Whirlwind

Madness is rife right now. I'm failing math with a solid 55%, a grade I have never before achieved. I should have taken this semester off really. Or done it differently to begin with I guess. This may sound like I'm griping, but it isn't intended so. Between Katja's arrival and the seemingly neverending social calendar, I have somehow slipped back to a place where procrastination is the rule of thumb applied to all obligatory aspects of life, and shameless indulgence is to all those 'extracurricular' opportunities. Ugh. There are fewer than 4 weeks left in which I can get my act together.

I keep experiencing these moments where all I want to do is throw the towel in and go get a real job again. I can't TELL you how many times I've run through that in my head. Fuck a duck. It's like, "if I weren't taking classes then I wouldn't be stressing about classes and homework undone and tests not taken, because these classes (that I wouldn't be taking) would not matter at all to me. So therefore by that argument, these classes (that I am in fact taking) don't matter at all to me (except for Art History of course) because I've somehow tricked myself into a state of mind where, although I am enrolled and do in fact attend most class periods, I'm thinking like I'm not actually 'in school' so nothing I do (or in most cases, don't do) matters."

See what I'm getting at? And I have, conservatively, since this week is a nothing week anyway what with the holiday, two weeks to get my act together, learn the math, take the tests, parli italiano and do an art project with it's roots in urban graffiti culture. So I say it once again:

Fuck a duck.

Buy This Record

This has been in constant play on the car stereo for like three weeks now. I just can't get over it. Taken as a whole the album is nothing truly spectacular, but it's like when I used to go buy a whole CD just for that one track that made me feel. Well this disc has at least 4 of those tracks for me. I first heard track 1, "Here I Am," with Hendrik on the dance floor at Pink last time Kaskade was in town. It will send you to the outer atmosphere and leave you wondering how you got there and not wanting to come back. I don't think he gets there again until track 7 with "Everything," a cut I know we'll be hearing remixes of from other DJ's in no time.

It's a sensuous journey, not unlike his earlier record "It's you, it's me," but with the elements of further evolution of his personal sound coming through loud and clear. While nothing can replace the experience of a 3 hour live set in a swank club with friendly, enthusiastic groovers around you, this record will at least take you to that feeling of the last time you 'had it good' and at best, transport you to that place where you're dancing by yourself, and the whole world is one big spinning ball of light.

She's Here!

Through Sunday Driver morons and bad weather traffic I came to SFO on this rainy afternoon. There are always masses of people in the arrivals lounge and today was no different. Thinking I was late I quickly cased the whole lobby looking for Katja but it was apparent she hadn't yet emerged. About 35 minutes later, there she was, waving to me on the preview monitor as she walked out. I quickly moved up to meet her and out she walked, looking radiant and happy. Upon coming home Hannah proceeded to lose her mind for at least 20 minutes. There is really no substitute for canine ecstatic joy. Wilkommen mein schatz, ich freu mich so sehr das du wieder bei mir bist. Ich liebe dich!

Two Fabulous Nights, and a GIITH Anniversary!

I'm at home again today - dying, I think. After two weeks of non-stop school/work/social I think I burned myself out. My current condition was not without reward, however. One week ago saw the second coming of Kaskade to Pink. It might not be a coincidence, but the last time I danced to this guy's music was LAST halloween when (also as a nerd) I hit DNA with Adrienne and Katja. This event also marks the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of this silly little blog. I just realized that actually. That's fun.

Thursdays are by far the best night to go out in SF, and this particular Thursday was exceptional. Hendrik and I arrived at the club around 11:15 and were ushered right in. Right away the music was good, JBoogie was warming up the equipment nicely. My very old, very good friend Eric Waisman called me up and said he and his lady friend were in a taxi and on their way. Perfect timing. Around 12:30 Kaskade came on and destroyed the dancefloor, and probably the two neighboring buildings as well. I don't think they've invented an adjective to describe how good this music was. I was sure I hadn't heard anything so wonderful before.

That is, until Saturday night. The unofficial Halloween party night. I met Hendrik at Frantoio for a glass of wine, in costume. Caitlin was just getting off and I think it's safe to say that seeing us was the extra push she needed to motivate, go home, and get in costume. Hendrik and I split and raced into SF to Mighty where Miguel Migs et al were spinning. The line was ridiculous and twenty dollars entry. So we hit Pink. Just walking in was a trip. So many people in costume. And my god, the music, oh my my. To paraphrase Hendrik, Thursday night was awesome, but the music Saturday was enchanting, ethereal and totally off the hook. We had said we would try and make it an early night because he was driving to So. Cal the next morning. No way. It was too good. The floor wasn't too crowded, and our fellow dancers were mostly of the same ilk, there to just cut loose and get down. We met a lot of very friendly people.