David Correll Studio, Brooklyn, NY

Last time I checked, we all die.

When I was a teenager, I remember people talking about how teenagers thought they were going to live forever. As I have grown up, I have come to understand both that and my own mortality more and more. Friends and relatives have died, my patch of gray hair is now more than just a patch, and small cuts and bruises don’t heal as well anymore.

We are all given a certain number of days on this earth: statistically, as an American living in 2008, around 28307 — 77.5 years. Certainly, we’re all different, and of course there are things we can do to shorten or extend that. Smoking for 15 years didn’t help, but quitting almost 8 months ago did, for one example. (more…)

On November 12, the first day the OLPC was available to the public via the “Give One Get One” campaign, I woke up and went straight to the website to order mine. I filled out the form, they charged my account immediately (I paid via PayPal), and I started looking forward to receiving my laptop. I couldn’t wait.

After receiving a thank-you email on Nov. 15, on Nov. 28, I received an email saying that I would receive my laptop between December 14 and December 24, pointing out that “Our ‘first day’ donors are our highest priority and we are making every effort to deliver your XO laptop(s) as soon as possible.”

No problem. Sure, I was hoping to get it sooner than that, but if they got a little behind due to overwhelming response, that’s a good thing, right? Sure. I can wait until the end of December.

The week before Christmas came, and I still hadn’t seen my OLPC. On December 22 (two days before the final date they gave me on Nov. 28), I received an email apologizing that I would not receive my laptop by Dec. 24. They gave me a link to print out a certificate if the laptop had been intended as a Christmas gift, and told me that it would be delivered “before January 15.” Before January 15. Cool. (more…)

Holy crap, I’m back! Yeah, sorry for the time off. I needed a break — this was starting to feel too much like work for a while, and that’s the last thing I want. I may not keep it up monthly, and I may mess with the format here and there, but I’m gonna try to at least keep something up.

There’s been so much great music between then and now. My friend, Clint Fisher and I got on a long kick uncovering gem after gem from the psychedelic movement in the 60’s; I spent a long time exploring British folk-rock by the likes of Fairport Convention, The Pentangle and Fotheringay; I started listening to country in full force. Too much to catch up on, so I’m just gonna jump back into it with February 2008:

Listening to:
- Townes Van Zandt, Towns Van Zandt, Townes Van Zandt! Seriously, anything I can get my hands on. Flyin’ Shoes, Delta Momma Blues, Townes Van Zandt, & Our Mother the Mountain. How did I get this far in life and not find him? Special thanks to Clint for getting me started on this one.
- Waylon Jennings: Lonsome, On’ry & Mean [BMG Heritage]. “Freedom to Stay,” “Lay it Down” & “San Fransisco Mabel” Joy kill me every time.
- Waylon Jennings: Honkey Tonk Heros [BMG/Buddha]
- Simon Finn: Pass the Distance [Dutrto Jnana].
- Angels of Light: How I Loved You [Young Gods]
- Burial: Untrue [Hyperdub]
- Tomahawk: Anonymous [Ipecac]
- Porter Wagoner: The Rubber Room [Omni]
- Agalloch: The Mantle [The End]. Whoa. Best metal album I’ve bought since Neurosis’s The Eye of Every Storm.

Congrats go out to my good friend Clint Fisher on the launch of Aenon Fire, a labor of love long in the making. Clint has been working on this for a long time, and has come out of it with a fantastic initial launch. Go check it out — and watch out for my cameo in Psychedelic Renaissance.

Way to go, Clint!