M. (hristine

I REALLY love Cath... Mostly though, there is just a lack of flavah with this album. Kinda like white bread start to finish.

And fuck addiction. I have told the story of my sister and her battle with alcoholism many times on this board, so I won't belabor. The difficult thing about loving unrecovered addicts is that before their life has ended, there is a period of time where they are no longer the people you once loved, but "hungry ghosts". The way I reconcile those memories is by finding their counterpart in these: I love you my sister, and miss you every fucking day.

I last saw him in '81. This would be so sweet.

Studio or live? I listened to the live and while the recording was poor, the songs kick some serious ass. Can't wait for this!

Will the real Narrow Stairs please stand up? Sounds good to me.

Well, I enjoy trying.

Yeah, Here Comes the Flood would have everyone looking at their shoes after the first couple of bars. Oooo. I'll have to watch it again. Paddy was a great musician, but the face of the band was always Kate. And what a face.

We used to put on Here Comes the Flood when we wanted everyone to leave the house at the end of parties. That was gorgeous. Lovely intro by young Kate.

I ran outside this morning and yelled, "oceanman is a bitch!" The neighborhood dogs started barking. One of the sweetest, snuggliest boys I know. Happy birthday, Ryan.

The specter of addiction is my close companion. Loving an addict is the most complex of emotions. As hard as one tries to make sense of it, it remains an uncomfortable paradox. Blessings to you Kate, and especially Emily, for peace and equinimity.

So sorry Dunja. Love and prayers to you and your family. My sister died 4 years ago from alcohol related illness. Though I still miss her, (all it takes is hearing certain songs that she loved to make me tear up), the intense heart pain has eased with time. Still wish she and I had had more time to hang out. I miss her every single day. Take care of yourself, sweetie.

Yes. Oh no. I like it sticky.

I'm just stunned that it is sativa instead of indica. Sorry Aman. I'm a botany nerd. It's not just hemp though. It is cannabis that has been culled for sex.

That's a real cannabis sativa field they're standing in. And all the plants are female. Huh.

OK, what about the Aimee Mann story?

My old boyfriend claims that Fire And Rain was written for his cousin who spent time in the psychiatric hospital with James. He also claims to have picked up Aimee Mann in a Lawrence bar during the cocaine years, and travelled with her and her 'Till Tuesday band to Colorado for a lost week. The dude had some outrageous tales, but every one of them turned out to be true.

Ha! I only claimed to have "seen" them.

These have leaked. I've seen Sorry Ma, Let It Be, Kids Don't Follow and Hootenanny.

Last night I dreamed that Sarah and I went to this show (it was in the Lawrence city park, not on the street) and there were only about 20 people there. The band came down off the stage and played in a circle, just like a bluegrass festival I saw in that very same park many years ago. It was wonderful.

They opened for a show I saw last year...Andrew Bird maybe? Pretty good live show, big sound. Reminded me a bit of Arcade Fire in that way.

My son saw this show in Cincinnati last week, and said he was "blown away". My apples don't fall far from my tree.

Heh. Jayhawks win one for the man from Kansas. Happy birthday, uncle.

Happy day, bruddersooie!

High five, Tenderloin!