I just discovered a great new artist, Eric Bibb. His style is a right-on mix of folk, blues, and gospel, without being boring, too roots-y, or too preachy. I came across his website by way of StumbleUpon, which is another newfound joy that may just deserve its own post later. So the first song I heard, which came up instantly on the website, was “New Beale Street Blues.” It was such a great introduction. It reminded me a little of New Orleans (even though I think it’s about Chicago…. or maybe Memphis).

Besides having a great style, his songs and the album I downloaded (and frankly, the only one I have listened to) are very smooth. Not in a lame “smooth jazz” kind of way, but in a way that flows extremely well. He has a beautiful voice and his guitar work compliments it perfectly.

iTunes categorizes Bibb as Blues, which I would say is correct. I was a little worried that he would be pegged as gospel or Christian, and I don’t think his style exemplifies that slant all the time. Even if this isn’t the sort of thing you’d normally check out, I would look him up on eMusic or just at his website.

I have downloaded “Get Onboard” and “Natural Light,” along with only 9 tracks of “A Ship Called Love,” because I ran out of credits at eMusic (and already bought a booster pack today for the first album. sigh), and I highly recommend all of them so far. I will say that “A Ship Called Love” seems to have a little weird drumwork… a sort of monotonous, Stevie-Wonder-esque new age-y-ness. But other than that, I am very much enjoying it all. Plus, all the song titles are great, and in my book that goes a long way.

You know those bad surprises? The ones you discover and then feel like you got punched in the stomach, maybe multiple times?

Yeah. Just experienced one of those–in conjunction with about 3 solid doses of irony.

I’m not going to mince words–I feel like shit. Haven’t started crying yet, but maybe that’s an even worse sign.

(In other news, I just typoed and wrote “song” instead of “sign.” So let’s move on to that.)

Sometimes I forget I’m talking to people. Like, I finish talking to them and then realize that I wasn’t really talking to them like they’re real people; I’m talking to them like I’m in a video game and the sentence I have to say to them is my challenge. I feel like I cheat them out of my real thoughts, but I don’t know if they can tell.

I don’t remember which school of thought states that maybe there aren’t actually multiple people in the world–maybe there’s just me, and God (or some external force) puts other people and situations on earth just to test me and teach me. It’s an interesting-if a little narcissistic-idea.

It also helps me think of things more linearly … as in, it helps me be more diplomatic in my approach to people. I don’t worry so much about figuring out how to please each person individually, because they exist as a learning experience for me.

But then, one has to wonder, what if they think the same thing? What if I’m simply a learning experience for them? Clearly, then, life is not this existential illusion. But that, too, is a learning experience.

Have you ever seen someone looking around, arranged your face into a pleasant half-smile (just in case they look at you, you want to look friendly) and looked away, then looked back at them and they’re smiling because they saw your smile and it was contagious? It’s a really good feeling :) And it takes almost no energy at all–just a little presence of mind. Try it!

By the way, I have very little patience with myself when I hold off on blogging for the “right time” or until I have a good idea, or until I can elaborate on a thought. So I think I’m just going to treat it like it’s a Twitter account with a more lengthy character limit and write thoughts as they come up. Especially because most of the time I’m sitting in the most boring and annoying class in the world. Leave me comments!

“EMI and Apple Corps have announced they will be releasing a limited edition apple-shaped USB drive containing all 14 of the remastered Beatles albums as well as artwork, documentaries and other extras.

On 7 December, 30,000 of the drives will go on sale for £200 each.”

http://digg.com/d3196aj

If you go to wizard rock festivals, you never know when shallow wizard rock may turn into something genuinely inspired. If you don’t go, you don’t even know if it’s possible. For that reason, I wish I was going to this weekend festival in Potosi, Missouri. I’d love to be there to support the Harry Potter nerdiness.

www.wrockstock.com

I don’t belieeeeeeve you.

Can you state it from a throne?

Would you take it into battle?

Would it make it on its own?

I don’t believe you.

I think this is the first original poem I’ve posted. I don’t really like writing poetry, and there’s very little poetry I actually appreciate (sorry, everyone)… so don’t go easy on it!

::::::::::::::

thread in, thread through.

needle in, heart through.

eyes open, staring round,

mind rough, full of sound.

soul search, listen up.

spoken word, shooting up.

say enough, sing away.

lead it on, catch a ray.

lips moving, ears racing.

final count, thoughts abating.

If you’re at Evergreen:

and a teacher says “fair effort,” something is wrong.

and a teacher says, “you’ll want to know this, if for no other reason than that it will be on the test.”

and a teacher says, “you can’t do that project; that’s not what we’re studying in this class” or “that’s not what we’re interested in.”

and you don’t feel creative

or you feel restricted

or you’re not sure where you’re going

or you don’t feel like you can talk to your faculty…

I say, GET OUT NOW. Problem is, that would be hypocritical, because I’m stuck in that situation and CAN’T get out. At least, not without dropping 12 credits, which is extremely problematic.

1) Wrap up my old freelance writing job that has been hanging over my head. I can’t keep up with it, don’t want to, and it’s just making me feel guilty all the time.

2) Buy some food with which I can efficiently make meals and have leftovers for lunch the next day.

3) Start reading some stuff for fun.

4) Write reviews on here about what I’ve read.

5) Review music, like I’ve always said I would do.

6) GET OVER BEING HOMESICK ALL THE TIME.

7) Write write write. For fun. Submit an article to the newspaper (it shouldn’t be too hard. I mean, we ARE the newspaper.)

8) Make an appointment with my teacher to talk about her class, which I have recently come to despise.

9) Catch up on French. Pouvez-vous practiquer le francais avec moi?

10) Sleep.

11) Clean room.

12) Watch movies that enlighten and inform.

13) Light more candles.

14) Figure out what I want. What do I want? I know what I don’t want. Isn’t that helpful enough?

15) Call my poor grandmother who worries about me all the time.

16) Love love love.