quick musical blurb...

Hey,

I'm supposed to be working so this is a quick musical entry... Just discovered these guys called The Dodos from San Francisco and i love them so I had to tell you about them now, hit "Fools" first, its great.... plus they're playing th E.P.... i'm beginning to look forward to it more and more... bring.it.on...

Chao

High seas, mind altering art and the causes of a sore bum!

I'm utterly exhausted today. Not the best way to start a long overdue entry in this blog but, say what you feel n all that and... yep, I'm exhausted. It's a tiredness born out of a hectic weekend of outdoor activity rather than excessive boozing which is a good thing really but nonetheless has left me pooped!

It was a big wkend for me this year as for the first time since it began back in the days of its Witnness moniker, I opted not to venture down to Punchestown to battle with the mud and portaloo hell to see what was really a cracking line up of music. I was a little sad, but Oxegen has become a very different place from where it began and its a sign I'm getting older as I avoid the drunken youngsters full of beans and unbounded enthusiasm. I vowed after last years debacle of mud and underage boozing that I would avoid it from now on. It wasn't easy though with a lineup to die for.

So, to keep my mind off it I took to the seas and went sailing for the first time in my life which was great crack, and not just easy sailing, it was a proper race. I hadn't a bog what I was doing but i really enjoyed pulling ropes, avoiding the boom as it swung back and forth and most of all hanging my legs over the side as the boat cruised through the water. Even the rain hitting us hard in the face at one point at a 90 degree angle was invigorating. I'll be back I think. The next day I took advantage of the good weather and climbed to the top of Glendalough with some friends. Memories flooded back to school trips, with bus journey's and packed lunches. A time when the innocence of youth protected us from the realms of the real world and life was a much simpler place to be. For a moment I longed for that time and the safety blanket we all felt wrapped in. Then I was brought back to the the Now as a 99 icecream as placed in my hand and life became a very good place to be!

In other news, a trip to IMMA last weekend proved very interesting as we stumbled across a solo show by a German-Brazilian artist called Janaina Tschäpe. It was a real thought provoker. The photo's initially look like stunning close ups of tropical flowers and plants and then you start to notice hands and feet and faces amongst the colours and textures. It turns out , this exhibition is structured around the genetics of this fabled beast called Chimera from ancient myth, to create a very specific atmosphere. The exhibition focuses on Tschäpe’s recent paintings that embody a sense of the extraordinary through bright and colourful botanical notations. The pictures create a wierd atmosphere of beauty and surrealism which all make for an uneasy feeling. They take you out of your comfort zone by confusing and delighting at the same time. Thoroughly recommded but prepared to feel a little unnerved afterwards.

In further news, I have discovered a new thing... the sciatic nerve. It turns out that it's this nasty bugger of a nerve that has been preventing me from running the last couple of weeks and is the reason why I've been walking like a 70 year old arthritic with a hip replacement. A trip to the physio confirmed this for me and after a some hard massage leaving me with a brusied bum I walked away wishing that I had opted for my car instead of my bike to get there! It's a funny thing though when your forced out of action due to an injury. All I want to do now is run, more than ever. I get jealous of other people running, i look longingly at other runners and wish I could be right there along side them. i-pod in ears! I tell you, never, ever take the things you do for granted because when you can't do them, it sucks. I'll never curse again when I'm getting up a 7am to hit a 10 mile run because, at the moment its all i want to do and I can't...

On the music side of life, I was proud to be the only person at a table quiz over the weekend to get the right answer to the question "Who played bass guitar in the beatles?"... of course it was Paul McCartney but no-one, not even my team members thought I was right... doubters!! I stuck to my guns and we grabbed that much needed extra point. As you can see, this has still effected me... I should probably get over it but surely the little victories should be held on to!

So what am i listening to? Well I'm sharing Nomar's love of the Fleet Foxes, their upbeat harmonies are a joy...

Richie Havens - he's a legend and his voice carries folky depth and a storytelling quality. This gem says it all (ignore the dodgy video). The more I discover of him the more I love him.

The Raconteurs - Their 2nd album was a dissapointment to me after loving the first but I rediscovered it recently and actually, I think I just didn't give it enough time... there are some brilliant tunes on it...this one included.

By for now...

Spreading myself a little thin...

OK, i've officially been terrible updating this blog in the last few days... this is due to work taking over my life, a few cheeky freelance projects taking over my evenings and finally, (and honestly) a touch of laziness.

I will be back soon to enthrall with tales of art, injury and musical fancies.

In the mean time enjoy this gem of comedy which never fails to have me on the floor....

Adieu

Healthy livin.... the way forward?

Sunday morning and the clarity of a new day hits me with a pleasant wave of warmth....It is the result of a refreshingly quiet and healthy weekend. I'm off to Imma in an hour to view an exhibition i've being dying to see but have repeatedly put off due to nasty hangover's plaguing my weekends. However this morning I awake feeling fresh and ready for some contemporary art viewing culture (reviews in next blog). It's a feeling I could get used to, the weekend feels like it has lasted forever(and still a full day left!) and yesterday's early morning run in the rain was rewarded with a burst of sunshine for a few hours to remind me that it was summer. I took advantage of my fresh early start and drove out to see my aging Grandmother (she's 92). She's an incredible woman, bright as a button and a wicked sense of humour. We sat in the sun and watched the Williams sisters battle out the Wimbeldon final as my nan remarked that despite their femenine(ish) look and length(shortness) of their skirts, they play like men. I love the way old people can be so pass-remarkable, often being quite rude and absolutely get away with it. It's like they've earned it having lived this long.

So with my pleasant peace of mind, I've been hit with some unusual weekend of rumblings from my past playing a little with my emotions. Firstly, I discovered today that a boy from my time in Australia has just got married. Its a wierd one, we only dated for a month until i moved on to newer lands but we parted on great terms and i some way I always feel like he's the "one who got away". I think everyone has one of those... someone who if timing had been different, then so would have been the story. Anyway, long story short, I got a funny pang of "oh...that's that then". I haven't spoken or really even thought about him in 3 years... but that little nugget of info still effected me. Funny.

Then about an hour after that, I was musing through my CD collection and stumbled across a mix tape(CD) that an ex had made me. (still the best present I've ever got). I stuck it on and was hit with a wave of memories. Really good ones... it made me start to think why it hadn't worked out. I think it was a case of knowing it was just never gonna work out, so i ended it...but its a hard one to realise something is wrong when you kinda want it so much to be right. Altho I guess when it is right, you know 'cause it feels amazing when all those pieces fall into place...like a jigsaw safety blanket.

Anyway, enough of love, this clarity of mind is making me way too honest.... I have been enjoying lots of music this weekend. Music to run to, music to lounge to, music to laugh to. Here's my pick of the bunch

Quiet Village - I've mentioned them before in my very first post, but Gilles Peterson had them in for a mix session this week and it's too good not to mention.... and if anything it'll turn you onto Peterson show which is fantastic late night listening.

Cool Kids - They bring together different eras and styles of hip hop into one refreshingly new package.... they're also brilliant.

Morphine - Old school and sadly no longer together but the melodies and this guys voice makes me wish the hell they were... this song sums them up for me...

SantoGold - Upbeat, talented articulate lady... sounds like the morph of M.I.A and Karen O...

Enjoy

I gotta write this earlier in the day....

It's a funny one, when you start writing a blog because it nearly becomes like a new responsibility in one's day to day life. I'm beginning to look at everything now, digest more details of things and examine them for blog worthiness. I want to make it interesting but I want to speak honestly too about the simple things in life like insecurity, emotion, happiness etc and all the elements which trigger those thoughts in one's day. In true FBI Girl style I've begun to jot things down in a pre-blog list gathering evidence for the daily splurge of words that becomes this blog.

So my list consisted of these random things in no particular order:
1. The new Irish Times Online Website:
I utterly love it in a total design geek way. I love its simplicity, its modern look, the small touches of usability like the little weather widget at the top of the page. I also love that all the content is now free for all but then secretly kinda wish it wasn't as I can no longer use my "borrowed" username and password which allowed me to access the old site for free in a mini rebellious way.

2. Metal: A bluffers guide:
Spotted in point 1. Exactly what is says and funny to boot.

3. City Lounge
Outdoor space artwork of epic proportions which makes you want to lie down and take a little break from the hustle and bustle of city life in a mass of red carpet. Original and vast and frankly just quite cool

I could go on with this list but I'm gonna stop because at the very end of the day when lists were done and blog was ready to be written, I flicked on the Tv for 2 mins. However, there I remained for the next 1hr 40min, engrossed. I kept meaning to go to bed but I was gripped by one of the most touching and original films which I have ever seen. All the other list items paled into insignificance and now this is what I write about. I think its the first Danish speaking movie I've ever watched (thank god for the subtitles) but to be honest it was one of the films that you nearly don't need to hear the words the because the acting is so outstanding. Simple camera angles alone created tension or emotion and the film was just a rich mixture of satisfaction and heartbreak. The movie is called After The Wedding. And altho I have only found this movie tonight I definitely won't forget it.

As a result I can now no longer keep my eyes open to finish this entry.... so i'll quickly mention:

No Age They say ..."don't let it hit you on the way out".... i agree, but in a very good way!

The new Sigur Ros Album ..... heavenly, feels like goodness with added goodness

I could probably go on and on but I will simply say good luck to Nomar and his quest, who knows, maybe you'll find the answer in foreign lands. Enjoy.

Night now.