I bought this album during the summer of my Freshman year of college. The guy at the record store had a very positive guarantee that I was gonna love it. (Oh sure, I’d heard bits and pieces of it, but yeh, I’m sure I’ll love it.) It was life changing. You know, just totally life changing, no big.
There’s a very small window of time when I was independent and not with Andrew; my Freshman year of college and the first half of my Sophomore year. That’s it; since then I have been part of a unit. We now experience music as a couple, which sort of feels different than experiencing music for the first time by yourself. I don’t know, maybe I’m making that up. But, this was one of the last albums I fell in love with as a singular person. We have very different tastes — I grew up listening to Wire, something that not a lot of people do, apparently. So now, as an adult, I know there is music I can play in the house, and there is music I cannot play in the house.
Anyway, back to Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is a goddamn perfect record. The last time I heard of Jeff Mangum touring was in 2001. And now, he’s set to play Chicago in February, 2012. I’m bracing myself. I’m bracing myself for not getting tickets (Pavement). For going and it being ok (Silver Jews). For not expecting much and it being fantastic (Ratatat). For expecting everything and still being awed (Radiohead). But really, I’m bracing myself for this song. It is my favorite song.
UPDATE:
Andrew was perched at his computer at work with a five second auto-refresh and he said the tickets never went up for sale. It didn’t load until 12:05 and then by then it was sold out. Two hours later, I called and asked if going to Milwaukee was possible. Pabst Theater, row T. My 11/11/11 11:11 wish was Jeff Mangum tickets.
I love terrysdiary!
And I’ve loved Terry Richardson photography since I was 17.
Marc Jacobs at Kate and Jaimie’s wedding.
It finally happened.
On Friday evening, I met with friends to see the Wizard of Oz with special guests John Waters and Robert Elder. Elder wrote a book of interviews entitled, The Film that Changed My Life, and for Waters, that movie was the Wizard of Oz. Waters spoke about the film for about fifteen minutes, and after the film they did a little Q & A. And, then, I met him. I told him that my father grew up in Baltimore and we started watching his movies when I was 15.
And while he has a very famous public persona, do not be fooled; he is a total class act.
wooders
Saturday, I will be seeing John Waters at the Music Box Theater when he presents The Wizard of Oz. In the meantime, my father pointed me to this Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross. These are perhaps, my two favorite voices talking to each other.
As a sidenote. I’m from Jersey— I say wooder (*water). It is a wu sound, not a waaah sound. I do not say “waahter.” So it occurred to me, what if I am saying his name wrong. So I started practicing “Mr. Waahters” “Mr. Waahters” HOWEVER, I will have you know, Terry Gross says John Wooders.
fuck yes, philadelphia.
*I can’t figure out how to attach the audio file, so this is the URL: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127238420
I bought tickets off Twitter for a solo Ted Leo show at Schuba’s and I just found some videos taken by my companion for the evening.
Before we moved to Chicago, I wasn’t really into Mexican food. My parents weren’t terribly into Mexican food, and although shameful, the only Mexican food I was used to was Taco Bell. You know how people say authentic Chinese food is nothing like “American” Chinese food, and how this is kind of the case for most American fast food places — nowhere is there a more egregious example than authentic Mexican food versus Taco Bell. Then, we moved to Chicago, and I started following, reading, watching, obsessing about Rick Bayless.
Saturday night, Andrew made Chile Rellenos from a Bayless recipe.
Truthfully, I am reblogging this solely for the picture. I’ve written about Role Models and my undying love for John Waters previously. Reading Role Models on the train, was quite possibly one of the best weeks of my life. I loved every second — challenging myself to finish chapters before my stop on the train; hushing my hysterical laughter; trying to think of other things to say in a conversation, when all I really wanted to do was go back and read and talk, talk, talk about John Waters. He is my serious Role Model.
And what timing, Andrew just sent this link to me: http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/dschneiderman/2011/03/john-waters/ Why, it’s an interview with John Waters!
Role Models by John Waters has had me in a fit all week. His most recent book discusses his personal heroes, and what could be more heartwarming than hearing one of your favorites discuss their influences with such reverence and love? I recommend it.
I’ve been reading Bill Cunningham’s column for the New York Times since I was 16. Faithfully. Every Sunday. I love the sound of his voice. It is one where I am convinced if I am ever in earshot, I would recognize.
And now there’s a movie.
This is a blog of Jenny and Andrew's adventures in the city. We live in Albany Park, Chicago, Illinois, and have decided to plot out and document our adventures. This blog was started Memorial Day, 2010 as a way to document our summer goals.
