Aimee

Shit! NOT COOL!!!

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:53:36 GMT

I just found my livejournal when I googled my name. I don't think I've used my last name here. How did google figure that out? How can I stop that? Do I have to privatize every single entry or something??? Help!

Alex Grey

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 18:02:48 GMT

Looked through a book of his paintings the other day and my eyes watered for the brilliant truth of every page. It was worse than chopping an onion.

the joys of introspective blogging

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 05:04:34 GMT

Wow. Some of the best stuff I've written in my life is in this journal. Why is blogging so much easier and more appealing than writing it in a private journal?
Is it the same reason that I don't cook gourmet meals for just myself or why I don't clean my house unless I'm having company?

A few of my closest friends got rid of their LJ's or stopped using them and there was something wonderful about knowing that, among the rest of you dear LJ friends (some of whom I haven't seen or talked to in ages) there were friends who saw me all the time who were still interested enough to read what I had to say when I wasn't addressing them directly - like the good feeling you get when you find out that someone dear has been watching you sleep or read or sing or dance and you didn't know they were there. It's similar to the joy of being such a witness - joy in the knowledge that as shiner or witness, an illusive truth has been shared.

It seemed that just knowing the ramblings of my head MIGHT be appreciated by someone else made me want to do a really good job of putting the ramblings out into the world. And that urge to write well is made stronger when I think of the excellent company this journal has kept with all of yours - poets, list makers, go getters, bright shiners all. I knew that I wanted you to get the same nourishment out of reading my journal as I did from reading all of yours.

Then suddenly life started moving and changing really drastically and the LAST thing I wanted to do was to try and articulate how I was feeling and what I was doing - all of it was too sacred to even wrap my head around - I just had to let it happen.

Funny how many of the most active and loaded times of my life have no documentation of any kind - no photos, no nothin - I was too busy living it to record it or preserve it.

Several times, I've been tempted to print off and scrapbook my LiveJournal. But as much as I wanna preserve it, it's kinda like trying to bottle a campfire or privatize a river. The reason I'm so proud of this journal is because I meant for it to be shared some how.
Guess it's a good thing I wanna write and sing songs for a living.

This whole entry might seem like a steaming pile of overly introspective bullshit, but it's more articulate bullshit if I write it here than in a private journal - for the inexplicable reasons cited above. Hell, maybe a public setting is the best place to be introspective - cuz you have to translate it and make it universal and filter out your own bullshit as much as possible if you want people to actually listen to you. Thus translated, the ramblings of a preoccupied mind suddenly have a chance of actually being useful to the outside world.

Things shift and change and it'd be dumb to feel guilty about not keeping up with this journal for over a year. Most of the year has been documented in pictures and shared with people through facebook anyway. So the sharing of soulshinings just found a different medium. But lately I've been missing words - so what's wrong with doing both?

Love to you each and shining every. I have missed the company of your words.

Art where you can find it

Wed, 07 Jun 2006 01:22:50 GMT

http://www.bravia-advert.com/commercial/braviacommhigh.html

Yes, it's a commercial for a stupid TV, but it's so sodding beautiful! And I'm glad it's a commercial. Like 250,000 bouncy balls, some things are just too cool not to spread far and wide. And kudos to director Nicolai Fuglsig for dreaming this thing up!

News soon, lovelies! I promise!

go but be kind

Fri, 26 May 2006 22:34:30 GMT

I'm amazed to read emails to people and recall conversations in which I acted like some kind of wise and learn'd being. I'm only 24 years old! What the hell do I know??? And I've been so cautious and careful to the point of immobile for a while and even now as I move...literally....I'm accutely aware of just how little I know for certain. And yet, I have enough faith in my landing pad to jump without really preparing. That's a habit but it's also the fact that I have faith in a certainty I can't even articulate. It's just me that's the uncertain part. That's dangerous. I gotta fix that.

If you go, chances are you'll come again.
And if you come, chances are you'll go.

So go but be kind.
Cuz you have love on your side.
Born to a family with food in their bellies
and a car for them to drive.

Go now, be happy and be free.
You have so much time!

I'm performing at the Acadia on Mother's Day!!

Mon, 08 May 2006 15:22:58 GMT

Short Notice! I'm singing at the Acadia Cafe in Minneapolis
THIS SUNDAY the 14th as part of a Women's Art/Music night. It's gonna be fun and all hippish with lots of spoken word and stuff.
It's from 8 to 11.
Still not sure of the order. Cover is 5 dollars! Corner of Nicolette and Franklin!
Bring your mothers!

Found this

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:36:32 GMT

Hooray for negative sandwiching projects from highschool photography class!

Art, Value, Beauty: Part IV

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:31:16 GMT

-the opening credits of "Fiddler on the Roof"
-cakes made by Becky Barth
-tum ka gai soup
-Ernest Shackleton (see Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure: IMAX)
-forget-me-nots
-Weeks Ringle
-the bathtub scene in "Dumbo"
-honey
-Decorah, Iowa
-Jyoti Grewal
-the craft of piano tuning
-conk shells
-carrot juice
-Twyla Tharp
-Red Ribbon Training Rides
-pomegranates
-"Sister Kate" by the Ditty Bops
-Glen Coe, Scotland
-Joao Gilberto
-belly dance stretches
-skipping stones
-watching children grow out of the word
-STOMP
-the act and art and sense of smell
-morning bird songs
-spring's blinding green
-lungs
-watching stars go out
-ch'i
-patronuses...patroni (what would yours be?)
-autumn (the season and the way the word leaves my mouth)
-pastures new

Helz Yeah

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 02:55:54 GMT

Boy-Man

England’s lads are miniature men
To start with, grammar in their shiny hats,
And serious: in America who knows when
Manhood begins? Presidents dance and hug
And while the kind King waves and gravely chats
America wets on England’s old green rug.

The boy-man roars. Worry alone will give
This one the verisimilitude of age.
Those white teeth are his own, for he must live
Longer, grow taller than the Texas race.
Fresh are his eyes, his darkening skin the gauge
Of bloods that freely mix beneath his face.

He knows the application of the book
But not who wrote it; shuts it like a shot.
Rather than read he thinks that he will look,
Rather than look he thinks that he will talk,
Rather than talk he thinks that he will not
Bother at all; would rather ride than walk.

His means of conversation is the joke,
Humor his language underneath which lies
The undecoded dialect of the folk.
Abroad he scorns the foreigner: what’s old
Is worn, what’s different bad, what’s odd unwise.
He gives off heat and is enraged by cold.

Charming, becoming to the suits he wears,
The boy-man, younger than his eldest son,
Inherits the state; upon his silver hairs
Time like a panama hat sits at a tilt
And smiles. To him the world has just begun
And every city waiting to be built.

Mister, remove your shoulder from the wheel
And say this prayer, “Increase my vitamins,
Make my decisions of the finest steel,
Pour motor oil upon my troubled spawn,
Forgive the Europeans for their sins,
Establish them, that values may go on.”

-Karl Shapiro

Breaking smile news

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 22:41:27 GMT

The Laughing Book is full. On to volume two!

Thin Places

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 22:38:21 GMT

Daylight Savings is a kooky concept, but it brings simple joys twice a year:
In the fall, the hour we gain is like a little sandbag against the oncoming months of longer nights...not to mention the extra hour of sleep.
And in the spring, when we're aching for more sun and day anyway, the lost hour shoots us to it sooner, like speeding in the car on the way to the beach.

Last night I saw Sekou Sundiata (renown poet and playwrite) perform at the Walker. It was him and a stage full of rockin' musicians and the piece was a multimedia mindbending masterpiece called "The 51st (dream) State" about the aftermath of 9/11 and hurricane Katrina and the questions of democracy and humanity that confront Americans from the rubble of such dilemnas. It was really one eloquent question after another that left my ears ringing. It made me cry in parts, laugh and sing two minutes later, and dance in the isles with the performers and the audience at the end.

Mixed in with the soul nutrition of the message delivered through pictures, words, singing, rockin' jazz and dancing, there was the delightful spice of joy that was Sekou's speaking voice. As a poet, he understands the power of words on a page, but the way he spoke made each word live and breathe. And even now it's hard to describe the sound. It was steady and even, so the word "monotone" is a tempting adjective, but it was also achingly gentle and strong at once. Neat stuff, voices.

During the Q&A afterward, Sekou alluded to the Celtic mythology of "thin places" in the world. These are locations where the divide between heaven and earth is porous and the divine of the universe is closer and clearer. "thin" can also be used to describle places in time and specific events, which makes perfect sense. If we are at our most human when we bury our dead, then events like 9/11 and hurricane Katrina are sacred opportunities to hear and understand things/life/the American situation a lot better. I've believed in the existance of holy places for a long time and I've been lucky enough to visit a few. But now that I think about it, most of the thin TIMES of my life were those when I was transitioning out of great loss. That's when Life was singing its loudest. I like that.

And even though Daylight Savings is just a manmade alteration of time, springing forward into the day and the awakening season feels like a cupboard door that opens on a thin place.

[To say 'This is the end of American innocence,' is to lie. America has never been innocent. It is the end of American adolescence.]
-Cornell West

Peace Prize Forum Pictures

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 02:18:40 GMT

Louisianna Pictures

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 01:33:12 GMT

violin hypnosis

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 02:11:07 GMT

I'd forgotten how very much I love this song!

For those of you in the area...

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 02:15:05 GMT

I'm playing at the Acadia Cafe this Thursday, February 23rd at 7:30pm.
There's a $5 cover at the door.

The event is called the Low Fi Demo Benefit and I'm the first to perform so get there at 7:15 if you wanna be sure to see me.

Besides me, Gregory Herriges, Arkan, Jeremy Messersmith, and Nathan Griner & Suburban Lights will be playing.

So for those of you who haven't heard my new stuff, or have never heard me play my stuff, or have heard it but wanna hear it again plus a few more, you should come! Tell your friends! See you there!

The Acadia is located at the corner of Nicolette and Franklin in Minneapolis.

St. Valentine's Day

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 01:47:04 GMT

Today I got homemade chocolate truffles from Ida.

Today I got a lovely delivery of flowers from my dad.

Today I got a lovely song sung to me over the phone by Sofie.

Today I was Stef's valentine. And she says I "have a nice rack".

Chocolates, flowers, songs and compliments about my boobs! Who needs romance? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's fabulous, but it's also fabulous to feel the love of the people you love any day of the year.

Not close to home - just home.

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 17:22:40 GMT

How Can I Keep From Singing?
Traditional

My life flows on in endless song
Above earth's lamentation.
I hear the real, thought far off hymn
That hails a new creation
Above the tumult and the strife,
I hear the music ringing;
It sounds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?

What though the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the truth, it liveth.
What though the darkness round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I'm clinging.
Since Love is lord of Heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?

When tyrants tremble, sick with fear,
And hear their death-knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near,
How can I keep from singing?
In prison cell and dungeon vile
Our thoughts to them are winging.
When friends by shame are undefiled,
How can I keep from singing?

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of God makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since truth I've found—
How can I keep from singing?

For all You music dorks

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 22:26:51 GMT

So these three notes walk into a bar – a G, an eb, and a C. The bartender looks up and says, “We don’t serve minors.” The eb leaves, and the other two have a fifth between them. After a few drinks, the G was out flat, and the experience was diminished. Eventually the C sobers up, sees one of his friends missing, the other one passed out, and realized to his horror that he’s under a rest.

C was brought to trial, found guilty and convicted of contributing to the diminution of a minor and was sentenced to ten years of DS without Coda at the Paul Williams/Neil Sadaka Correctional Facility. While in the correctional facility, C started to play experimental jazz and became a free note just in time before a group of other notes were caught trying to break out in an ascending scale over the walls.

SWABAM!!!

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 18:15:40 GMT

Three new songs. I finished three new songs and performed them on Sunday. And I love them! They're good! With six songs under my belt instead of three, I feel better armed for this whole thing. I feel more sure of the songs I've got and more certain that there's more on the way. Finishing songs and singing them is still the best high I've ever had. And three in one night left my head spinning.
Suddenly I HAVE to record that EP! I gotta get this done! It can't happen soon enough! I wanna get this stuff out there and share it with the people I already owe the world to!

Heehee...a fun memory

Wed, 25 Jan 2006 18:13:48 GMT

Cheers to you, Sonja dear!

While I'm waiting for Lindsay's "shit goddamn" poem...

Mon, 23 Jan 2006 23:13:37 GMT

"Ancient Music"
Ezra Pound

Winter is icummen in,
Lhude sing Goddamm,
Raineth drop and staineth slop,
and how the wind doth ramm,
Sing: Goddamm.
Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
An ague hath my ham.
Freezeth river, turneth liver,
Damn you, sing: Goddamm.
Goddamm, Goddamm, ’tis why I am, Goddamm,
So ‘gainst the winter’s balm.
Sing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm,

Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.

Woo hoo!

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 19:27:22 GMT

First thought: Woo hoo! I just registered for the Minneapolis Red Ribbon Ride! This is gonna rock!

Second thought: Oh sweet Jesus! I just committed myself to raising $1,500 and cycling 300 miles over four days in the middle of July and I don't even own a bike yet!

Third thought: WOO HOO! I JUST REGISTERED FOR THE MINNEAPOLIS RED RIBBON RIDE!! THIS IS GONNA ROCK!!!

Yes it's kind of sad that I needed a better reason than "because I want to" just to get my butt to the Y and the paid performance scene more often, but as reasons go, I couldn't have picked a better one! Fundraiser Concerts and spin classes ho!

Mortimer the Snow Worm

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 01:06:34 GMT

Two hours of arduous teamwork.

And numb noses.

And pink toeses.

Ten feet of snow and love.

Our Darling Snow Worm...Mortimer.

December 30, 2005 - by Marshall, Christy, Aimee and Aaron

Default New Year's Resolution - Thanks Rudyard darling!

Fri, 30 Dec 2005 18:13:00 GMT

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

swish swish swish swish

Wed, 14 Dec 2005 21:13:00 GMT

Since Minneapolis is working through Snow Emergency Day 1, I thought it'd be a good day to wear snow pants. Not really for the cold but for the walking all over Uptown. Doing so in regular pants on a day like this usually leaves one soaked to the knee.

The drawback, of course, is that the legs begin to cry out at the injustice of being overheated. So my legs are sweating. And the pants look a little dorky. And they swish when I walk. And everyone else is dressed in regular clothes and seem to have no trouble staying dry. So I'm a dork...And that's fine by me. Because this snow isn't the kind that stays on your nose and eyelashes. Oh no. This is the stuff that's going to completely burried the city and we'll all just tunnel home and hibernate until spring.

Until then, I'll be dancing in the snow in my snowpants to this song....best song I've ever found for such things. If I ever make a movie with a scene where people are dancing in the snow, this is the song they'd be dancing to...sweaty legs or no.

Mom and sis are coming tomorrow!! Yaaay!