Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Musical Adventures: Diamond Rings and Woodhands

Last week I whet my whistle with the coming of the summer music festival by watching Diamond Rings and Woodhands at Mavericks.

When Diamond first came on stage, I was very skeptical. He was wearing zebra leggings tucked into black tube socks, with an oversized leather jacket and more makeup than I've worn in a week. (although, I was impressed, his lines and blending was nice and clean) Once he started playing, I wasn't immediately swayed either. He had his Itunes open to his songs and accomanying it with either a keyboard or guitar. Once in a while he did both.

It threw me off for sure. His outfit was wild and his music was peppy, but his voice was so deep and somber. It was an interesting contrast. Think Magnetic Fields meet the Cure. After a few songs and a LOT of skepticism, he grew on me. This solo artist slowly dragged you into his moody-poppy hipsterlicious music. I even realized that I knew one of his songs as he came up to perform his encore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6IUKa25e80

I'm still not sure if I'm a fan. This song is alright and seems to be enjoying its 15 minutes of fame, but I'm doubting any staying power. I can't even look at him without giggling at how ridiculous he looks.

My heart and my ears were saved once Woodhands came on. I've been a fan for the past year now and to finally see them in concert was making me do a happy dance to the dance music. And that's a lot of dancin'!

They played the old and even tossed a couple new songs in, including the recent single, "CP24". The audience was feeling all of it, eating up every stroke off the keytar and the beats of the broken snare drum (occupational hazard, I suppose).

I'd have to say the best part was the remixes of old songs like Biz Markies "Just a Friend" and Cory Hart's "I Wear my Sunglasses at Night" in with their own tunes. This created an extra vibe and pour-out of energy from the crowd, singing along to the awesomeness.

I'll try to add my videos later, but my words are failing me at the awesomeness. Obviously I'm not much of a writer, but let's just say it kicked ass and Woodhands and I are getting married. We confirmed it on twitter and everything. So there.

Hoping it just gets better from here.

-janeovision

dream series: April 13

So last night's dream...

I was in a really nice cottage that was nearby to a beach in some tropical land - something like Costa Rica or the Cayman Islands. There was me and a few other people I didn't recognize, and one of them had children. There was a little girl about 3 or so, and there was an infant, sexually generic, but could fit in my hand, like a kitten.

One wall of the cottage was all windows which looked out to a bus stop and the beach about 500 yards away. Although the sun is out, it's starting to rain and the win is strong. I get nervous that there is going to be a tornado. As I say this, a funnel starts to form on the water. Not only that but the funnel then divides into three smaller funnels and start to lean and move to us and our cottage.

**note: I was thinking about watching the movie "Twister" the other day...there may be a connection**

We all run into one of the back rooms, and I grab the mini-baby as I run into the room and we close the door. Everyone else huddles onto the bed and as I shut the door I toss mini-baby onto a nearby chair to start looking for something. (you may be shocked I threw an infant like a ragdoll... but it was fine. It stood up and brushed itself off then sat on the seat, arms crossed in a huff. Yea, I know.)

I'm not sure what I'm looking for or why I'm looking for it, but I go to a nearby dressor/vanity combo thingy and start opening drawers. I find scarves wrapped around machetes and dueling swords, but that's not what I am looking for.

I turn around and stare at everyone on the bed in disbelief. Why were they not helping??

...and then I woke up.

they just keep coming.

-janeovision.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

the dream series. an introduction.

So lately I've been dreaming a lot.

I've been dreaming of the most random things, and some of the most random occurrences to come out of my head. Since they are so random, and, well downright entertaining to those I tell it to, I'm going to share it on here.

These won't be large posts, just a summation of the dream I had the night before for you all to enjoy. I'm going to post a few past dreams I've had within the past few months today, just to get you all caught up and to explain why I had this idea to do this in the first place.


Dream #1
It's a Michael Cera movie. Seriously. I'm his semi-popular girlfriend who is unhappy in the relationship, dating the nerdy Michael Cera, but we have our 'first time together anyways. Finally fed up (and not shortly after the awkward Michael Cera sex) I break up with him.

His geeky female BFF is heartbroken (obviously secretly in love with him) and makes plan with the hesitant MC to pull pranks on me and make my life a living hell for shattering his innocent, naive heart.

It gets fuzzy around here, but I know that hilarity ensues, Judd Apatow-style, and at one point, in my own frustrations with everyone, I see one of the slightly more popular girls is snapping her fingers at me to get my attention at a lunch table. Instead of walking up to her and talk to her, i walk past her. As i pass her seat, i grab her face with my hand and face-palm her backwards out of her chair onto the cafeteria floor.

It was awesome (movie idea now in the works...you steal my shit and I'll take you down!)

Dream #2
I was in a random elementary school in Montreal where I was doing a conference of some kind with schoolmates (Ashley, Danielle, MaHo and Dario were there, from what I saw...for those that know those people, haha) I walk into one room and this guy asks me if I want to finally get my tattoo. I say yes and he starts working on it. But he puts the tattoo I want on my forearm with a (I think) Pirate ship on the upper arm.

As I am getting the tattoo done, I look outside and there is a big unmarked van, and it's raining.
Black ink. Black ink is melting from the sky. I am unphased. I have the tattoo finished, and I go to find people to show it to. I see MaHo and I'm excited to show it to her, but she is nervous that I won't like it. Simultaneously, Dario and Ash are about to brawl, and Danielle is cheering from the sidelines. I only knwo it's them because i see Ash's threadless tshirt, and you can point out Dario's hipster-non-chalent saunter a mile away. Danielle just waved to me.

Then I realize. I haven't even looked at the tattoo yet. As I go to look down at it, I wake up .
Weird.

Dream #3
This one was all over the place. There were mini stories happening everywhere, but the main part that I remember was my friends mum (and my second mum, pretty much) was scoldeing me about the quesadilla tattoo I wanted to get on my ribcage.

I don't even like Quesadillas.

Dream #4
This one Happened last night.

It starts in some mall with two people chatting, but basically I am being hunted down by Batman. But I am actually Batman. Darth Vader has stolen my costume and is chasing after me in MY Batman costume. At one point, i have to jump off a moving train and hide behind garbage cans to avoid being shot.

Then I go to hide at work and put on my uniform, but my uniform is a beer wench costume. It still has my work logo on it, but it's definitely a beer wench outfit.


I'll try to continue these as they happen. My dreams are fucked up.

-janeovision

Monday, April 5, 2010

a word to the future...

Ahhhh, life. Ah, student politics.

This year I've had the first official opportunity in a long time to watch student politics to blossom, progress, and simultaneously spontaneously combust. The student association and faculty association members have gone through quite a lot this year. Gong shows, shit shows, and general nonsense. Granted, there have been some amazing things happenas well, but it seems the shit has outweighed the good this time.

As the new execs start rolling in and transitioning themselves, I would like to put out a bit of my own advice. Take it as you will, love it, ignore it, bitch about it (which I'm sure you all will) but at least read it before you go all middle-school on me

  • Politics and relationships are bad.
  • Know your audience. If you have an UBER-kickass party on night, assume that everyone is going to be just as, if not twice as hung over as you are. An event the next day is a poor choice, even if you have *insert pop tween/rocker/etc icon here* in your lineup. Just becasue you build it, doesn't mean they'll come
  • Facebook is shit. Stop basing all your advertising on it.
  • If someone has an opnion, good or bad, take it into consideration. They may be a bitch/asshole 99.9% of the time, and they may say what they are saying in a crass and offensive mannor, but they may also have a point.
  • No, seriously, politics and relationships are BAD!!! You have to know how and when to separate the business and personal, regardless of the level of the relationship. If you can't do that, you shouldn't be in politics. At all.
  • Stop relying on your friends. Politics is a job, it's a business. Social events, political events, ANY events must be dealt with as if you are doing it on your own. Unless they are on the payroll, you can't count on them. In saying that, don't be pissed if friends don't show up to events you have prepared. It may be your job, but it certainly isn't theirs. They have their own lives and own stuff to take care of.
  • A JOB IS A JOB IS A JOB!!!! Just because it has to do with school and there occasionally is music and drinking and delightful chaos everywhere, doesn't mean you can fuck off and get stupid. You're getting paid, you're responsible. Take the responsibility.
  • THERE'S A TIME AND A PLACE FOR E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. There.
  • Be strong, be confident, get over your egos. Seriously.
  • Old ideas are good, but new ideas are and can be better. Even Adding new twists to old ideas can make things great. Don't put all your hope into an old idea. People get bored way too quick these days anyways.
  • Know your rights!!!!! Know the rules of which you work under, know what you can and what you cannot do. But better yet, know the loopholes so you can still get away with shit.
  • NO RELATION... okay, i think you understand that one now. But seriously, business before pleasure. In every aspect of the phrase.
  • People are going to tear you down. Stand your ground. They are going to fight you. Your best bet is to listen, take the information and move on. Ignoring it and shutting it down makes you look close-minded and an overall asshole.
  • Listen. Work. Fight. Play. Have fun. know your limits.

Thats my two cents.
...Okay, that may ba a full quarter. But take it and learn.

Onward and upward. I hope.

-janeovision


p.s. anyone who gets angry about this post. just click here

mini rant.

hey Ann Coulter.

The University didn't cancel your speech because you're 'controversial' and because we are against free speech.

you were cancelled because the university was too dumb to have enough security to man the (civilized) masses. it was dangerous because IF THEY DID get out of hand, it've been a shit show.

They were unprepared. They can fix that. You'll still be an angry closed minded troll surviving only on white wine, cigarettes, and your own publicity.

Get over yourself.

mini rant ended.

-janeovision.