I Saw You First, It Was in a Dream

Kaliméra friends, happy long weekend.
Here's what we were doing last year this time.

Sasquatch 2010

After a long, arduous debate, which btw is how I make the vast majority of all decisions, we opted to not go to Sasquatch this year. It is a little bit painful now that the time is upon us. Back in the fall, we were watching the streaming video and twitter obsessively to get the word on who would be playing.

On the pro-side we had:

GIVERS - I saw you first

Sidenote: There was another version of this song on youtube, which was nausea-inducing and the sound was worse BUT it showed the band pulling balloons out of big trash bags. Priceless. It reminded me of poorman's this feat by AF @ Coachella.

We watched Arcade Fire's Coachella performance live on youtube - it was fantastic and to be honest, I *almost* felt like I was there. Actually, we got better views and closeups, with none of the portapotties and sweat. Kind of nice. Anyway - on the encore, these big balls dropped down, hundreds of them, and they were somehow synchronized and controlled to turn patterns of different colors. I love it. Chris Milk (of Wilderness Downtown video fame), fun stuff. So what I am saying is, GIVERS, hang in! Pretty soon you could go from 800 youtube views and filling up Glad bags with balloons you blew up yourselves, to multimedia art collaborations and headlining Coachella, it could happen!

Back to the point: This band played at the WOW with Ra Ra Riot (also awesome and Sasquatch alums) and we didn't go because we are too tired and old. Big mistake.
Other pluses of 2011 lineup: Wilco, Head and the Heart, Iron and Wine (although I don't think that a festival is ideal for this at all, hence we'll see him at Crystal on Tuesday instead), Yeasayer, Cold War Kids (although we just saw them, and one member of this unit (the male member) is not so interested), Beach House(!!!), Sharon Jones and Dap-Kings, Local Natives, Matt & Kim, Deerhunter, Sleigh Bells (who would be perfect at a festival I think), Cotton Jones... Plus the couple dozen I have never heard of that would probably go on to become next year's favorites.

You'd think that would be enough to do the trick. But I am greedy. And unreasonable.

I wanted Arcade Fire. I wanted Black Keys. I wanted Ween again.

The first indication that we might not go this year came with the announcement of headliner Foo Fighters. Not really in the same class as Ween ('10) - for me anyway. Meh. Then the big names kept coming and and more meh.
Death Cab. Decemberists. Bright Eyes. Modest mouse. These bands do not excite me.
Then there was the portapotties, the trash, the lack of any vegan food, the field mice...

Oh wait, then we thought about the fact that technically - I am a student. On the quarter system.

That means next week is exam week.

And how I have COMPREHENSIVE exams in two weeks. For the (blissfully) unaware, these are tests where you are expected to demonstrate everything that you learned in the first 2 years of your PhD education and you need to pass if you want to continue in the program. you have 96 hours to complete a set of four questions. You have 10 pages to answer each question. The dreaded comps are looming large.

Then I need to get ready to teach a brand spanking new class.

It's going to be intense.

So, yeah, if you were wondering, we aren't going to the festival this year. Does this mean I am a (kind of) grown up?

Probably not, since we decided to binge locally on the Sasquatch ripple effect. Cotton Jones tonight. Maybe Cotton Jones again Saturday. Back up to Portland for Head and the Heart and Iron & Wine (aforementioned).

And stay tuned for another post this weekend about last weekend. We went to the Ms. Whiteaker pageant! And we played poker! We stayed up til 4am listening to records! Who says I am grown up?

What is Golden Pigeon?

Hey Guys.

So I was reading some other blogs today (mainly because I have 12 academic articles that I have to read and create discussion questions for that must be emailed tonight AND I have mentally committed to going for a run for the first time in a month at 3:30pm on the dot - so I am reading blogs) and I noticed that these bloggers have an information page about themselves. I thought I needed one of those about me pages. This is what came out and I thought I’d share it with you here as well as pasting it in there for your future reference:

I kind of figure you all know me pretty well already but...just in case you want to bone up on some pigeon trivia in case we ever get selected to go on a game show where they test your knowledge about your friend/family member/favorite blogger I have added this page for you.

I wish there was a show like that - instead of the Newlywed Game it could The "whatever relationship you have to this person" Game. I would totally lose that game. Because:

(Fact #1) I am not very observant.

I would need to really cram with you for us to be contenders in this game. Keep it in mind when applying to be a contestant and considering me for your partner. I would be really good though, if you could just give me a little "about you" page so I can cram at the last minute because:

I am really good at cramming (Fact #2). 

Speaking of applying for game shows – do you think that my man and I should apply for Amazing Race? I really, really think we’d have a chance.

A chance of getting on the show, of not winning. We would never, ever be able to win that show, which is why I think it would be funny to be on it for one episode. Do you think my program would give me a leave of absence for that (I’m kidding, people who work at my job with me! Completely kidding. I haven’t even printed out the 11 page application).

I used to be obsessed with the Game Show Network, or GSN as I liked (please notice the PAST tense) to call it (Fact #3).

There was this game they used to play that looked like it was filmed in the '60s where they would test who knew the man better his wife or his secretary. That is some good programming right there. The secretaries always won.

You really have everything that you need to know about me now. Recuperated game show addict. Well, since I am giving you "facts" here:

I should admit that I DVR Jeopardy and we watch it while we eat dinner on the regular (fact #4).

Yes, we watch a show where you feel compelled to blurt out the answers while eating. I just realized this is weird and semi-disgusting. 

There are some things I don't like about Jeopardy. For starters, Alex Trebek. 

 Ahh, much better. I'll never forget the anal bum cover category. 

I also have no patience for contestants who haven't learned the Jeopardy basics. First of all - you should be able to answer any question about the Big 5 Jeopardy categories. Why would you not study 1) the presidents 2) ballet, opera and/or classical music, 3) Shakespeare, 4) Geography and 5) the Bible? Now, I currently know next to nothing about all of these categories, but I sure as hell would be cramming for them before my appearance. YOU HAVE TO CRAM.

I think that if you are smart enough to be selected to be on Jeopardy, then you should be smart enough to know FOR A FACT there will be at least 3 of these categories, or some cute variation (The third thing I don't like about Jeopardy - categories like “CU” in the City – “Notice the C U in quotations, we all know what that means”) of them on any given night. Do you not know in advance that you have been selected as a contestant? 

What does Alex come steal you out of your bed at 3am and then keep you sequestered with no materials that you could use to learn about the books in the Bible, because there really is no excuse (other than the kidnapping scenario) to defend you if you miss one of those questions.

And, please, before you go on Jeopardy, think about your chatting time story, ok? Because as I understand how the chatting portion of the show works, YOU SELF REPORT some things that you think are interesting about you and Alex picks one to ask about on air. No one is calling your enemy from high school or your ex-boyfriend to find out that you "once realized I had scurvy because my gums were bleeding" or that your engagement ring cost $11. Food for thought people.

 

And DO NOT get me started on Wheel of Fortune.

Sometimes A Great Notion...

Yes, my friends, I am referring to the legendary Oregon Country Fair.

but first, some context.

It's been really hot around here. I want to be very, very clear that I am NOT complaining, just stating the facts. I will take the heat over the rain happily. Please, sir, can I have another?

It's been so hot that persistent inter-species disdain has become indifference and skirmishes have been (temporarily) suspended.

A sight to behold!

So I heard about the Oregon Country Fair when I was 16. I was on a backpacking trip in Oregon during summerbreak and when we stopped in civilization for showers and laundry and burritos, newspapers were really exciting. Mind you that we were out in the woods for about seven or so days at a time, so it wasn't like America added a new state or something while we were gone. But still, things happened and I have never been so interested in the newspaper before or since. Jerry Garcia died during one of the those brief retreats, but that's a whole nother sad story. I liked to fancy myself as something of a hippie (ha) back in those days, which is probably why this blurb about the OCF was so appealing to me at the time. I still remember the little black and white picture of Peaches, the parade-leading mascot of the event... now I have my own picture:

but, wait for it, I'm getting there....

So I have been intrigued about this event for 1/2 my days. Now that we are living in Eugene, we started to see the posters showing up around the Whit and actually thought to ourselves "Should we go?" Friends, WHAT WERE WE THINKING!? We almost didn't go.... why?

1) I no longer fancy myself to be something of a hippie.

2) I heard there was nudity and more...

3) I heard there were drugs 

4) No one could give me a straight answer about WHAT Oregon Country Fair actually is.... 

"Is it like a music festival?" There is music, but not really.

"So is it like a craft fair or one of those crazy renaissance thingers?" Umm, no I wouldn't say that...

"It's like a circus or a freak show?" Kind of. Elements of those things...

5) Did I mention it's hot here?

6) The night before we competed in a highly competitive Flip Cup Tourney.

Sadly, the #1 seated Jungle Savages (our team) were crushed in a stunning upset by To Catch A Predator. I have to admit that my performance may have been affected by the male gynecologist wearing a pink bob wig who was excessively heckling me yelling "PIGEON! PIGEON! PIGEON!" I am not even kidding either. Maybe it was because my keg cup had Pigeon written on it. Not only my dj name and blog pseudonym, but now also my official Flip Cup moniker. If you don't know about Flip Clip here you go:

Pigeon, 31 is too old to be playing drinking games you might say. Let me tell you, I shamefully admit that I like to add a competitive element to my drinking and it was super fun. I can't believe I forgot my camera, almost went home to get it. The next morning, I was so glad I didn't.

So anyway, needless to say, we were not fresh for the fair. But curiosity got the better of us and off we went.

Do you like how I tried to pretend I was taking a picture of my man, when I was really taking one of those people across the bus? I'm so sneaky!

The Oregon Country Fair has been around for 41 years. The extremely aggravating description that I kept getting from people was really true. It's not like anything you have ever seen. It's like Disneyworld. For hippies. Even more than having a great time, I left astounded about the necessary organization and teamwork that makes this beast possible. Look at the map! I didn't do this til I got on the bus and I thought, oh my god.

It's like 200+ acres with attendance close to 20,000 per day. Plus the 20,000 total volunteers to run and work at the fair. Seriously.
When the bus pulled in, there were dozens of volunteers along the way waving you in like you were their best friend they've been missing for a year. It seriously felt like how Floyd greets my man after he's been at work all day. But more excited.
In attempts to describe the 'undescribable" I'll stick to images mostly.

There was a little of this:

I'd say a couple hundred people involved in this parade...

This was billed as Siamese Twin Strip Magic Act

The crowd: Unfortunately, we were in the sunny group. 

This was one of the cooler costumes... those hipsters at Sasquatch were half-assed compared to these party-goers

This guy says to Frank "Unfortunately, I wrote this song." 

It was about aliens. 

Lots of this type of thing:

Some of this... Can you spot my man?

I did not see any agents from Child Protective Services....

This band was awesome Bucky Walters from Arcata CA. They ended with a bluegrass cover of Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer!"

We saw the Gourds and Hot Buttered Rum too. 

So turns out the nudity part was true. I think that the orgies don't happen until late night... (just kidding!) All us normal ticket buying folks have to leave at 7pm, then the real party starts. I guess they have this thing called "the sweep" where the volunteers who get to stay hold hands and start at the back and literally sweep everyone out the exit. It takes about 2 hours for them to sweep the whole fair.

Another really cool thing is that I have a good friend from Missoula who has been going to the Fair for 23 years straight so I got to see her and go 'behind the scenes' a little bit.

That makes her an 'elder'

We didn't want to leave.

The crying gnomes were a very nice finishing touch.

"I'm going to miss you so much."

All in all, it was a wonderful event. All I hoped for and more.

Meanwhile, back at the old homestead.

I really, really, really hope our grass grows in before September. I do not want the 'aisle' for our backyard wedding to be a dirt path.

Please think grassy thoughts for me.

"I can't read and don't care and education is awful"

I don't really like cornbread and I'm pretty sure I've never had butterbeans, but this song sure is sweet.

Carolina Chocolate Drops

A lot has happened since the last blog.

I discovered slugs in my garden. Their days are numbered.

Did a couple radio shows.

I turned 31.

I presented for twenty-five (count 'em, two-five) minutes about my structural equation model.
Thusly completing my first year as a doctoral student. The same presentation that caused me to have a mental breakdown in my PhD advisor's office on my birthday.

But the most important, raddest thing that happened is that momma bird sent me this gift:

My iPad makes me feel really cool. Until my dad told me it's for "seniors." I don't care. i LOVE it.

To celebrate my first day off I decided to procrastinate.

Because even though I am done being a student for a couple months, in 12 days I go back to being a teacher. I should be writing my syllabus and composing assignments and reading the textbook. 

See my textbook there, right under the People Magazine?

Or I could be taking care of the furious ant problem that has been brewing here in our home sweet home. But you know what? My man really likes handling that type of stuff. (Please, friends, do not ever do a google image search for "ant infestation." I don't know what I was thinking)

I could have taken Floyd to the dog park. This dog thinks I am seriously boh-ring. 

I tell him only boring dogs get bored. 

Or just cleaning in general, since my mom will be getting here in 2 days (!!!). Confirming wedding stuff... But, damn, it felt good to do nothing. 

And by nothing I mean napping

mixed with feeding my Bravo addiction.

Did you hear Bethenny has her own show? It's all queued up

Tomorrow we are celebrating my birthday with a trip to the Oregon Coast (as I was somewhat otherwise occupied on the real day having mental breakdowns in professors' offices, see above). I hope it is warmer than the last time we went.

At least we had the place to ourselves

Do you think Floyd will like the water? Stay tuned...

He looks nervous, right?

Allow me to reintroduce myself....

So the FIRST blog post. I wanted to yell that, but yell it quietly mind you. I just found the best way to procrastinate... but really, even this shiny new blog can't distract me from "How Well Do Item Parcels Represent Conceptually Designed Latent Constructs? A Two-Facet Approach" for too long.

If I promise to not talk too much about being a PhD student and how tough it is, do you promise to read my blog? Come on, I read your blog....