World Inside the World

So. Big Changes in the past month. None of them documented yet and at this rate I'm bound to forget stuff. Feel free to remind me.

1. I have joined the ranks of the unemployed.

2a. I'm sort of not exactly unemployed. I'm just unpaid. Shortly after being laid off I found a new internship which will (hopefully) turn into a real job in the next couple of months.

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING! "But Ashley," you say, "haven't we heard that line before?" Yes. Yes, you have. But I really, REALLY mean it this time. Just like every other time. But for real.

Here's the thing. I can't NOT try. There are some horrible cliches I could employ but I think Okkervil River's "A Stone" sums it up best somehow. And in the meantime, I'm getting some valuable hands-on experience doing radio and internet marketing so win-win-win.

2b. There's a kid at "work" (seriously, he's like, 12 or something) who's really into the Chicago punk scene (Alkaline Trio, Lawrence Arms, etc). It's kind of neat being able to discuss that genre with someone again. It also makes me feel old and ridiculous. Like Liz Lemon going to the night club with the coffee guy on 30 Rock but without any romantic overtones whatsoever. So maybe not really like that at all. Maybe like someone's parent trying to be "cool" and "hip" in front of the child's friends. Except I can't think of a pop culture reference for that.

3. Along those lines (i.e. music) I am still doing my quasi-new radio show. It's on WLUW in Chicago. Monday mornings from 2-4am CST.

4. Guitar lessons are almost over. Next Thursday is our big recital. It involves getting up on stage at the Old Town School of Folk Music with the whole class and playing REM's "The One I Love." The ending of the song is awesome because it's an exaggerated up-strum on the E minor chord. Basically, it's a lot of fun to play, very rock star. I sneer a little when I do it and then promptly laugh myself silly. Sadly I'm going to have to wait until my financial situation is more secure to continue on but it'll work out.

5. New blog layout! Briefly, I spend 6-8 hours in a room with people working on web development at my new internship and I've been slightly inspired to try some stuff out. So...hopefully you like it. If the middle bar isn't centered you may need to re-size your browser (make it narrower!). I'm still learning. But I think it's neat looking...

6. Speaking of being unemployed (like four points ago, whatever) I applied for a job at our local record store. And was rejected. I'm not bitter. Really. I would totally still shop there if I had any disposable income right now. Which I don't (see point #1 above).

The deal is that they have a music quiz for potential employees. And I'm pretty sure I failed it. Here's the thing, I can wax poetic for hours about post-emo indie rock and the evolution of punk (with an emphasis on the Dischord scene and early Epitaph bands). I can discuss current buzz bands, alt-country, riot girl, twee, dancey-dancey indie rock and outlaw music. I even have a faint understanding of modern pop. But I have limited interest in so-called "classic rock" bands. And that seemed to be the emphasis of the quiz.

I understand that knowing the basics is important. But I think in an independent store you'd have more opportunities to discuss, say, Cocorosie or Park Ave than the Beatles. I mean, suggestinga patron check out The Who is all well and good but if I owned a record store I'd recommend Mousetrap* instead.

C'est la guerre.


*Disclaimer, Mousetrap was originally recommended to me by an employee at the Antiquarium. I'm sure I've mentioned it to you before. It's the best store ever, seriously. The Antiquarium is in Omaha and it is an art gallery/used bookstore/record store. The video doesn't show the record store in the basement but it does show the books. Oh man, the books. Simply put, the Antiquarium is my idea of heaven.