ə-mō'chē

OMG. OMG. OMG.

Nate Ruess (of The Format), Jack Antonoff (of Steel Train), and Andrew Dost (new to me, but amazing as far as I can tell) will be releasing a record later this year, under the name "fun."

Oh man, I could wet myself with excitement!!

MYSPACE HERE.

- Jordan

I went to the Nada Surf downtown at the Gallivan Plaza on Thursday. It was absolutely amazing. Also, shows are always better if you're in the front. Tim Fite also played, and I took some photos which will be forthcoming.

This also reminds me that I'm planning on overhauling my website again and dedicating it to my photography. I'm pretty excited for that. Here's hoping I can knock that out in the next two weeks before school starts.

Oh, and I'm tired.

- Jordan

So I just discovered that I may be able to graduate a semester earlier than I'd previously realized. This is fitting in swimmingly with my pseudo-plan to not work over the coming fall and spring semesters.

Assuming all of the classes I need are offered within the next three semesters, I could feasibly finish by next Christmas. That's pretty exciting, but at the same time, now that graduation is coming into sight, I'm beginning to really wonder, "What will I do when I graduate?"

Hopefully internship will narrow my vague ambitions.

- Jordan

My first stitch fell out today. It happened when I accidentally punched the back of my jaw with my toothbrush. In any event, its time had come.

I caught the stitch before it could wash down the drain and decided to preserve it for future generations, so they could know the tooth-extracting experience that I have known--

As well as use my DNA to clone the perfect specimen.

This lortab has made me incredibly tired. So tired.

On a different note, I find I have few regrets in my life, because my biggest mistakes are the experiences from which I learn the most.

- Jordan

A seven page article about trolling. Awesome. There's something I find endlessly fascinating about turning culture into a science.

Times Magazine article, featuring 4chan, Encyclopedia Dramatica, Fortuny, Weev, etc.

Also, I got all four of my wisdom teeth out today. Lortab, ibuprofen and penicillin should manage it (assuming I remember when to take them). Incidentally, the pills have also done wonders for my back which has been giving me considerable grief for the last several days. Winner winner chicken dinner.

Today marked the first occasion that I have ever been put under general anesthesia. It was an interesting experience. When the mask was first placed over my face, I began to feel a little light-headed, as though I was breathing too much oxygen. Following the placement of the IV, I became aware of additional effects. I began to feel heavy in my extremities and warm in my stomach. Then I began to feel my vision was becoming hazier even than would be usual for having no glasses on my face. It seemed almost to be tunneling, and the sounds of the adjacent room and then my own room became increasingly distant. I didn't dream at all when I was under. When I woke up, it felt as though no time had passed at all. Truly, it took me a moment to get my bearings upon the fact that I was now four teeth shorter of a full mouth. Most acutely, I remember my mouth and throat feeling very dry and tasting vaguely of vomit.

My face has been puffy and numb all day, but it's almost completely subsided now. Not so bad, thus far. Hopefully we'll keep the swelling under control. We shall see.

I'm hoping to pick up oil painting soon. And by soon, I mean tomorrow. I have the supplies! And now, for the inspiration.

- Jordan

I can feel the weight of uncertainty bearing down on me. I just want to shake it off.

'Cause If she wants to rock she rocks
If she wants to roll she rolls
She can roll with the punches
Long as she feels like she’s in control

P.S. I filled up my 80 gig hard drive. I'm irritated by the predicament of trying to figure out what to move onto this 250 gig external hard drive (which cost me $100).

I'm falling asleep.

No es bueno, mi amigos.

I've been getting about four hours of sleep each night, the last few days. Tonight probably won't be an improvement, either, as Taylor's and my flight is around 6:30 tomorrow morning.

About the music, though... I've recently been tending toward more folk music. Simon & Garfunkel, of course, but so many others! Peter, Paul & Mary; John Denver; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; The Mamas & The Papas and others. It's a little piecemeal. Most of it, I am really loving and just diving right into. Every once in a while, it seems to become redundant. (I'm looking at you, Creedence Clearwater Revival.) Here is some sweet music-lovin' on you.

- Jordan

Hey, everyone! I'm having a great summer. I'm keeping all sorts of busy. :)

I've been getting back into my drawing. I've also been working on my tan. I've found these two activities go surprisingly well together! I love summer.

I've also been seeing lots of movies. I think my recent favorite has got to be Kung Fu Panda, but Iron Man was also freaking amazing. I also thoroughly enjoyed Hancock and The Incredible Hulk. Baby Mama and Made of Honor were a good time. I'm sure I've seen others, but I forget.

Aside from seeing a million movies, I've also been working a lot and listening to nonstop rockin' music. My recent musical obsessions include Nada Surf, Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, Simon & Garfunkel and Steel Train. All of them are absolutely stunning!

Nada Surf is somewhat similar to Death Cab for Cutie's bigger sound. They are at least as talented and absolutely amazing. If you're going to go album style, I recommend starting with The Weight Is A Gift. And if you fall in love with them, they're coming to the Gallivan Plaza on August 7th. ;)

I've been all over the concert scene this summer. On Monday, I went to see Steel Train, which was epic, as anticipated. This was the second time I've seen them live. They're the most high-energy band I've ever seen. Their shows are a lot of fun. They recently came out with a music video for their song, "I Feel Weird."

Unfortunately, I'm missing the Andrew Bird show while I'm gone, but I'll be back just in time to catch Fleet Foxes. (I've requested the day off!) On a scale of 1-10, I am FREAKING excited.

Also, I just got a substantial raise. Yeah, baby!

Which would make this an ideal time to take two weeks of paid vacation (starting Monday). Oh, oh, yeah.

Life is good.

- Jordan

P.S. Happy Fourth of July!

I'm on the outside of love
Always under or above
Must be a different view
To be a me with a you

I wanna know what it's like
On the inside of love
I'm standing at the gates
I see the beauty above

Would someone please go see Josh Ritter and Andrew Bird on July 17th? Because I can't.

They're playing at the Gallivan Plaza. It's free. And I'll be gone.

I think I mentioned this a month or two ago... but I'm still upset about it.

- Jordan

I guess I haven't been on here in a while.

It doesn't seem like I've been up to too much. I've been working mainly, it seems. We're short-staffed again, so I'll probably be working additional hours for the next couple of months.

I hang out with Sam, Zach and Mike sometimes. Other times, I watch House to the point of obsession. It's ohkay though. Thus far, I've still found time for sleep and food.

A tragic realization occurred to me a while back. I've lost my propensity for small talk. Really, I've lost my inclination to confide every trivial going-on of my life in another person. It's not that I mind, but I just don't keep track of these things well enough to relay them to others on command. So I find my conversation consistently gravitating back to empty discussions of politics.

Also. I've recently fallen in love with Simon & Garfunkel.

Jordan

"Most recently Clinton compared the plight of Florida and Michigan voters to the struggles of the early suffragists and likened the primaries of those states to the fraudulent election that took place in Zimbabwe."

Zimbabwe, Hillary? Are you serious?

Source.

Last week was one of the longest weeks in my recollection. I didn't even realize when Friday came.

Xander Jordan, Taylor's close friend, and Max's younger brother, died unexpectedly in a car accident on Thursday. The shockwaves of that are still being felt by everyone who knew him. Here is his online obituary and guestbook. He was definitely one of my favorite people ever. I'm really going to miss seeing him around.

- Jordan

I finally bought Death Cab's new album, yesterday, upon my first day back from New York. I've listened through it completely a couple of times, already, and I must say it's absolutely amazing.

It's definitely darker than Plans. It also has less of a pop feel.

The album flows really well, and "You Can Do Better Than Me" and "Grapevine Fires" particularly resonate with me.

I generally love the entire album. Thx DCFC.

- Jordan

I flew into New York on the Delta red-eye flight from Salt Lake, last night. I left Salt Lake at 12:30 a.m. Mountain Time and arrived at 7:10 Eastern Time.

Being in the sky at night brought new meaning to the phrase "impenetrable darkness."

I saw the ocean for the first time as the plane was landing. Unless it was the bay or some other crap like that. But the point is--it was breathtaking. It was incredibly foggy as we were landing, so you couldn't see for very far. It was a little eerie.

This morning, we rode the metro from the airport in Queens back to Manhattan. New York has such an energy!

Lisa and I ate breakfast at one of the NYU dining halls, which was pretty tasty. The lady who swiped the cards told everyone who came through, "You're so seeexy!!" and other similarly fantastic things. Haha, awesome. Lisa also tells me we passed one of the Olsen twins while we were there. I didn't notice.

It's so nice to see Lisa again! We, along with her roommate Helen and other friends, will terrorize the city (and New Jersey) for the next week before we both fly back this Sunday.

We haven't done any sight seeing yet, but I've already seen a lot. It's all rather exciting.

- Jordan

Today, Nine Inch Nails made their new album, The Slip, available for free, high-quality download on their website.

This is taking what Radiohead did upon the release of their album, In Rainbows, in October of last year, three steps further.

When Radiohead released their album online, they allowed consumers to name their own price, whether that was $0 or $100. However, the download was sub-par quality and was then followed by a fancy box-set. This was an excellent first step in the right direction, but clearly not the best deal for the person who actually offered a good price for the download.

In this case, instead of allowing people to choose their own price, NIN is offering their album completely free. They are also offering people the option of downloading it in four different file formats: high-quality mp3, lossless CD quality m4a or flac, and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 wave. Additionally, they are offering the full CD artwork insert in PDF format along with the music.

Perhaps what I find most... amusing, in a way, is the fact that aside from the mp3s, which are available in a zipped download, the others are available through none other than (you guessed it) torrents! For those of of you who may be less torrent savvy, the reason this is so impressive is because the RIAA hates torrents. By distributing their own album via torrent, NIN singlehandedly shoots down the (not entirely unfounded) misconception that torrents are used only for illegally distributing copyrighted material.

If you're interested in downloading The Slip, you can find it here. The word is, it will be available in stores sometime around July.

As for the music? I've never been a huge NIN fan, and I think the album may be too "experimental" for me, but I'm giving it a chance, just because I'm so impressed by Trent Reznor. He can be my hero of the week.

- Jordan

By the way, are you guys just so SICK of hearing about my musical musings? I only now realized that my last five posts have been about music.

Then again, I suppose before that, it was mainly politics.

Sorry about that.

But hey, in more substantial news, I recently saw 21. It was a pretty good movie. I also watched Good Night, and Good Luck (from 2005), which was also marvelous. I love historical films, and this one was excellently factual and very well done. Tomorrow I'm going to go see Made of Honor, which I am insanely excited to go see. The trailer looked sweet! Aaand... then I'm going to see Iron Man on Saturday morning. I don't know of another time in my life that I've watched so many movies. Then again, perhaps that's what happens when your associates are majors in film.

Tomorrow, I am embarking on an epic (stylin') laser-tagging adventure. It's actually a group date, haha. Interestingly, I'm going with Mike (Sam's brother, if anyone recalls). Furthermore, Mike's ex-girlfriend will be in attendance with a date of her own. What's more, my former boyfriend (and now friend), Zach, will also be attending, with his own date.

It sounds more complicated than it will actually be. :) But it could still make an entertaining sitcom premise. When I suspected my role as a pawn, Mike denied this, but said it wouldn't hurt if I was "smokin'," to which Zach responded that he would prefer I not look better than his own date.

Lolarious. :D

I should go to bed. In any event, I hope you can now enjoy this as much as I am. :)

- Jordan