not going there anymore. BANNED. I'm still drunk-ish...but I had eggs with the roommate and going to sleep now. I love the girls downstairs. We need to hang out with them more. They have the most amazing kitty EVAH!

Night!

Ipods are like a good companion

I bought the ipod nano with 16GB on Friday and seriously. Can you love a machine? Something that can't reciprocate your love? It's essentially the only thing I'll ever need. My last one broke, and it was tragic. I had that thing for four years of my life. Fourth generation ipod. It didn't even have color or a cool interface yet. It was so clunky. I LOVED it. It started sketching out two years ago, but I just kept resetting it, and it worked just fine...until this summer when it wouldn't work on my ipod dock. Like a marriage ending.

Dance-off. Found!

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Rain Dance-Off

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

Almost a year after this aired, I still can't get enough of this. Stephen is actually pretty good at dancing. Did you see those moves? Niice. And Rain's pretty hot as well.

No dance-off, but found his K-pop video!

I can't believe I missed that episode. But soo worth it. Where's that frickin dance off?

Why is every guy not like Colbert?

Oh my fucking god. I have to find that dance-off with Rain. RAINNNNNNNNNNNN!

Jeff Buckley- "Lover, you should've come over"

<3 him.

Curse you, Internet!

Ugh. I should have been studying today, but rather I was on Threadless for forever. EH! But my username won't log in. And my webmail is being really obnoxious. Grrr.

Koi Carps are Cool Too
Rock N' Work
Where the Heart is
Surfer's Paradise

Okay, those are the shirts I have to remember to get.

I hate you, Mediacom.

Gluttony is oh so delicious.

Nina and I just got a Papa John's pizza at 12:20am. Actually it was two. I had this free online medium pizza deal if I ordered any pizza. The catch was that it had to be an online purchase, though you had the option of paying cash, which was great. I did not think they were going to take the order because the place stopped taking orders at 12:30 and I had just made the order at 12:20. It was definitely a douche baggy move, and I do not intend on making it a habit. Poor delivery guys that have to do those last orders. I tipped him pretty well.

The pizza btw was amazing. I ordered two medium pizzas, half roma tomatoes half pineapple. So good. Though I do feel pretty guilty eating so late. Boredom really makes you eat more. Starting last week, I had nothing to do because I've already taken all my tests before Thanksgiving break. I had like a week and a half of absolutely nothing...so I ate a lot. It's kind of gross. Okay, so tomorrow starts my detox from food...but I do have leftover pizza...that'll be the drive home tomorrow. Oh yeah, I'm going back home for the holiday. I've missed Chicago.

Ah, but first I have to attend a flu clinic for my fucking annoying pharmacy classes. Four hours of sitting at a pharmacy and waiting for a patient to come in a get a flu shot. Last week, I sat there for four hours and only vaccinated five patients. It was kind of ridiculous and I felt like my time was wasted for the sake of hours I have to do for a class. I don't really learn anything and it's four hours of my life that was wasted on sitting and making small talk with people I abhor. That's pretty harsh. But I am not retracting that statement. Most pharmacy kids are the lamest conservative assholes on campus. If Prop 8 was on the ballot, I am willing to bet that 90% of the college of pharmacy would have voted yes. They really have no life other than studying and going out for that blastered night after an exam. Ugh. I want to get out so bad. I mean what kind of person wants to be a pharmacist? Well, here are some I've observed so far:

1. People that wanted to go the med school, but settled on pharmacy.
2. People consumed with greed and found out that pharmacists make six figures a year.
3. People who loved science and are really good at it.
4. People with no social skills and thought pharmacists only count pills at the back of the store.
5. People who were influenced by their parents.

There's probably more, but these are the most common ones. Notice that I didn't put people who want to make a difference in healthcare. Ha! No one wants to make a difference. I had one class that focused on social and administrative pharmacy, and that's when I found out my whole class sucks. You either identified as social justice or market justice, and all but 10 people out of 120 agreed with market justice. They found social healthcare to be bunk. One of my group members kept saying "have you seen British people's teeth? I'm sorry but I like my teeth." You're going to base your decision of social healthcare on a stereotype? Americans are wayyy more obsessed with dental hygiene than any other nation. It's a cultural thing more than a healthcare thing.

There's going to be good and bad things from both justices to be sure, but social healthcare has more benefits than cost. Besides, most people identified with market because they assumed that Americans can choose their own insurance and be responsible for making that decision. But you know what? No, that isn't the case or else you wouldn't have so many people uninsured. And what about the bracket of people who don't qualify for medicare/medicaid or regular insurance? It makes me sick that these future pharmacists care more for their wallets than the welfare of society. People who identify with market justice only side with that because of the salary. You will be earning less money if social healthcare is implemented, but so fucking what? I think we get paid way more than we deserve to get...especially when I see how those six years of education are applied in community pharmacies.

I feel like Walgreen's has taken the skill portion out of pharmacy. Everything is so fool proof, but in a bad way...to the point where it makes pharmacists let down their guard a little bit because everything is automated. But since everything is automated, the career of pharmacy now fears that automation might be taking over and cutting down job opportunities. The point of all my classes now is to work on other skills that allow us to get subsidized, like these flu clinics and MTMs and screenings galore. How depressing is that? To keep our job relevant we have to become more like doctors, but still be distinct professionally from them. And we have to charge for every service that we do, even if it's services that pharmacists should already be doing. I wanted to be in this profession more when I thought I could make a difference, but pharmacy is controlled by conservative freaks that only see the dollar sign. I suppose any job it'll be like that. Everything's a business, so why shouldn't healthcare be a big booming business as well?

I received immunization training. ME. I can give flu vaccines and other vaccinations now...well under the surveillance of a pharmacist, but I have the certificate. I mean, yes it's helping the population receive flu shots because more people visit a pharmacy than a doctor's office. Fuck there's pharmacies everywhere now. Every big grocery giant has a pharmacy inside, and Walgreen's and CVS's are taking over every street corner in America. We are a prozac nation.

First Transgender Mayor in America

The mayor-elect's new clothes: Silverton, Oregon, elects a transgender leader

This is a great article from the LA Times about Oregon mayor Stu Rasmussen. Now this is progressive! This is the America that I one day want to live in. One town down, all the rest of the nation to go.

"Lakes of Canada"- Sufjan Stevens

I'm in the mood for Sufjan, if only just to escape for a little while from all the crazies in this world.

Coffee and Cigarettes and Wall-e

So, my roommate Nina and I are always talking about the most random things that span from socialism to Britney Spear's new album being leaked on the internetz yesterday. We live in a three bedroom place with another friend of ours. Nina and I are super BFF, and we're just like-minded in many aspects that I didn't know were different from other people. We're really liberal. So liberal that when the media makes a huge fuss over socialism, I say, is that really a bad thing? Yes, to the common capitalist man, that is a huge deal. However, Nina and I live so liberally. We share our groceries, share the work of the household, share music, share cigarettes, make breakfast/lunch/dinner for one another, got each other's back at the bar, share clothes (those it's usually she that borrows things). It works out really well, except for the fact that she's vegetarian and I'm not. I've kind of become one by default because I have this mentality now that we eat as one and I don't want to make something that she potentially can't eat. I still eat meat, but really only when I know I need the protein and when we're at restaurants. And it's wayyy healthier. Lots of eggs and vegetables and beans and legumes and fruits. I love cooking, and meats are usually very tempermental. Especially chicken. But back to the point. When I don't feel like doing my dishes immediately, she does them, and I do the same for her. I have no idea how people could live any other way. Our other roommate though, does not live like us. She's completely conservative in everything she does. She's really hung up on fairness, but really it's only fair for her. I think she's cleaned the bathroom once, and taken out the garbage once. She's never taken down the recycling, and has NEVER done our dishes. I mean, that's fine: I don't expect her to do our dishes, but we do hers all the time. If she has two dishes in there, and I'm washing my own, I'm not going to be a douche bag and just leave hers there. My hands and sponge are already soapy so why the fuck not? However, she's never been inclined to reciprocate that act of 'brotherlihood'. But the garbage and recycling and bathroom thing? Come on. Do you need to asked to take the garbage or recycling? When I see that the garbage and recycling are full, regardless of 'whose turn it is', I will take it down because a) it's starting to smell and b) a full garbage bag is very cumbersome to carry. I just wish she had the sense to not be asked and not have this fanfair when she does finally do those things without being prompted. She doesn't care for the common man and his plight. She will blissfully live her life in ignorance as long as she has a husband to care for. Ouch.
And also being in Iowa for the past few years for school, especially at Drake, it's been an experience. I really didn't know that such a huge population was conservative. Growing up in suburban Chicago, I had a liberal upbringing. My highschool was super liberal and I thought that was the norm everywhere...everywhere until I watch the 2000 and 2004 elections. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with conservatives. I think they're funny. People actually listen to Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly. Haha, and I got the lolz when I read that Glenn Beck was called a racist bigot at a truck stop Wendy's by a truck driver. But to live your life like that. Aren't you so repressed? Don't you feel close-minded for not even trying to see the other side's view? Bi-partisanship can be a great thing. Nina has this awesome class about anthropology, and the professor was asking what the people at Drake like. He couldn't really figure the campus out. I think the prof was originally from Arizona. And she made a good point that there are more conservatives on campus. Some may be socially liberal, like in their interactions and how they present themselves but are politically conservative. A good example are the people in frats and sororities. They seem very liberal because they party every weekend and have unbridled sex, however they're just a feeding ground for young Republicans. The other type is the quiet liberal. They are liberal in their actions and decisions, but aren't really vocal about it. These are the people that say they are for gay rights and pro-choice, but you'll never see them at a rally or a protest; they feel that siding on the topic is enough. Well, it's not. For both sides, you have to fight for your rights. But being in Iowa, I do have to give credit where credit is due. They voted for Obama in this election, and I give props to Iowans for being so level-headed and thoughtful about their decisions for politicians. Iowans are so very optimistic. They really do their homework and make smart decisions...usually. It's good to come to a more conservative school I guess because I have now seen both sides of the spectrum. I've had a great time here, but it gets tiring when people are too backwards and shallow in their thinking. It's jarring at times and I wonder what it would have been like to have gone to a bigger, more liberal school or even just a smaller liberal college.

Take Away Show: Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Finally!! I was waiting for them to do one!

Yellow Bird Project

http://www.yellowbirdproject.com/


Yellow Bird Project News This is a really great project started in Montreal. Basically, some great artists have collaborated with the project to make t-shirts and all proceeds go to the charities of the artist's choice. I think it would make a nice holiday gift for music junkies like myself. Artists include: Bon Iver, The National, Broken Social Scene, Stars, Devendra Banhart, My Brightest Diamond...

"Crayon" -Caribou

I'm really into Caribou at the moment. Yes, they are very 2007. Sue me.

"Revolution"- The Beatles

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
Ah

ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
all right, all right, all right


A revolution's coming, and gay rights is on the tip of its iceberg. I really can't understand why in this day and age anyone could blatantly deny the rights of a whole people. Sometimes I feel really sad for humanity that there still exists racism and homophobia.

Yes, we've moved ahead as a country by electing the first ever African American president, and I actually teared up because I felt as if finally our country as a whole had matured. But then Prop 8 passed in all the states that had proposed it. How does that happen? Do people feel as if there always has to be an oppressed group in our country? Is there a psychological need to always kick someone down right when they're just about to get up?

I agree with Keith in that there is no such thing as "the sanctity of marriage." It's probably the most bitch-ass excuse, and I despise when people use it when they have no other valid point to make. Especially when heterosexual couples shit on it all the time. Reality shows like The Bachelor and that fucking ridiculous show Farmer Wants a Wife? It just makes a mockery out of marriage. And all those ridiculous Bridezilla shows on Oxygen? Capitalism at its finest. It's fine if you want to spend thousands of dollars on a crazy fancy wedding, but it's just so ridiculous. They showcase the extravagance of it all and the love of the couple is just secondary, even tertiary at most.

How is marriage between a man and a woman, the "right" form of marriage? Because you can procreate? Because you've been told from an early age that it's the only form of marriage, these conformed norms of gender roles. What the fuck is gender? What the fuck is right and wrong? The sheer ignorance of people is really what's criminal.

EVERYONE in this country should enjoy equal rights.

Protest against inequality. If your city is protesting this weekend against Proposition 8, GO.

This is what happens when you turn on the tv...

It doesn't turn off. I used to be really really obsessed with watching Food Network all the time. I would watch everything...everything except Emeril.

I should also say that I've been in dire need of groceries for about five days now. I've been living on pasta, mac and cheese, cereal and soup. I don't have milk or juice or anything remotely good in my apartment. So, good idea to turn on food network, right? I want cake so bad. Well, it was actually ice cream first because I was watching Unwrapped, but then they showcased this lavendar plum ice cream cake from this place in St. Louis called Cafe Glace. Aaaaaaah. I want! I also really need to go grocery shopping!

Wet and Rusting

Yes! I found a site that can post videos from Blogotheque. If you haven't already discovered Take Away Shows, this is a must! Menomena performing "Wet and Rusting" and these cute kids dance while they play the song. One of the best videos thus far.

#62.3 - Menomena - Wet and Rusting
Uploaded by lablogotheque

Effect of Food on the Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Anticancer Agents

Yeah. That's one of the articles I have to read for my pharmacy class. Sounds like a riotously enthralling read, no? I'm actually supposed to be doing an assignment now, but instead chose to update myself on current celebrity events and clean my apartment.

Today was the most unusual day, which started out with waking up on the couch in my friend's apartment. I guess drinking several glasses of Riesling will do that to you. However, I love chill nights like that. Lars and the Real Girl? The most endearing film I've seen in awhile. It came out a while ago, and I've been wanting to watch it for months, but just never got around to it. Anyway, Ryan Gosling is adorable, and who doesn't love Patricia Clarkson? I really fell in love with her in The Station Agent, which I highly recommend.

TANGENT! Well, after making it to the end of Lars and the Real Girl, we tried to start another movie, which ended in me falling in a deep slumber. So deep in fact that my friends were poking me in the face and yelling at me to wake up. I have absolutely no recollection of that ever happening and proceeded to wake up six hours later wondering where I was. Good times. Well, after waking, my friend drove me back to my place, had a bowl of cereal, and prepared to go to a coffee shop to study when my roommate Nina started screaming. Someone took a tire iron and smashed her entire back window in. It was insane. We were in shock. We kind of live in the shadier side of Des Moines. No murders, but a lot of robberies and vandalism. I just go to school in Iowa. I'm actually from the Chicago area. The police informed us that ten cars in our same alley had been vandalized in the same manner: broken windows but nothing stolen. What the fuck? Why would anyone want to do that? What was his/her/their motive? It just seemed so reckless and idiotic. How can you avoid shit like that? I'm really proud of Nina though. She didn't completely break down and go apeshit. I think our neighbor's cat really helped that matter. Ha! She's a complete cat-aholic. Obsessed. And our neighbors know this, so after Nina got done talking to the police, our neighbor came out and just handed the kitty over to her and said, "I think you need this."

And that's how I segway into the next part of this unusal day. For a couple of months now, Nina and I have been talking about getting a cat for the apartment. We probably would have gotten one by now, but there are few major reasons why we do not. 1) We have a third roommate that's not really into the idea and 2) Our landlord technically does not allow pets. Technicalities. So, after this whole window fiasco, we indulged ourselves by going to an animal rescue shelter and FELL IN LOVE with this kitty named Pumpkin. The most friendly fucking kitty on the planet. Fo' real. I'm not the biggest cat person since I have friends at home with mean cats, but Pumpkin completely melted my heart. She licked my face! Sold.

We were at that shelter for a good hour and a half. But seriously, Pumpkin's a stray, and the shelter's policy is that they only keep strays for a week before they're...euthanized. WE HAVE TO GET HER! It's more than us wanting a cat; we'd be saving her life as well! Gosh, I'm still thinking about her :[

We left the shelter empty handed, but we're in the process of convinving our third roommate. Grrr. I've never had a cat or dog before, and it would be so amazing. I've had turtles and hamsters and fish, but those pets are different. They don't really show affection. I would just love to come home to Pumpkin nestling in my lap while I watch TV or chill out by my feet while I make food.

Oh yeah homework.

Creature Fear

Creature Fear by Bon Iver



This is such a beautiful rendition of Creature Fear. I really wanted to post his Blogotheque sessions, but I can't seem to get an embedded thing for them. Eh. It's okay. This is gorgeous just the same.

YEASAYER

Halloween Night. Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA. Yeasayer w/ Chairlift. Ira Wolf Tuton below going all "Arsenio" on your ass.











Chris Keating!! Totally made my night. Perfection.

Amish Heat Surge

It snowed today in the good ol' midwest. Just two days ago it was 70 degrees, and today there were flurries. I broke out the hobo puff trench today. I LOVE that coat. My mom bought it at a Nordstrom rack for like $50. It's tan colored and it's basically a long down trench.

Eek, and right now I'm watching Halloween for the first time. Fuck it's kind of creepy for an 80's movie. Why won't anyone fucking help Jamie Lee Curtis?? There's a fucking psycho killer on the loose and no one will help her? Wow, way more suspenseful than I expected.

Frankenstein Meets the SpaceMonster?? I'm excited for this! AMC channel on Friday nights is bomb. According to IMDB, it got a rating of 2.4/10. Excellent! But what can you expect at 4am. Ha! I'm just so amused with all the erectile dysfunction infomercials. Pos-T-Vac. Vacuum therapy for erectile dysfunction. Doesn't that sound...painful? Weird? Not likely to work old man so don't waste your money? There's like sixty year old guys with their hot GILF wives wearing silky floral robes. TOO funny.

Fuck. Michael Myers just got shot like seven times. It took a motherfucking long time for him to die. Jamie Lee Curtis tried so many times to kill him. Just fucking have that knife with you always! Damn and he's not on the floor anymore. Well, that's why there's like forty Halloween movies.