i am obsessed

Officially. Serious girl crush. The range of melody, the admirable gestures, the quiet yet blasting wit, she had me at hello. Jesca Hoop's album Kismet is one of the best I've picked up this year, though she's been around since early 2006 and is finally getting a bit of earned recognition.

From London Tour Dates Magazine, December 12, 2008

"Sadly, we live in a world that thinks a pretty girl with an acoustic guitar automatically equals boring (another thing Barack Obama can try and find time to sort out). It means Jesca Hoop, once a nanny to Tom Wait's children, may lose out on a potential army of fans. Those who persevere with her though, will enjoy a brilliant talent whose songs are nothing short of folk pop masterpieces..." By Barnaby Smith







ummm yeah, enough said.

someone great.

I am nothingness.
Within the self exists all the universe.
To breathe goodness in,
creates balance and harmony in the voided self,
and thus, in the universe.
Be nothingness in the complete absence of emotional thought.
Feel your space.
With every good breath,
create balance and harmony within the self,
and so, within the universe.
Then, the greatness within the self,
in turn, equalizes without the self.

By Ursula Kohncke

The most beautiful, kindred soul I have ever had the joy and good fortune to encounter. I cannot even begin to express my love and gratitude for this person. It is no coincidence that we found each other, our souls have been together in many lifetimes, and it is so warming to know that we will never be apart. Our friendship is so infinitely boundless. Our energy is synced and compliments one another's perfectly. It's unbelievable how quietly and extravagantly the puzzle pieces fit. No one has ever had the capacity to teach me in this way, to show me the true meaning of life and love. The stream of admiration, respect, and appreciation runs deep and will go on forever. You have touched my spirit and ignite my passion for life. Inspiration is my leading motive in life, it all starts with inspiration and your heart and mind create an energy that is with me always. What more could you ask for in a friend?

cumbersome vs leaflike past my bedtime

disappointment.




Please don't try and talk to me about fucking disappointment like I don't understand it from the depths. Where it comes from, where I invited it, and where I didn't deserve it. And what angers me is the hypocrisy, the shadiness, but most of all the fact that I support you, in every decision you make NO MATTER HOW STUPID I THINK IT IS and you have lost the ability to do that for me. Yes, I completely welcome your opinion, and I will never ask you to lie or sugar coat your perspective. But let's stop beating around the bush and admit that there is an akward tension over territorial insecurities or something and one of us in unaware of it, and I don't think it's me. When it comes to judgment calls, I would not try and pull the indignant card to try and convince me I'm in the wrong.

To be completely honest, I have felt such a lack of camaraderie between us these past months. At my worst, you tell me your "sorry" but you promise to call back soon, and in place of that I get some measely texts telling me the same old. I don't expect you to give me some magical fucking answers, but the support of your voice on the other end.... I mean when do we even talk anymore anyway??? About anything that is worthwhile? Seriously, I cannot remember a time that I felt the rewards of conversation between you and I. AND I consider that to be a large component of a healthy, well friendship.

I am going to bed. I'm starting to rant, and negativity has been such a minimal part of my life lately, I'd like to keep it that way. Tomorrow is new and I will address what I'm feeling and hopefully we will feel resolved.

Coachella 09: USE repeat offendors!

Ok, so bear with my “negativity” here. But am I the only one who isn’t THRILLED with the 2009 Coachella lineup???

Don’t get me wrong—my ticket has been purchased, Coachella has earned its name as one of America’s “most acclaimed” music festivals. I have no doubt that being in that magical isolated desert for three days will change my life. All the interesting people, cold drinks, & chills down my spine from the moments of true presence and “oneness” will be hands down WORTH it.

BUT, I’ve done a little research on the Coachella lineups starting from 2005, and it seems to me this year could use a little sprucing. I know, I know—Coachella is famous for presenting more under the radar artists and I truly wouldn’t have it any other way. I am always thrilled to see unknown talented artists who have something fresh to bring the music scene. But according to my research Coachella does use repeat artists, Amy Winehouse who is a headliner this year was featured in 2007. Atmosphere, another headliner was used in 2006, Franz Ferdinand=2006, the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s headlined in 2006 and are playing on Sunday this year.

Those are but a few examples and I’m not saying Coachella shouldn’t use bands they have used in previous years—quite the contrary—I actually wish they WOULD’VE used bands that they’ve used in the past who are still relevant and thriving such as: the Dears (who played in 2006, but just put out the album Missiles late 2008), CocoRosie (the obscure sisters who played in 2007—who to anyone who knows them are FUCKING AMAZING), Sigur Ros (who played in 2006, but dropped a new album June of ’08), the Arcade Fire (has been on Coachella’s roster 2005 & 2007—but come on it’s been two years and WHO doesn’t want to see the Arcade Fire??), of Montreal (who played in 2007, but have you HEARD Skeletal Lamping??), LCD Soundsystem (played in 2007, but would’ve been a renewing addition to this year’s roster), Bjork (who’s 2007 performance is still being talked about would’ve been awesome), and I could go on about other repeats I would’ve enjoyed. But instead I’ll move on to artists’ who I’ve never (since 2005) seen on a Coachella lineup: Broken Social Scene (played 2004, & yes I realize how HUGE they’ve gotten—but I’m partial, they are my fave), Neutral Milk Hotel (I don’t think has ever played at Coachella), Foals (would’ve been a nice under-the-radar band to have exposed), the Notwist, Fiona Apple (awesome headliner that would’ve been eh?). Okaaayyy—so now that’s off my chest.

Again, despite my yapping criticism I AM super excited about this year’s sure-to-be epic Coachella trip. Here’s my tentative hit-list for while I am there: Beirut, Crystal Castles, Paul McCartney, Leonard Cohen, STEVE AOKI, TRV$DJ-AM, Crystal Method, Girl Talk, Ghostland Observatory, M. Ward, Morrissey, Los Campesinos!, Aggrolites, Black Keys, People Under the Stairs, Presets, Amy Winehouse, Band of Horses, Atmosphere, Fleet Foxes, Dr. Dog, Crookers, MSTRKRFT, Junior Boys, the Bloody Beetroots, My Bloody Valentine, Glasvegas, N.A.S.A., the Killers, Electric Touch, TV on the Radio, Antony and the Johnsons, Groove Armada, Okkervil River, Peter Bjorn & John, The Cure, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’s.......

See full 2009 lineup here: http://www.coachella.com/

Hi I'm...

ps. Every month, Some Crust Bakery in Claremont features a local and/or little-known artist to display various pieces of his or her work. This month's artist is Josh Kreutzer whose pieces are eclectic & young but leave with a knot-in-your-stomach. The good kind of course...









my personal fave:



xo.melissa

New

Year, new perspective. New opportunities, new growth. This is something I should've been doing already, but you gotta start somewhere. I will be posting a minimum of 3 blogs a week--two of which will be also posted here:
http://community.dimmak.com/blog/
(i've started an internship hence the requirement of blogging), and as a personal goal I'll be posting a third for fun, for me. Not like the other two won't be for me, but yeah.. I don't think further explanation is necessary. I'm washing my hands of harsh self-criticism & feelings of inferiority... cause that's simply not what I'm made of. Anyway to those of you who find my rants/reviews/photos/storytelling relevant and possibly useful please come by weekly to get your fill of Melissa-isms.

XO.

untitled2

there are two types of people in this world:

a. the type of person who is afraid that they r addicted to coffee

and 2. the type of person who shrugs and says, "everyones addicted to coffee, its not that big of a deal"

even though I'd personally like to say I am the latter version of human I must admit that I'm probably a bit of both. there's a true gemini for ya.

but you, no you are absolutely number 2. i always envied that sense of self-assurance, and im sure you knew i relied a lot on it.

I think I'm gonna defy the conventional wisdom that we are to have "no regrets" and just say that yeah... there are a lot of things I'd do differently. I don't know if it's possible to reach a point of equanimity with two extreme/addict personalities.... but what I do know is that I miss you.

You're good, I'm good, I'm here, you're here, we're there, we're busy, we're cold, we miss the laughs... we say we care so much, but still there is such a wave of fear that takes both of us under.