What I want to be when I grow up

Post-graduation life looms large these days, and I've been feeling awfully pressured to get on the ball considering I have no concept whatsoever of what I want to do with myself. I've vaguely decided to go East for a while, be it for Teach for America, grad school, culinary school or general bumming. Those are the four main tracks right now. Did I mention that I don't have a damn clue about what I want to do with myself? Not one. My mom suggested film school to my great surprise. My dad thinks I should stick to grad school. My brother grunted or something. I'm pulling in as much advice as I can because I just don't know what I want.

Unrelated, but kick-ass: I made a little whirlwind tour of the mid-west last long weekend. Flew into Detroit and hung out in 9 Mile with my buddy Dar, hit up the grandparents in Wheaton (outside of Chicago) and spent two wild nights in the Windy City with the Vienna crew. Needless to say, the show this four in the morning was a bit lackluster in the banter department.

boy least likely to - i'm glad i hitched my apple wagon to your star
boat - march in the streets
cadallaca - out west

ratatat - loud pipes
the unicorns - 2014
hot chip - the warning

kinski - the wives of artie shaw
pegasissy - penis breath
the rentals - waiting
james kochalka - cocaine

tom waits - alice
lali puna - faking the books
house of pain - top o' the morning

the silver jews - tennesse
rilo kiley - it's a hit
oh no! on my! - jane is fat
the french kicks - cloche

dinah washington - mad about the boy
ray charles - blue before sunrise
charlie hunter trio - think of one (t. monk)
golden arm trio - more sad people

m. ward - eyes on the prixe
iron and wine - evening on the ground
kaki king - second brain
the dandy warhols - we used to be friends

the smiths - pretty girls make graves
the fiery furnaces - tropical-iceland
caribou - cherrybomb
the killers - when you were young (radio version)

Everyone needs to wish Kyle a Happy 21st Birthday.

S-K, set list, procrastination

After the Thermals opened legit, some dude shambled onto the Crystal Ballroom stage. The audience went nuts, but they did that for roadies tinkering with floor toms. This guy was Eddie Vedder, however, and the crowd went nuts-er when he got his hair out of his face and gave a little wave. His song, essentially a Phil Ochs update about the Bush/Cheney cabal, was too overtly political for me to enjoy (songs like that just make me mad about the world's state of affairs, even Victor Jara -- and I don't speak Spanish.) But he and Janet Weiss rocked a duet of Tonight, You're Mine. [Actually, I'm not sure if that's the correct title. L? corrections?] The ladies were, of course, the highlight, with high kick, high notes, high times...anything high, really. Except me, since my carmates and I got rear-ended by a bus on the way to the show. We rocked through our whiplash. And yes, Sam, I did shed a tear at the end when they group-hugged and walked off stage after the second encore arm in arm in arm. I hate to bust out the superlative, but it may have been the best show I've ever seen.

I was tempted to play a little Sleater-Kinney goodbye tribute on my show, but I figured that I would probably start to ramble about the concert. Which is tedious. So here's how it panned out. Sam, I stole The No Show. I was under pressure and Erica's Power Hour sounded like a butt rock show.

the clash - wrong 'em boyo
bettie serveert - kid's alright
MIA - bucky done gun
mirah w/marisa anderson - nola

the blow - jet ski accidents
peaches - boys wanna be her
DFA 1979 - going steady
pretty girls make graves - by the throat

caribou - crayon
mogwai w/boom bip - hunted by a freak remix
sufjan stevens - chicago (multiple personality disorder version)
the mountain goats - stars fell on alabama
johnny cash - love's been good to me

the new pornographers - graceland
dressy bessy - side 2
jenny wilson - let my shoes lead me forward
CSS - let's make love and listen to death from above

the editors - french disko
wire - marooned
ann sexton - you've been gone too long

sergio mendes w/india.arie - timeless
the books - ghost train digest
talkdemonic - twenty cent revolt
four tet - pockets

kickball - tides or swells
yo la tengo - tom courtnenay
david bowie - kooks
roxy music - triptych

viva voce - mixtape = love
morcheeba - otherwise
tara jane o'neil - bluelight room

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a paper to finish.

Prodigal again

Epic burgers:

Take a pound or so of ground beef (7% fat is the cheapest at Market of Choice, but everyone knows the fattier the better) and moosh it up with AT LEAST three cloves of garlic (chopped or pressed), half of a medium onion, a goodly splash of a relatively sweet barbeque sauce, and major amounts of crumbled blue cheese. Moosh thoroughly, create THICK patties, set aside. Fry up some bacon. Remove from heat, throw patties onto the grease. Cook one side for about three or four minutes, then flip and cover. Cook and prod and check until finished, adding onion rings to the pan at the appropriate interval. Top with: arugula or mixed greens, tomato, aforementioned onions, barbeque sauce, sweet-n-hot mustard, Saffola, bacon, more cheese and a fried egg if you really want to remove years from your life. Serve with a salad. Or nothing at all. It's a monster burger.

A good day:

Talking and laughing with new and old friends, homemade spoonin' smoothies, painless familial phonecalls, time to plan out my next radio show, a sunny and mild day, an actual desire to work my brain, finally taking some photos, my favorite beer in the fridge, SEEING SLEATER-KINNEY TOMORROW FOR THEIR FAREWELL CONCERT, a trip to Chicago in the works, and a break from anxiety for the moment.

Apparently the Alaska pipeline is in shambles and London called to say CODE RED! I'm a little behind on current events these days. Ah well. Set lists from radio shows to come. You can stream me live at http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~kwva/ from 4-6am on tuesdays. That's late monday night or early tuesday morning. East coasters? that's only 7-9am...TUNE THE HELL IN.