we don't exist

One of the things that's weird about writing on here, and then doing my show, is that I connect with people I don't know. I attempt to maintain a semblance of anonymity, but I have had people put two and two together and figure out it was me.

There are some that I've interacted with occasionally in real life who I know read what I write on here, but have no clue that we're one and the same. One of my listeners called up this morning and I realized I knew who he was but he wouldn't know who I was even though we've met before.

It reminded me of how different my life is at 25 rather than 21. I can't remember the last time I've been to a vegan potluck or watched someone's band play in a living room. I'm no longer a college kid going to shows three nights a week and showing up to work in old jeans and a Clash t-shirt.

Despite any countercultural attitude I once had, I now have a real job where I have to look respectable and an existence that is always surprising but not in a way that is easily explainable. I didn't put enough effort into my appearance to be part of any scene, but now I've almost completely dropped out of that whole thing. And to be honest, I don't miss it much at all.

It's funny because people will get these ideas about you being this totally cool person with this great show or a neat blog, but if you didn't know me, you'd never know it was me.

oh yeah, and these guys are coming through Cleveland in June for the first time in forever. This 90's girl is going to be there for sure.

playlist 3/17/09

Despite being 1/4th Irish, I didn't play anything remotely Celtic this morning. St. Patrick is awesome and all, but the holiday itself doesn't do anything for me, as I'm not a fan of corned beef and am not much of a drinker. Not looking forward to driving home from downtown today.

folk implosion - my ritual
daara j - babylone
diplo - big lost
rokia traore - kounandi
pinback - hurley
georgia ann muldrow - patience
the nazarenes - song of righteous life
diplo - summer's gonna hurt you / into the sun
burial - etched headplate
pigeonhed - marry me
extra golden - brothers gone away
tinariwen - toumast
amadou & mariam - fete au village
flying lotus - unexpected delight
african head charge - headed to glory
emmanuel jal - elengwen
oumou sangare - djorolen
lauryn hill - when it hurts so bad
meshell ndgeocello - akeldama
gnarls barkley - who's gonna save my soul
martina topley-bird - soul food
blockhead - road rage breakdown
john frusciante - with no one

keeping it interesting

Spent my sick days trying to get over a sore throat and aching ears, drinking tea, ingesting several antibiotics and generic ibuprofen, re-reading Zadie Smith for the umpteenth time, chilling with the roommate's cat who probably was hanging out with me because I had the space heater next to me, not because I'm so awesome.

Also, if anyone finds out how to put that chemical that makes chicken soup so darn good when you're ailing, they'll be crazy rich and set for life. Stuff works wonders.

Through our conversations in the car where we practice their English, I learned that my kids love reggae music, Nollywood (Nigerian) cinema, Bob Marley, Biggie, and the word motherf-er (try explaining to a 9-year-old that you're not supposed to use that word to address law enforcement). For some reason, rides in the Sexy Saturn are also thrilling.

I dropped them off at their apartment and their parents ended up having me in for dinner, which was orange pop with African chicken and rice. One of the kids' friends brought over some VHS tapes full of music videos from the homeland. The kids have already introduced me to the Tanzanian gospel of Rose Muhando, but this time I had one of their older brothers translating lyrics by the likes of Big Fairouz and Lolilo. Chilled out with the family and felt honored to be a part of their life.




This is one of the kids' favorites.

everybody loves us and it gives me the creeps

It's hard to find a fill-in for my time slot so I did it with the aid of a bag of cough drops and as little talking as possible.

Our webstream was down but I did get a couple calls, one from a regular, and another from a drunk guy who said he was from Seattle but was stuck in Cleveland and said my show was "pretty good." He told me that this is a great compliment coming from someone on the West Coast and I thought about playing Mudhoney's "Overblown" from the Singles soundtrack but he sounded like a mess and that seemed like it'd be almost cruel. I'd feel bad for anyone down and out who's stuck here and wants to be home.

playlist for 3.10.09

funkadelic - i'll stay
mighty underdogs - escape
boubacar traore - baba drame
emmanuel jal - gua
daara j - boomerang
U2- please
rokia traore - dounia
juana molina - rio seco/misterio uruguayo (request)
volga - verejushki
common - everywhere
MIS - drume negrita
ollabelle - john the revelator
jane's addiction - classic girl
duke spirit - the step and the walk
tinariwen - chem achel
kadda cherif hadria - djezair
nahawa doubia - minia
amadou & mariam - senegal fast food
the funkees - acid rock
morcheeba - the sea
erykah badu - didn'cha know
cut chemist - the garden
massive attack - unfinished sympathy

the first warm night of the year

I worked late last night.

Drove home and took the long way home down Detroit. I love nights when it's warm enough to roll down the windows and let the music play. Then I started seeing TV cameras and police cars and people outside and I knew that something had happened. A mother and four kids are dead. How can people do this to each other?

I was supposed to go over to a friend's to hang out who lives around the corner over there but it just seemed to crazy to be out and so I spent the night in solitude, sat on my balcony for the first time all year and prayed for my city.

It needs all the help it can get.

dazed

I learned a lot about teaching English this weekend, which left me simultaneously encouraged and somewhat overwhelmed. First time I've really been out "far east" and for me Kirtland has that creepy small town vibe which probably isn't fair, but the sheer saturation of Mormon everything and the weird looks I got in the gas station probably added to my gut feeling.

Got to see my good people this weekend, hanging out, drinking espresso, laughing so much that the candle at the table kept burning out, and dancing til 2am.

Promptly got the flu bug that's been going around Saturday night, and spent the next two days sleeping and drinking orange juice and croaking at anyone who ended up calling me.

I was also served the best cup of coffee ever by a guy who calls himself Picasso. That was awesome.

playlist 2/3/09

radiohead - climbing up the walls
saul williams - pg
autolux - turnstile blues
tribe called quest - we've got the jazz
meshell ndegeocello - water
curtis mayfield - give me your love
fiona baptiste - calypso blues
sharon jones - just dropped in (to see what condition my condition was in)
the pharcyde - Y?
the roots - break you off
dan dyer - lover's chain
pigeonhed - full sentence
twilight singers - papillon
morphine - buena (request)
luna - sweet child o' mine
morphine - cure for pain (request)
throwing muses - limbo
devotchka - along the way
mark lanegan - don't forget me / resurrection song
mono mono - kenimania
ofege - adieu
the constantines - hotline operator
john frusciante - water
fugazi - close captioned
the dirtbombs - i'll wait