Philadelphia is smoke free!

I’m going to Corning this weekend. I’m planning on knitting / crocheting a ton while I’m there, and of course I won’t get done what I want to get done. Just like on every break. I think I’ll be taking my uncle to see Little Miss Sunshine. I’ve heard good things. I saw Talladega Nights last weekend and it was pretty funny.

I dropped my car off at the Firestone near campus to get an oil change today. They called because they couldn’t open the hood, I told them how because it’s weird enough that you need two people. They called back and said they still couldn’t get it. I had to go back down there, and I opened it on the first try. Thanks for wasting my time.

I saw a band called Hoots and Hellmouth the other night at the Cabaret. My dad had seen them at the Folk Fest this year and told me to check them out since they’re on Drexel’s label (and also they’re good). So any way it was free and I went. They were really cool, very energetic. Got off the stage and danced around for my favorite song. I didn’t have any extra money to pick up a CD but they’re recording their first actual album now so I can get that later since they play in Philly all the time.

I was at Swarthmore for a work event and wow, is that campus gorgeous. Very green. The buildings themselves were beautiful too, very old but well kept, and clean! It felt like a school. Their student center had awesome fliers for everything from tango lessons for credit to Irish Gaelic language classes. I hate Drexel.

The Gaelic Storm concert last night was a lot of fun. It was only about half full, as opposed to when it sold out last time. I guess because it was a Thursday instead of a Friday? And last time was the end of March too so maybe people were still in a St. Patty’s mood. I forgot to bring my camera but I got a shirt signed. I might have to end up giving it to Laura though. They didn’t have any L so I got a M instead of an XL. I mean it fits but it’s tight. We’ll see if I can stretch it out a little bit.Tomorrow is Lisa’s baby shower. I’m not done the baby slings yet. I almost finished making one yesterday but then my sewing machine couldn’t handle the thickness where I have to sew through a bunch of folds. I’m going to have to hand sew that part I guess.

Camping this weekend was lot of fun. It stopped raining there Saturday after lunch and I stayed until Monday so we had a good bit of sun. Laura got a fiddle while we were there. It was a great deal for $100 including the case. She used to play violin in school before they cut the strings program so she’s really excited to start playing again. I’m going to learn to play the mandolin. We have a round-back one that was my great-grandmother’s. The only thing is my mom told my grandmother she could get it refinished like she wants to so I have to bring it up when I visit this month and I’ll get it back probably at Thanksgiving. So I can’t really play until then. I got a couple of books for it so I suppose I could start now but I only have a week and a half.

The term’s almost over. I have a final and a presentation tomorrow, and a final next Thursday, then I’m done. I mapped out my schedule for the next three terms until graduation and I’ll only need 12 credits for each of them, including senior project.

I only have 2 weeks for break this September. It used to be a 3 week break but who knows why they changed it. I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to go anywhere, I’ll probably just work like usual. I’m so ready to be done with school. At least I can see an end now so it makes it slightly easier.

I might do some part time work at my old coop this fall too. My class load will be really light so I think I can handle the 2 jobs at 16 hours/week each. I could really use the money, probably to buy a new computer when this one dies. My rent is also going up, and I’m not currently splitting my cable and electric bills with anyone. So if the job is available (they still have to check) then I’m pretty sure I’ll take it.

I’m going to a bluegrass festival / camping this weekend. I can’t wait. The temperature should be perfect with 70s during the day and 60s at night. The only thing is right now it’s supposed to rain. That keeps changing though so I’m hoping it will get pushed back more. I already bought tickets and it’s rain or shine so I’ll be there either way. I’m still getting over a cold that had me in bed at my parents’ house all last weekend though so I’d rather not be out in rainy weather for 3 days.

Gaelic Storm is going to be at NXNW again next Thursday so I’m going with a few people. Their show there last time was so much fun, and they also have a new album out since then so it should be great.

I’m really into Christina Aguilera’s new album. It’s got a lot of 20s/30s jazz/blues influences, which of course I love.

Went to see G. Love and Special Sauce in Ortley Beach on Friday. It was a really great show. Afterwards we met G. Love and Jimi Jazz. Jimi was in love with Julia (asked her to have his babies) so he came with us to eat tacos (where he forgot his wallet and we had to pay for him), then swam with us in the ocean. And took off all his clothes. Too bad it wasn’t G.

We got home at 6am, slept for 2-3 hours at Ryan’s, then I helped Lisa and Shaun move into their new place all day. Came back just in time for Eunice’s going away party, which was at my apartment. I had lots of fun but went to bed at like 1:30. Haha I have no idea why. I guess I was really tired from not sleeping the night before. I woke up this morning at 8 really confused.

My whole body is really sore today. I guess it’s from contorting myself into weird positions on the way home from the beach to stay warm in the jeep. I went down to center city to use some gift cards and coupons and hit some sales. The bike ride loosened me up a little bit but then I took another nap and am stiff again.

Another cool OK Go video:

Some James Hunter videos from the show at the TLA I missed:

Don’t Do It

Talking ‘Bout My Love

You should check out Heavy Trash. It’s Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray doing rockabilly.

Three finals and a paper left. And then it’s the lake!!!!

Appel Farm last weekend was great. It was raining pretty steadily until about noon, then off and on until 2, but we had a canopy set up so we were fine. It was actually nice to have a cooler day for once. Usually it’s blazing hot.

Crooked Still was cool. They had a pretty awesome cello player. Their banjo player was missing (doing some shows with Springsteen in AZ) so they had a bunch of other random people on stage with them, including Kristin from Uncle Earl.

Danielia Cotton was amazing, of course. They played one new song, “Bang My Drum”. I went up to the stage for her set. They had a person on stage doing all the lyrics in sign language and she was hysterical. I couldn’t look away from her. Her expressions were just so out there and she was so into the song.

I picked up a CD by James Hunter, a British R&B / Soul guy. He kind of sounds like Sam Cooke sometimes. His set was a lot of fun. There were two saxophones (tenor and bass), an upright bass, percussion and keyboard. It definitely wasn’t the usual kind of set for a folk festival. I’m actually a little disappointed by the CD after seeing him live. That’s not to say it’s a bad CD (because it’s definitely not), he just seemed so much better in person. He was very happy and having fun, and the band seemed more into it. There’s a different band on the CD. He’s going to be at the TLA on the 20th but I’ll be at the lake then. It’s only $12.50 though, I recommend going. If you look at his news or tour pages, you can see he’s playing with Etta James, Susan Tedeschi, Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin, Los Lonely Boys, Boz Scaggs, just a ton of great people. You can check out a video about him at youtube.

Richard Thompson and Fountains of Wayne were the headliners who closed out the two stages. They were both pretty good but I don’t really have much to say about them.

Rough and Ready

Chrome

Honky Tonk Badonkadonk (possibly the funniest title for a song ever)

One Hot Mama