document.write('\x3cmeta http-equiv=\x22x-dns-prefetch-control\x22 content=\x22off\x22/\x3e\x3col class=\x22tumblr_posts\x22\x3e\x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_quote_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_quote\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cspan class=\x22tumblr_open_quote\x22\x3e\x26#147;\x3c/span\x3eto love\x3cbr/\x3e\x0a       means this:\x3cbr/\x3e\x0a                     to run\x3cbr/\x3e\x0ainto the depths of a yard\x3cbr/\x3e\x0a       and, till the rook-black night,\x3cbr/\x3e\x0achop wood\x3cbr/\x3e\x0a       with a shining axe\x26#8230;\x3cbr/\x3e\x0ato us\x3cbr/\x3e\x0a       love\x3cbr/\x3e\x0a                           tells us, humming\x3cbr/\x3e\x0athat the stalled engine\x3cbr/\x3e\x0a       of the heart\x3cbr/\x3e\x0ahas started to work\x3cbr/\x3e\x0a       again.\x3cspan class=\x22tumblr_close_quote\x22\x3e\x26#148;\x3c/span\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_source\x22\x3e\x0a                        I\x26#8217;ve been collecting my favorite poetry and short stories in a folder labeled \x3cem\x3eInspiration \x3c/em\x3esince I was 21; years ago, I added this \x3ca href=\x22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Mayakovsky\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eVladimir Mayakovsky\x3c/a\x3e poem (\x26#8220;Comrade Kostrov\x26#8221;) to the collection (the oversized note card it was written on fell out of the folder earlier this week).\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_text_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_title\x22\x3e2011: My Year In Food\x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_body\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3eAs an epilogue to 2011, I\u2019ll be posting a series of year-end  lists\u2014because the Internet needs a few more\u2014that includes my favorite  discoveries and experiences of the past year.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eI traveled quite a bit this past year, starting with Austin in January and concluding with Las Vegas in December. In between those two trips, I spent more time at boarding gates and in the air than with friends and family. In each city, one thing that I looked forward to was at least one good meal\u2014it was the souvenir I took from each destination, along with a few Instragram photos.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eOf all creative endeavors, food is the most sensual\x3c/strong\x3e\u2014whereas an image, song or film can \x3cem\x3eevoke\x3c/em\x3e feelings intended by its artists, food allows individuals to hear\x3csup\x3e1\x3c/sup\x3e, smell, touch and taste the art.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eReading Laura\x26#8217; Esquivel\x26#8217;s \x3ca href=\x22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_Water_for_Chocolate\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x3cem\x3eLike Water for Chocolate\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/a\x3e taught me that\x3cstrong\x3e cooking was about expressing your feelings through food\x3c/strong\x3e, while Alfonse Arau\x26#8217;s film adaptation opened my eyes to the \x3ca href=\x22http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4aMxMg0Vn0\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eerotic possibilities\x3c/a\x3e of cooking (which I haven\x26#8217;t forgotten). Immediately after watching the film,\x3cstrong\x3e I decided cooking would become my creative expression.\x3c/strong\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eOver the past two decades, meals with friends and family account for most of my favorite memories. While I won\x26#8217;t always remember a friend\x26#8217;s birthday, I\x26#8217;ll remember the restaurant and meal. Here are my favorite meals and recipes of 2010\x26#8230;\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cimg alt=\x22Cheeseburger\x22 height=\x22306\x22 src=\x22http://dl.dropbox.com/u/687347/photo_burger.jpg\x22 width=\x22306\x22/\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eMeal: Lamb Burger with Feta Cheese and Roasted Peppers, French Fries and a Kingdom Come @ \x3ca href=\x22http://thebreslin.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eThe Breslin\x3c/a\x3e, Manhattan\x3c/strong\x3e\x3cbr/\x3eDuring a business trip to New York in July, I desperately craved a cheeseburger after an exhausting day of work\x3csup\x3e2\x3c/sup\x3e, so I wandered into the Breslin. I got a table upstairs\u2014far from the maddening crowd\u2014where I could enjoy (re)reading Haruki Murakami\x26#8217;s \x3ca href=\x22http://www.amazon.com/South-Border-West-Sun-Novel/dp/0679767398\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x3cem\x3eSouth of the Border, West of the Sun\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/a\x3e with dinner. The lamb burger was nice and smoky; the fries perfectly dry, crunchy and salty. The Kingdom Come cocktail (whiskey, orange essence, black tea syrup, lemon juice and egg white) was a little sour, but I didn\x26#8217;t care: after spending the 20 of the past 24 hours either working in or presenting from PowerPoint, it was nice to have a quiet, lazy dinner alone, with my mind in a book\x3csup\x3e3\x3c/sup\x3e.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eHonorable Mention: Wagyu Beef Carpaccio @ \x3ca href=\x22http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eBlue Ribbon Sushi\x3c/a\x3e, Las Vegas (if all beef had this much natural flavor, there would be no more vegetarians).\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eCocktail: Pimm\x26#8217;s 74 @ \x3ca href=\x22http://michaelmina.net/restaurants/locations/rn74.php\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eRN74\x3c/a\x3e\x3c/strong\x3e, San Francisco\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cem\x3e Menu description: Housemade Pimm\x26#8217;s, Campari, Ginger Beer and Prosecco\x3c/em\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e While I spent most of the year fixated on cocktails that featured egg whites (often paired with pisco or bourbon), the Pimm\x26#8217;s 74 was the most memorable, due to its presentation\u2014in an oversized wine glass, with fresh cut oranges, peaches and pears\u2014and its crisp, fruit-forward taste with just enough ginger, herbs and bitters to tickle the tip of the tongue but not linger. Sexy, tart and confident\x26#8230; like my date that evening.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eHonorable Mention: Bluebeard @ Thieves Tavern, Los Angeles (blueberries, bourbon, egg whites, lime and bitters).\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cimg alt=\x22from the food diaries\x22 height=\x22240\x22 src=\x22http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/fooddiaries/590287539/1/tumblr_l29u72Oaf31qah90f\x22 width=\x22320\x22/\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eRecipe: \x3ca href=\x22http://www.thefooddiaries.com/post/590287539/ottolenghis-marinated-buffalo-mozzarella-and\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eMarinated Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomatoes\x3c/a\x3e\x3c/strong\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e I discovered Yotam Ottolengh\x26#8217;s \x3ca href=\x22http://www.amazon.com/Plenty-Vibrant-Recipes-Londons-Ottolenghi/dp/1452101248/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x3cem\x3ePlenty\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/a\x3e in the fall and decided to prepare a dinner party inspired by his Mediterranean vegetarian palette. Of the three recipes I chose, the Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella had that \x3cem\x3ewow\x3c/em\x3e factor; it\x26#8217;s prepared toasting fennel, then smashing it\u2014along lemon zest, oil, basil, oregano and garlic\u2014into the freshest buffalo mozzarella you can find. The cheese should be served at room temperature, along with a few tomatoes and pimento peppers for stuffing. The flavor is complex (the fennel, lemon and garlic compete for your taste buds) and simply delicious.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eHonorable Mention:\x3ca href=\x22http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/05/marthas-macaroni-and-cheese/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e Martha\x26#8217;s Macaroni and Cheese\x3c/a\x3e, from smittenkitchen.com (I brought a tray to Thanksgiving dinner and everyone fought over the leftovers, continuing to talk about it weeks later. I\x26#8217;ve tried dozens of mac and cheese recipes and this one is the most simple and tastiest, by far. BTW, I used a cheddar levain bread and panko for the topping.)\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/strong\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(1) Hearing, in the sounds of food sizzling in a platter or the heavy chewing of the person sitting besides you.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(2) My work day featured a six-hour new business presentation, which I worked on until 6AM the morning prior. Now that I think about it, PowerPoint was the theme of quite a bit of my traveling.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(3) I suppose it\x26#8217;s ironic that I chose a dinner alone as my favorite meal, considering all the fuss I made about sharing meals with friends and family. But, it was just that nice to have a meal alone, at that time.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_text_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_title\x22\x3e2011: My Year In Music.\x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_body\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3eAs an epilogue to 2011, I\x26#8217;ll be posting a series of year-end lists\u2014because the Internet needs a few more\u2014that includes my favorite discoveries and experiences of the past year.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3ciframe frameborder=\x220\x22 height=\x22315\x22 src=\x22http://www.youtube.com/embed/Cj2HcdiOmt8\x22 width=\x22560\x22\x3e\x3c/iframe\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eFavorite Album: Washed Out, \x26#8220;Within and Without\x26#8221;\x3c/strong\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eAs a teenager in the early 90\x26#8217;s, I grew up on modern rock\x3c/strong\x3e\x3csup\x3e1\x3c/sup\x3e\x3cstrong\x3e. \x3c/strong\x3eThe Jesus and Mary Chain, Curve, James, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, New Order and Catherine Wheel were the bands I followed religiously and relentlessly: I was attracted to their dark, atmospheric, complicated sounds that stood in stark opposition to my comfortable, candy-colored, suburban hometown\x3csup\x3e2\x3c/sup\x3e. Over the past few years, the influence of the early 90\x26#8217;s modern rock scene has gone mainstream again, with bands such as Washed Out, Toro Y Moi, A Place To Bury Strangers, Tamaryn, True Widow and Cold Cave sampling\x3csup\x3e3\x3c/sup\x3e their way through the decade.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3eOf all the early 90\x26#8217;s revivalists, \x3ca href=\x22http://www.subpop.com/artists/washed_out\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eWashed Out\x3c/a\x3e is my favorite, as Ernest Greene collects the most memorable sounds of the decade\u2014synth beats, drum machines, reverberating guitars and vocal effects\u2014arranging them into modern and hopeful compositions (a feeling often absent from modern rock). \x3cstrong\x3eI love nostalgia and the way a song can transport us back in time\x3c/strong\x3e; with Washed Out, it\x26#8217;s not a particular moment, rather a state of mind\u2014a return to the optimism of youth and musical discovery that resonates (and shapes you) for a lifetime.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3eHonorable Mention: \x3ca href=\x22http://ilovem83.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eM83\x26#8217;s \x3c/a\x3e\x3cem\x3eHurry Up, We\x26#8217;re Dreaming\x3c/em\x3e, \x3ca href=\x22http://jamesblakemusic.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eJames Blake\x26#8217;s\x3c/a\x3e \x3cem\x3eSelf-Titled\x3c/em\x3e, \x3ca href=\x22http://www.mergerecords.com/artists/destroyer\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eDestroyer\x26#8217;s\x3c/a\x3e \x3cem\x3eKaputt\x3c/em\x3e (which might have been my favorite if I had a few more months to savor it.)\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3ciframe frameborder=\x220\x22 height=\x22315\x22 src=\x22http://www.youtube.com/embed/2I9OHh2EA2M\x22 width=\x22560\x22\x3e\x3c/iframe\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eFavorite Live Show: Tamaryn, The Soft Moon and Black Ryder @ Cafe Du Nord (February 25)\x3c/strong\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eIn \x3ca href=\x22http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/24_hour_party_people/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x3cem\x3e24 Hour Party People\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/a\x3e, Tony Wilson (played by Steve Coogan) mentions that watching Joy Division perform for the first time was like experiencing the history of rock music unfold before his eyes\x3csup\x3e4\x3c/sup\x3e. In the past 20 years, I\x26#8217;ve been to hundreds of shows and the feeling that Tony describes has happened exactly twice\u2014watching Interpol at Bottom of the Hill over a decade ago (2001), and now, witnessing Soft Moon last year. It\x26#8217;s not just a brilliant performance that makes these shows special\x26#8230;\x3cstrong\x3e it\x26#8217;s the feeling that you\x26#8217;re witnessing something bigger than anyone in the room can imagine, and that you\x26#8217;ll be talking about the show decades later.\x3c/strong\x3e While Interpol repackaged post-punk with a sexy, hipster decadence that made everyone in the crowd want to be in the band, the Soft Moon beat the eyeliner and skinny jeans off post-punk and stuffed it with dread, menace and lust\u2014what Joy Division and the other Mancunian bands intended all along. Music often leaves listeners with a physical and emotional reaction, but rarely does it shake your spiritual core, and I was lucky enough to be the unexpected victim of Interpol and the Soft Moon.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eHonorable Mention: \x3ca href=\x22http://fyffest.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x3cem\x3eFYFest\x3c/em\x3e \x3c/a\x3ein Los Angeles (fulfilling my dream of seeing Death From Above 1979 live); \x3ca href=\x22http://reignofterror.tv/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eSleigh Bells\x3c/a\x3e @ Williamsburg Hall of Music (say what you will about their bombastic, pre-recorded performance style, but Alexis Krause really knows how to win the crowd); \x3ca href=\x22http://www.qotsa.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eQueens of the Stone Age\x3c/a\x3e @ Fox Theatre (as I got to enjoy the show backstage and hang out with the other tattooed, 30-something \x26#8220;band aids\x26#8221; afterward).\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3ciframe frameborder=\x220\x22 height=\x22315\x22 src=\x22http://www.youtube.com/embed/imkU0Kjw_eY\x22 width=\x22560\x22\x3e\x3c/iframe\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eFavorite Song: Phantogram\x26#8217;s \x26#8220;16 Years\x26#8221;\x3c/strong\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eThe intersection of music and moment plays a significant role in our memory: \x3c/strong\x3eone influences the way we recall the other and once a connection is made in our mind, they are inseparable. Whereas I would have chosen Tamaryn\x26#8217;s \x26#8220;Dawning\x26#8221; as my favorite song a few months ago, my discovery of Phantogram\x26#8217;s \x26#8220;16 Years\x26#8221; during a time when I sought musical companionship and writing inspiration made it the most important song of my year (see a previous post for additional words about the song).\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3eHonorable Mention: \x3ca href=\x22http://www.myspace.com/imagesmusic\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eTamaryn\x26#8217;s\x3c/a\x3e \x26#8220;Dawning\x26#8221; (see earlier post), \x3ca href=\x22http://www.sbtrkt.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eSBTRK\x26#8217;s\x3c/a\x3e \x26#8220;Right Thing To Do\x26#8221; (this is the true sound of dubstep), M83\x26#8217;s \x26#8220;Midnight City\x26#8221; (saxophone solos are back, in an epic way).\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(1) Instead of using goth-rock, synth-pop, new wave and shoegaze to describe the different music genres listed, I\x26#8217;m going with \x26#8220;modern rock\x26#8221;, much like LIVE105, our local radio station, liked to label these bands.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(2) That, all the cute nerdy girls in high school were part of the goth crowd\x3c/em\x3e.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cem\x3e(3) Not necessarily sampling in a technical sense, but you know what I mean.\x3c/em\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cem\x3e(4) I\x26#8217;m definitely paraphrasing here, but he did mention something to this effect.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_audio_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_audio_player\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cscript type=\x22text/javascript\x22 language=\x22javascript\x22 src=\x22http://assets.tumblr.com/javascript/tumblelog.js?719\x22\x3e\x3c/script\x3e\x3cspan id=\x22audio_player_15232018728\x22\x3e[\x3ca href=\x22http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eFlash 9\x3c/a\x3e is required to listen to audio.]\x3c/span\x3e\x3cscript type=\x22text/javascript\x22\x3ereplaceIfFlash(9,\x22audio_player_15232018728\x22,\'\\x3cdiv class=\\x22audio_player\\x22\\x3e\x3cembed type=\x22application/x-shockwave-flash\x22 src=\x22http://assets.tumblr.com/swf/audio_player.swf?audio_file=http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/15232018728/tumblr_lx7itbb70R1qauko6\x26color=FFFFFF\x22 height=\x2227\x22 width=\x22207\x22 quality=\x22best\x22 wmode=\x22opaque\x22\x3e\x3c/embed\x3e\\x3c/div\\x3e\')\x3c/script\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eEvery year, I make a holiday mixtape for friends.\x3c/strong\x3e It almost didn\x26#8217;t happen this year.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eThe perfect mixtape isn\x26#8217;t a happy accident.\x3c/strong\x3e It requires a lot of trial and error before it\x26#8217;s right.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eI usually start thinking about it in the fall: a particular song will leave an impression due to its lyrics, melody or context\x3csup\x3e1\x3c/sup\x3e. This song becomes the \x3cem\x3esoul\x3c/em\x3e of the mixtape\x3csup\x3e2\x3c/sup\x3e, on which the rest of the songs are attached.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eIn August, it was Washed Out\x26#8217;s \x3ca href=\x22http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj2HcdiOmt8\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x26#8220;Eyes Be Closed\x26#8221;\x3c/a\x3e. \x3cem\x3eWithin and Without \x3c/em\x3ewas my favorite (and most-played) album of the year and everyone loves \x3ca href=\x22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chillwave\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3echillwave\x3c/a\x3e.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eIn October, it was M83\x26#8217;s \x3ca href=\x22http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3k_QDnzHE\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x26#8220;Midnight City\x26#8221;\x3c/a\x3e. Then the Victoria\x26#8217;s Secret commercials ruined my idea (much like the Kindle robbed Bibio\x26#8217;s \x26#8220;Lover\x26#8217;s Carvings\x26#8221; from me in 2010).\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eI still didn\x26#8217;t have a song in early December. I briefly considered Thomas Geiger\x26#8217;s remix of Stella\x26#8217;s \x3ca href=\x22http://soundcloud.com/eke_92/stella-dreams-thomas-geiger-rmx-from-addicts-library\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x26#8220;Dreams\x26#8221;\x3c/a\x3e and Class Actress\x26#8217; \x3ca href=\x22http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSOWYyy693k\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3e\x26#8220;Keep You\x26#8221;\x3c/a\x3e, but both failed to stick\x3csup\x3e3\x3c/sup\x3e.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eI officially had mixtape block\x3c/strong\x3e and it was less than two weeks before the holidays.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eSo, I stopped thinking about the mixtape and turned my attention to writing a holiday letter. I thought about the year and wrote down my favorite memories to use as inspiration (I traveled a lot in 2011, so I started with those moments). Suddenly, I had a \x3cem\x3enew soul\x3c/em\x3e for the mixtape (James Blake\x26#8217;s \x26#8220;A Case of You\x26#8221;), and I spent a couple of days choosing, arranging, removing and listening to the songs until it sounded \x3cem\x3ejust right:\x3c/em\x3e\x3cem\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eUnder the Covers // December 2011\x3c/strong\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eThe Civil Wars, Dance Me to the End of Love\x3cbr/\x3e Birdy, 1901\x3cbr/\x3e Beck and Friends, Never Tear Us Apart\x3cbr/\x3e Kelly Dalton, I\x26#8217;m on Fire\x3cbr/\x3e James Blake, A Case of You (February; Phoenix)\x3cbr/\x3e Sarah Blasko, Don\x26#8217;t Dream It\x26#8217;s Over\x3cbr/\x3e The Morning Benders, Dreams (March; Austin)\x3cbr/\x3e Kaki King, Close to Me (June; Napa)\x3cbr/\x3e Holly Miranda, Hundreds of Sparrows\x3cbr/\x3e Nira Diana, Temptation (July; New York)\x3cbr/\x3e Bon Iver, I Can\x26#8217;t Make You Love Me / Nick of Time (October; San Francisco)\x3cbr/\x3e Memoryhouse, When You Sleep\x3cbr/\x3e Rogue Wave, Maps\x3cbr/\x3e The Bird and the Bee, One On One (September; San Diego)\x3cbr/\x3e The Cardigans, Carnival\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eIt\x26#8217;s not quite what I expected, but I\x26#8217;m happy with the results. During an interview around the time \x3cem\x3eAlmost Famous\x3c/em\x3e was released, Cameron Crowe mentioned that he preferred making monthly mixtapes instead of writing in a journal, and I\x26#8217;m starting to see (and hear) his logic.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3ePS. I chose \x3ca href=\x22http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/1b8bdee5-783a-4eca-88e5-3e9460739546\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eBirdy\x26#8217;s\x3c/a\x3e \x26#8220;1901\x26#8221; to include with the post because i can\x26#8217;t get enough of it, and you won\x26#8217;t either.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(1) a moment in the past year, usually involving a late evening drive or a girl, sometimes both.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(2) until I change my mind, which is often\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(3) I struggle putting together up-tempo mixes, usually surrendering to ballads.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_quote_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_quote\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cspan class=\x22tumblr_open_quote\x22\x3e\x26#147;\x3c/span\x3eA kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.\x3cspan class=\x22tumblr_close_quote\x22\x3e\x26#148;\x3c/span\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_source\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3ca href=\x22http://www.ingridbergman.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eIngrid Bergman\x3c/a\x3e, I can\x26#8217;t really argue with you. However, I wish your insight could resolve long-winded client conversations.\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_audio_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_audio_player\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cspan id=\x22audio_player_12780136955\x22\x3e[\x3ca href=\x22http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eFlash 9\x3c/a\x3e is required to listen to audio.]\x3c/span\x3e\x3cscript type=\x22text/javascript\x22\x3ereplaceIfFlash(9,\x22audio_player_12780136955\x22,\'\\x3cdiv class=\\x22audio_player\\x22\\x3e\x3cembed type=\x22application/x-shockwave-flash\x22 src=\x22http://assets.tumblr.com/swf/audio_player.swf?audio_file=http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/12780136955/tumblr_lumvk6KUSo1qauko6\x26color=FFFFFF\x22 height=\x2227\x22 width=\x22207\x22 quality=\x22best\x22 wmode=\x22opaque\x22\x3e\x3c/embed\x3e\\x3c/div\\x3e\')\x3c/script\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eI haven\x26#8217;t been able to get enough of \x26#8220;16 Years\x26#8221;, a delicious new track from \x3ca href=\x22http://phantogrammusic.virb.com/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3ePhantogram\x26#8217;s\x3c/a\x3e \x3cem\x3eNightlife\x3c/em\x3e. \x3c/strong\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eThis month, I started writing again as I attempt to participate in \x3ca href=\x22http://www.nanowrimo.org/\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eNational Novel Writing Month\x3c/a\x3e. While I haven\x26#8217;t kept up with the 1,600 daily word count, I\x26#8217;ve started the process of transferring my thoughts from mind to paper, which has left me in a nostalgic daze.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eIn \x26#8220;16 Years\x26#8221;, Sarah wonders if she\x26#8217;s falling in love again, prompting me to consider the last time I felt so inspired\x26#8230;\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3eEarly 2010, sitting in my car above Berkeley, staring out across the bay, recounting the lives that lead us to that moment.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eOur courtship didn\x26#8217;t survive the summer, but that evening\x3csup\x3e1\x3c/sup\x3e\u2014its nervous excitement, reckless honesty and naive impulsiveness (during which we ended up at a karaoke room at 2AM)\u2014is something I haven\x26#8217;t felt in a while, but something I\x26#8217;m hopeful to experience again.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(1) I don\x26#8217;t know how she felt in that very moment, but for romantics, love is often a lonely pursuit.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_audio_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_audio_player\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cspan id=\x22audio_player_11942363273\x22\x3e[\x3ca href=\x22http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eFlash 9\x3c/a\x3e is required to listen to audio.]\x3c/span\x3e\x3cscript type=\x22text/javascript\x22\x3ereplaceIfFlash(9,\x22audio_player_11942363273\x22,\'\\x3cdiv class=\\x22audio_player\\x22\\x3e\x3cembed type=\x22application/x-shockwave-flash\x22 src=\x22http://assets.tumblr.com/swf/audio_player.swf?audio_file=http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/11942363273/tumblr_lt6mq8i4131qauko6\x26color=FFFFFF\x22 height=\x2227\x22 width=\x22207\x22 quality=\x22best\x22 wmode=\x22opaque\x22\x3e\x3c/embed\x3e\\x3c/div\\x3e\')\x3c/script\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3e\x3cstrong\x3eA couple of years ago, I added Ryan Adams\x26#8217; \x3ca target=\x22_blank\x22 href=\x22http://thismornin.blogspot.com/2008/08/ryan-adams-suicide-handbook.html\x22\x3e\x3cem\x3eSuicide Handbook\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/a\x3e to my Top 10 Desert Island Albums list.\x3c/strong\x3e I had listened to the album at least a hundred times and still wanted to hear it a hundred more.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3eThe Suicide Handbook\x3c/em\x3e is an unofficial Ryan Adams release, two albums worth of demos recorded between \x3cem\x3eHeartbreaker \x3c/em\x3eand \x3cem\x3eGold\x3c/em\x3e, featuring little more than an acoustic guitar (or two), harmonica and Ryan\x26#8217;s soothing voice. Early sketches of \x26#8220;La Cienega Just Smiled\x26#8221;, \x26#8220;Answering Bell\x26#8221; and \x26#8220;Touch Feel and Lose\x26#8221; play as sparse, soulful meditations of love lost and found.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x26#8220;Firecracker\x26#8221; is my favorite song, its soaring harmonica matching Ryan\x26#8217;s moodswings as he thinks about his date. It\x26#8217;s a song that makes me wish I was a musician, so I could have my own \x26#8220;Firecracker\x26#8221; moment.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eLast week, I had a chance to hear Ryan perform the song with an acoustic guitar and harmonica. Brilliant. I can finally cross something off my bucket list.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_quote_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_quote\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cspan class=\x22tumblr_open_quote\x22\x3e\x26#147;\x3c/span\x3eThe woman he met. He met a woman. This woman was the woman he met. She was not the woman he expected to meet or planned to met or had carved into his head in full dress with a particular nose and eyes and lips and a very particular brain. No, this was a different woman, the one he met.\x3cspan class=\x22tumblr_close_quote\x22\x3e\x26#148;\x3c/span\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_source\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cstrong\x3eTo whom do you listen when your heart and head are in conflict? \x3c/strong\x3eAn excerpt from \x3ca target=\x22_blank\x22 href=\x22http://www.flammableskirt.com/\x22\x3eAimee Bender\x26#8217;s\x3c/a\x3e short story \x26#8220;The Meeting\x26#8221;, published in \x3ca target=\x22_blank\x22 href=\x22http://www.amazon.com/Willful-Creatures-Aimee-Bender/dp/0385720971/\x22\x3e\x3cem\x3eWillful Creatures\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/a\x3e.\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_audio_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_audio_player\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cspan id=\x22audio_player_11388770269\x22\x3e[\x3ca href=\x22http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eFlash 9\x3c/a\x3e is required to listen to audio.]\x3c/span\x3e\x3cscript type=\x22text/javascript\x22\x3ereplaceIfFlash(9,\x22audio_player_11388770269\x22,\'\\x3cdiv class=\\x22audio_player\\x22\\x3e\x3cembed type=\x22application/x-shockwave-flash\x22 src=\x22http://assets.tumblr.com/swf/audio_player.swf?audio_file=http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/11388770269/tumblr_lszovoqp501qauko6\x26color=FFFFFF\x22 height=\x2227\x22 width=\x22207\x22 quality=\x22best\x22 wmode=\x22opaque\x22\x3e\x3c/embed\x3e\\x3c/div\\x3e\')\x3c/script\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3eI\x26#8217;ve listened to \x26#8220;Dawning\x26#8221; more than any song this year: there\x26#8217;s just something so majestic about Tamaryn\x26#8217;s voice, Rex Jon Shelverton\x26#8217;s swirling, ringing guitar arrangement and the driving percussion\x26#8230;\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e\x26#8220;\x26#8230; you\x26#8217;re a vast sky, you\x26#8217;re a dead star, you\x26#8217;re a cruel sea\x26#8230;\x26#8221;\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3eI\x26#8217;d like to think that \x3cstrong\x3egrowing up is about learning how to wear our emotional scars as beautiful tattoos\x3c/strong\x3e\x26#8230; but instead of a tattoo, Tamaryn wrote a brilliant song.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_audio_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_audio_player\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cspan id=\x22audio_player_11093616201\x22\x3e[\x3ca href=\x22http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash\x22 target=\x22_blank\x22\x3eFlash 9\x3c/a\x3e is required to listen to audio.]\x3c/span\x3e\x3cscript type=\x22text/javascript\x22\x3ereplaceIfFlash(9,\x22audio_player_11093616201\x22,\'\\x3cdiv class=\\x22audio_player\\x22\\x3e\x3cembed type=\x22application/x-shockwave-flash\x22 src=\x22http://assets.tumblr.com/swf/audio_player.swf?audio_file=http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/11093616201/tumblr_ls9x6j0MY11qauko6\x26color=FFFFFF\x22 height=\x2227\x22 width=\x22207\x22 quality=\x22best\x22 wmode=\x22opaque\x22\x3e\x3c/embed\x3e\\x3c/div\\x3e\')\x3c/script\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3e\x26#8220;There is a Light\x26#8221; is one of those (immutable) songs that sounds good, no matter who\x26#8217;s performing it(*)\x26#8230; that even includes myself in a karaoke room. \x3cstrong\x3eThe Smiths version will be played at my wedding or funeral\x3c/strong\x3e, whichever happens first. And everyone better be dancing.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cem\x3e(*) not to be read as a backhanded compliment to Schneider TM.\x3c/em\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a\x3c/ol\x3e');