Halloweenland

Halloween was pretty uneventful in the traditional Halloween sense. I went to my first day of physical therapy yesterday and got prescribed some “contrasting water baths” for my finger – doing these funny exercises in two sinks, one filled with hot water and one with freezing cold water. I dont have two sinks or even one that will plug up, so I tried this deal out with a tupperware and my biggest cereal bowl.

Water all over the floor, but I did my little job! My finger is stiffer than ever this morning.

I helped the new folk DJ get his show recorded yesterday, it should be up on the site on Sunday. In the afternoon I took the F train down to Delancey with Rachael to set up recording equipment at her apartment. I ran into my friend Rebecca Pronksy on the corner! Stayed at Rachaels apartment for a few hours to record acoustic sessions from Jay May, Square Wave Punch and Matt from The Go Station.

Square Wave Punch has a VERY good bass player, and their drummer played on cajon, which is always enjoyable. Had to take off around 5 PM to head for the village Halloween Parade. Rachael recorded a bunch more bands for her blog show, it’ll be up on the site tomorrow.

Attempts at the Halloween parade were FRUITLESS. From Bleecker all the way up to 14th street there was a WALL of people who all hated eachother and hated being in the crowd and couldnt move and couldnt breathe and I managed to escape after 2 hours but not after encountering some seriously short fuses (my own, and everyone else. The parade brought out the worst in everyone.) That will be my first and last time at the parade. I did spot a nice looking lady on a fine motorbike trying to ride up the parade route before the parade had started. She quickly got turned around by the police and ordered to move off the parade route. Upon further examination it was Jane Krakowski, but no one seemed to notice. She quietly motored away from the parade on another one of those tiny streets near Bleecker. She’s much prettier in real life. She had a nice helmet.

My personal Halloween celebrations commenced with a pumpkin ale and the PBS special on black holes. I went to sleep listening some nice jackhammer action going outside. The nighttime garbage truck didn’t come around until 5:30 AM.

Oh! I finally met my across the hall neighbor, fumbling for his keys outside our apartment building in full pirate regalia.

It’s unseasonably hot in New York City this week. Meeting a whole bunch of DJs from the station today. Friends from WZLY coming to visit for CMJ this week! Very exciting. I’m going to the Serious Business Records show tonight at the Knitting Factory. I’m hoping Christina will come along as my +1.

Big news for Monsterland show – we’ve got THE SLITS on this Friday with their first official live recording in 25 years.

Who Knew?

Okay, so maybe a lot of people did. I am jumping on the Shara Worden/ My Brightest Diamond bandwagon a little late, but I don’t care. “Workhorse” has completely drawn me in and I can’t stop listening to the entire “Bring Me The Workhorse” album.

I spent tonight in the suburbs. Skinny waistless teenage boys in skinny jeans flocking to Starbucks made me feel like an old lady, though I am not. On the bright side, sucks to be them. Maybe.

There is a certain charm to October-time outside of the city. The trees are beautiful out here and it smells good, like leaves and pumpkins and air and, tonight, of rain . It’s only 11:29 and I am almost too tired to type. I still haven’t made any big decisions regarding my studio. We’ll see about that tomorrow.
So, I have an update from the hand doctor. The extendor tendon on the fourth finger of my right hand has either been completely stretched our ruptured completely. Likely an injury from excessive drumming back in April. The cure is apparently 2 weeks of physical therapy to stretch it out and lessen the swelling, then a minor surgery to sew the tendon back together and implant a little metal pin, then 4 weeks of the pin in there with my finger on a splint, removal of the pin, followed by 3 months (THREE FUCKING MONTHS) of physical therapy and splinting. I have always been worried about something happening to my hands. This isn’t the best news, but – my fourth finger will win this battle!

I just secured a date in Rebecca Pronsky’s songwriter’s exchange. I chose a date far away – March 11, to be exact. Brooklyn Lyceum. Be there.

One last note about my suburban night. There is a new kitschy and giant candy store in my town and I bought 1 piece each of so many types of candy it was incredible. 5 minutes before I was informed of this store’s existence I had dragged my friends out of Starbucks (I know) into Rite Aid to buy some candy, but all I wanted was one Reese’s piece and 1 gummy worm, and lo and behold, that was a possibility. It was also a possibility to add in 2 pieces of candy corn, 1 round peach thing, 2 tootsie rolls, 1 large swedish fish, and a sour patch kid, and pay 1.19. That’s all I wanted and I got it!

So it’s about time I told you something important. I host a show every friday on BreakThruRadio that is called “Welcome to Monsterland.” you can access it at http://www.breakthruradio.com

The New York City band “Man In Gray” will be on this Friday’s “Welcome to Monsterland.” This is very exciting for several reasons: 1)This is a very good band 2)They are nice people 3)They are playing a CMJ showcase at the Knitting Factory soon along with their labelmates, which you should check out if you’re going to be in the area. They also have a new music video for their song “Thirty-Six” – this song is wonderful and reminds me very much of our dearly departed Sleater-Kinney.

In other news, I just saw that Joanna Newsom will be coming to Webster Hall in a few weeks. I eagerly await hearing her creepy old lady/tiny lady stylings live in the flesh. I love her.

And finally, this weekend I am buying Pro Tools, and I am also going to see the hand specialist. These two things are revolutionary. My studio will be up and running soon along with my label Kid In The Attic. My hand will presumably be fixed soon also, so I can complete all these songs I’ve been mulling over for the last 2 years and finally make the record I’ve been dreaming about. Also, this will mark my re-entry into playing in New York City.

I was sitting in Starbucks on Monday and spotted an old friend walking down the street. Now we have a sleepover tonight. Because she needs a place to stay in between shooting some things over at Columbia. Also tonight is my first webplaydate.

How exciting!

Finally, I know a special lady who is turning 80 this weekend, and is marking the occasion with bagpipes. But I can’t say who!