The Past Week

 

On not taking yourself too seriously

My friends have super mixed opinions of Jimmy Fallon.  They either seem to like him a lot or don't think he's funny at all.  I wasn't a huge fan of his on SNL, because he could never keep from breaking during skits.  Before he joined the cast, the moments that the cast or guests broke were few and far between, and so when it happened it felt like a special gift, like you were seeing some rare joyous moment when even professionals couldn't keep it together.  Jimmy Fallon made that not a rarity.  It became a weekly occurrence, and I didn't like it.

But now that I'm older and Jimmy Fallon has moved on to Late Night and now the Tonight Show, I'm a huge fan.  I think the talk shows are a better fit for him--but mostly because it seems like those outlets allow him to be fully him.  He's a joyous dude and maybe he always broke on SNL because he's so filled with laughter.  Isn't that a nice thought?  I don't know him, obviously, but I adore his gleeful child-like approach to humor and entertainment.  It's as if his whole professional career is about not taking himself too seriously and convincing all of his guests to do the same.

He's a breath of fresh air.

And so here's his newest gift:




And how convenient for me that the song he picked for this week's Dressing Room Recording Session is Idina Menzel singing Oscar-winning Song "Let it Go"?

I'm trying to take myself less seriously.  I'm trying to take just about everything less seriously--except for loving people.  Opinions outside of myself shouldn't matter.  And my inner opinions should be gentler and more compassionate.

Let it go, people.  Let it go.

Lightening the Load

Is there a day that listening to a band that includes a harmonium, banjo, and xylophone can't improve just the tiniest bit?

You be the judge:


Thank you, Freelance Whales.

That is all.

Late to the Fair

So, I think everyone has already seen Benjamin Ames and his teeny 4 y.o. singing "Tonight You Belong to Me".  Apparently it was on the news and the video went "viral."  But I saw it for the first time today, and so I'm posting it.  Maybe not for you.  Maybe just for me so that I know it will be safe and sound in my archive, and I will be able to re-find it a year or two from now when I need a cheer up or a little free parenting advice.  It's lovely.



You might have just noticed that I snuck in the possibility of needing a little free parenting advice.  Yah, I'm late to the fair with Benjamin Ames. . . but also with being a mom to some wee person.  No longer.  D and I have started the process to adopt. So, in truth, motherhood will take a little bit longer. This isn't a swift process.  But we're so excited to have started on the journey.

I can't imagine that I will talk about the actual process here a lot.  In large part because it won't just be mine and D's journey.  It will be the journey of the generous birth family who walks the line with us.  And their story isn't my story to tell.  We will have a small private life together that would be wrong to reveal.

But I won't likely be able to keep my hope and joy and love and excitement to myself.  And so this video.  Mr. Ames.  Thank you for showing a sweet way of taking the anxiety out of something scary.  Fireworks--literally things that go bump in the night--get the smack down from singing with Dad.  This will be a solution in our house, and I can't wait.

Lily and Madeleine

These lovely young sisters had a "tiny desk concert" on NPR recently.  Their voices are gentle and sweet and just the thing for a day like today--a cold day stuck inside doing domestic things like baking and cooking and cleaning.  They elevate all of it.



Important to note, I feel only "stuck" inside not "stuck" doing domestic things.  I love to cook food for our eatings.  I love taking care of my people.  And this music is a peaceful soundtrack to that good quiet work.

Party

Music, like life, should be a party.  That doesn't always mean everything has to be a hoot.  Sometimes that party is rip roarin', but sometimes it's a salon filled with serious talk and soft cheeses, or sometimes it's a wake--half somber, and the half that is celebratory is still tinged with sorrow--or it could be a small party, an intimate one, just a few of your closest friends or family.

But I hope a bunch of it is like this:


"The Way We Move" by Langhorne Slim & The Law

Luckiness

We've been lucky to have been visited by a number of lovely folks in the last month.

First Auntie M and Uncle David took a short trip to Chicago and treated us to dinner at the Honky Tonk BBQ.

 
And then the Millards--Casey, Tom, Ben, and Hap--all came to stay for a long weekend.

 

We hung out.  They played a show with Dan at Transistor.  And then we threw a big party for all of their friends (and ours. . . :) ) on Saturday--replete with shrimp boil, watermelon, salads, scape dip and so on.

Ben took this last picture.  Rock Photographer Millard credit.

We're unbelievably lucky to have such good people in our lives--both local and far away. . . and it's nice when the faraway ones stop in.

TMB

So, I've decided to fall deeply in love with The Morning Benders.

Here's just one reason:


But isn't the one reason plenty when it's this lovely?

My Anthem

This song--"Carry On" by Fun.--has been my anthem for the last month. I found Fun. in the midst of less appealing times and made a point of listening to this song at least once (okay, often 3 or 4 times) during my morning commute. And it totally buoyed me up.



Anyone else think the lead singer looks like Guy Pearce? Anyone? Anyone?

Grimes Video Love

I love everything about this video. She's ridiculously cute dancing with football and motocross crowds. . .



I'm looking for joy wherever I can find it.

2012. Girls.

2012. Hey everybody, we successfully got through 2011 and have come out the other side.

It's nice to be here with you.

I don't know how your year is shaping up, but I have pastries cooking in the oven for a quiet brunch with the d-o-g and the man. And then we're going to organize and clean and lay around. . .likely not all in even distribution. . . and think good thoughts about the coming year.

Girls | FOR NO ONE from FOR NO ONE on Vimeo.

Good Thing Four: My Husband made me listen to the Avett Brothers. . .

and they became my go to band for singing at the top of my lungs in the car. They're music is awesome, easy to harmonize with and perfect for car belting. This has been a big year for them, I think, and I am happy to have jumped on the band wagon.

je t'adore

Kid Francescoli's One Moment. Something about this video makes me so happy.

Last Residency Wednesday

This past Wednesday was Daniel's last January residency date at Uncommon Ground.


Dan's last night was a round robin "Sad Bastard" song night. I unfortunately didn't get a picture of everybody. . . little fun camera was on the fritz. But Scott Richardson, Sneza from Good Apples, Steve Mulcahy from Honest Engine, Eric Zeigenhagen, and my sweetie, Dan Zapruder Point all played the world's saddest songs. Everyone was great and it felt like our own private fun-party.


And I don't know what's up with Eric Z. . . but every time I take a picture of him when he plays, he looks like an angel or a saint. Maybe he is one? Check it out.


And on the way home, Navy Pier off Lake Shore Drive in the cold and ice and snow, like a traveling circus just opening up on the edge of town.

Zapruder Residency

So, my talented husband, Dan Phillips of Zapruder Point is smack dab in the middle of a month long residency at the Wrigleyville Uncommon Ground. He's been playing every Wednesday, along with a guest of his choosing.

First week, Eric Ziegenhagen
Second week, Justin Roberts
Third week, Deanna Varagona
Fourth week, free-for-all, hoot-esque Sad Bastards evening.

This past Wednesday with Justin was lovely. I got to sit and listen with some of my best friends in the cozy space while Justin and Dan's voices filled up the room.

only really needed one picture of the boys for the this post, but the first is better and yet I couldn't resist how happy D looks to be playing so beautifully with his buddy.

You should definitely check him and Deanna out this Wednesday. Details (And some video of last week's show) at zapruderpoint.com.

Next Zapruder Point Album

Dan has been working hard to put together the next Zapruder Point album--this time with help from Larry Brown and John Aselin. I can't wait to hear the finished product.

In the meantime, I've been working on a cover for the album at Dan's request. I can't show you the final artwork, because the album's not done yet, but I can show you a few elements that went into the album cover. . . a little sneak peak!



It's been a great fun to work on this. . . The new album should be ready in a few weeks or less. Check the Zapruder Point website in the meantime for streaming music to tide you over.
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Zapruder Point at Sylvie's

Dan played at Sylvie's last week. . . and as usual, he rocked. But Sylvie's (as undoubtedly much of Chicago knows judging by my colleague's response when I told her, a drummer's wife, about the gig--anger, derisive laughing) is a pretty weird place.

Dan arrived and they told him he wasn't on the performer list. A phone call later that was corrected. But then they made him go on 30-45 minutes early, so when his friends showed up to see him play, his set was nearly over. And $5 for a Rolling Rock? meh.


The high point of the evening was definitely drinks after the show. . . down the street in another establishment.

Baby Mosh Pit

Sunday afternoon, after Salvage One and after a little Indian appetizer lunch, D and I went to see our buddies Justin Roberts and Liam Davis perform at the Old Town School of Folk Music as "Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players."

They were great and we had a fun time. It's hard not to be happy happy happy when watching your friends perform a rock show for babies and tiny children.




Thus the name of the post, every show, Justin encourages the kids to run around and to form a little mosh pit up at at the front of the stage. As it turns out, kids don't really mosh. They twirl. They jump up and down. The cling to the edge of the stage and staring adoringly at the band. They hold hands and swing in circles. Kids are really really cool.

Big Dave and Little Dave. I love Big Dave's big shoes.


See. A bona fide rock show! The two little girls at the bottom of the picture holding up a sign. They weren't the only ones. Signs saying the drummer rocked. Signs claiming their favorite songs--a particularly awesome one for "Sweet Tooth" including a beautiful multi-colored brontosaurus.

You should check them out.

I Still Miss Someone Cover--Yeah!

I convinced Daniel. Enjoy Scott and Daniel Phillips and Nathan Blake Lynn doing a cover of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" at the Wrigleyville Uncommon Grounds.

Zapruder Point, Monologue Bombs, Nathan Blake Lynn

The Dan (Zapruder Point) and his twin brother Scott (aka the Monologue Bombs) played Uncommon Grounds with Nathan Blake Lynn a few weekends ago and I said nothing. . . Because I am a bad wife. And maybe a bad friend, because if you didn't go, you really missed out. It was a great night.

Nathan was up first and played country music that was filled with humor and charm. If Johnny Cash was still alive and still had a variety show on air, Nathan would be invited to perform. . . or if we figure out time travel, Nathan could surely slip back in time and sneak on the show. In his 3-piece tan corduroy suit and his gentle=y funny patter between amazing songs, he would fit right in there.

Dan has a new guitar--a jazz master. This was his first show taking it out for a spin. And I sadly didn't get a good shot of the two of them together.

Here's Dan and Scott singing Dan's "Johnny Without June." I'm hoping Dan will help me to post Dan, Scott and Nathan combining to sing Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" a little later.