Strange Dream

This morning I awoke from the strangest dream. It's not often that I have (or remember) a dream of such deep meaning so I thought I'd share it before it becomes forgotten.

I was at a lake and the sun was rising. The sky was a swirl of radiant pinks and peaches. The air was warm and moist, but not uncomfortable. I saw a man swimming in the lake and for some reason I felt compelled to swim to him. He didn't speak to me or motion to me, he just looked at me. It was like I was being gravitationally pulled to him. I got in the water with my clothes on and started to swim after him and he started to swim away. As he was swimming away I reached out and grabbed his leg but it slipped right out of my hand. He was fully clothed but felt as slippery as a fish. He continued to swim away and I continued to swim after him. He was swimming in a circle. I finally caught up to him and when I swam next to him, he embraced me. Within his embrace was more love and warmth than I've ever felt in my life. Then I woke up.

I can't for the life of me remember what the man looked like and whenever I try to envision his face all I can see is a blur. The only detail of him I can remember is that he had brown hair. I'm still trying to figure out what it all means, though I'll probably never really know.

Right after I awoke, the Laura Veirs song, Lake Swimming swarmed through my mind. The song is an absolute perfect reflection of my dream and will forever be linked in my mind.   

Lake swimming 

Shucking free our deadened selves

Like snakes and corn do

Our bodies tore off swimming suits

And all the old notions

The cold ocean far away

Enter the sun 

Marching like a matador

Flashing her velvet yellow suit

Throwing a red cape on the sky

Old butterfly 

I’ll dance with you

Though our wings may crumble

We can float like ash

Broken but the edges still shine

Lake swimming 

Shucking free our deadened selves

Like snakes and corn do

Our bodies tore off swimming suits

And all the old notions

The cold ocean far away

Star-Crossed Lover's Map

For the past few days I've been listening to Laura Viers' album July Flame non-stop. The imagery created by Laura's lush music and rich lyrics are lovely enough to make me swoon day and night. I'm all the more enamored with the album art which happens to be done by one of my favorite artists, Carson Ellis, who really does deserve a post all of her own. Hands down my favorite song on the album is "Wide-Eyed, Legless". Have a listen...

Down among the dead

The wide-eyed and the legless, only half a head

Half a mouth to laugh from the porthole

With the more than faded epitaphs

Will you ever more tie up my hair with velvet bows?

Will you ever more pull out the splinters from my toes?

I don't think so

Out in the hornet rain the swarming stingers

Pumping poison through my veins

Lacking on the star-crossed lover's map

Take the beating lash, lash for lash

Will we ever more kiss on the boardwalks fading red?

In the light of the waves and the comets waning tail

I don't think so

No more looking back, looking back, looking back

Faded epitaph

Orpheus Melted the Heart of Persephone

I love this song and I adore this new She and Him video. The furniture. Zooey's dress. Zooey's hair... well, just Zooey in general I adore!

Rest in Peace Trish Keenan

Yesterday morning, the world lost a beautiful and amazing artist. Trish Keenan's poetic words were like incantations and I found solace in her music during some of the darkest times of my life. I was lucky enough to see Broadcast perform a few years ago here in San Diego and I still remember how magnetic Trish was in person. Though I did not know her personally, I feel a loss in my heart. Her sweet voice sounds like a ghost now.

*Last two videos are from the collaborative project of Broadcast and The Focus Group.

In This Belly of a Whale

I'm thinking of getting this dress, which makes me think of The Mariner's Revenge Song (which happens to be the inspiration for my next art project) by one of my all time favorite bands, The Decemberists, who I happen to be seeing live this February 13th, when I might be wearing this dress, possibly with linen and curls and lips parting like a flag all unfurled.

Sweet Ólöf

The Blonde Redhead show was amazing, despite the two drunk and seriously annoying people standing next to us that were barely holding themselves up while screaming "Pink Love" at the band and spilling Bud Light on my Betsey Johnson dress.  

The opening act was the amazingly talented Icelandic singer Ólöf Arnalds, who I'm truly sad to say I had never heard of until the night of the show. We walked in as she was performing and I immediately melted as her sweet voice and delicate guitar strumming swarmed around the air. I bought her latest album Innudir Skinni on vinyl, which she graciously signed for me. Meeting her in person was definitely something to remember as she was quite enchanting and has an otherworldly beauty.

Blonde Redhead and Miranda July

I'm going to see one of my favorite bands, Blonde Redhead live this Sunday at The House of Blues downtown! I love this video starring Miranda July, who happens to be an amazing artist / filmmaker / writer. I highly recommend you read her hauntingly beautiful and slightly uncomfortable collection of short stories titled No One Belongs Here More Than You. *The website for the book is fantastic!
 

First Love

So, after reading this inspirational post from Claire, which was inspired by this and this, I've decided to share a little story about my first love. I was an impressional 12, or maybe 13, year old girl when this heartthrob captured me. Yes, I'm talking about Beck. I remember watching the video for Loser for the very first time on MTV after school and thinking "This is cool, who's this guy?" Then, the end of the video, dreamboat Beck goes walking in slow motion across the beach in a wetsuit. My heart stood still. I knew at that very instant that this man was the love of my life. Never mind the fact that I've never met him and the love is only reciprocated in my dreams. Beck is and always will be my first love. So, who's your first love?

She & Him... and by She, I mean Zooey!

Zooey is so adorable! I can't really blame Josh for being in love with her. Volume 2 of She & Him is turning out to be even better than Volume 1.