Strange Pulse

But it was a lot of work.

So, last week I moved all our furniture around to make room for our windows to be replaced. Then they rescheduled our window replacement for this week. We had to live with all our stuff piled in the middle of our rooms for days. Actually, I had to move some of it back, and then move it again when they finally did come to replace our windows.

The good thing about all this was I finally cleaned some stuff out and moved some things around. It used to be my vinyl records were in the TV cabinet, floor-level, behind all of our dvds. So if I wanted to listen to anything, I had to get down on the floor, move all our dvds out of the way, and dig around way down low for the record I wanted. But since we had to take them all out to move the TV cabinet, I decided to get rid of some old books and make room in our large IKEA bookshelf. Now they’re at eye-level with nothing in the way!

I also decided to clean out and organize my bedroom closet. It’s all storage, but it’s all neatly in boxes now. I used to keep my cameras in big plastic bins and it was a bit of a hassle to drag them out when I wanted one. So I moved some cabinets that used to be in the dining room into my bedroom and voila, camera cabinets!

My latest camera purchase was this waterproof $15 camera from Sport Chalet. I haven’t tried it out yet—the pool is still a little cold. Daniel’s sister’s family is visiting in June for a couple days, though, so I’m sure we’ll have fun with it then.

The record that was still on my turntable when I moved all my records was the Psychedelic Furs’ first album (self-titled), so I thought it’d be a good one to highlight today.

I took my blog name from two of their songs, both on this album—”Susan’s Strange” and “Pulse.” (My cool older brother’s suggestion.) I couldn’t find either song on youtube, but here’s another good one from the album:

Saw them live twice in the 80s. Great band.

…It would look like this.

In fact, when we had a yard, it was just like that. I mean, it was that. That was our yard.

Daniel dug it all by hand. With a shovel. It started out small…

and grew…

and grew…

Nathaniel used to be quite the bmxer.

So was Daniel. (Note Nathaniel filming him with the videocamera.)

Elijah tried:

But wasn’t always successful.

But that didn’t slow him down much. (I’m pretty sure he’s actually holding the leg that he didn’t hurt.)

King of the Road says you move too slow:

Waiting for Dad…

Waiting…

Dad arrives!

Bonus points if you caught:

• Daniel’s bike has two different types of wheels (mags/spokes).
• Nathaniel’s bike has two different color tires.
• Elijah’s bike is one of those bikes for 2 year olds without even a bike chain—but the training wheels have been removed.
• Elijah is NOT wearing socks.
• All of our neighbors, except the one with all the piles of junk, had lovely yards. (You think your kids get dirty?)

Developed another roll of film. I’ve been slacking on the photography lately.

Dog beach:

It’s really fun to hang out there and watch the dogs. They’re in heaven.

From our trip to Hollywood to try to see Flight of the Concords at Amoeba:

My City Screams…Subway:

This last is my favorite. It’s our neighbor’s doorstep. I just put the camera on the ground outside our door and clicked it. I just wanted to use the last frame so I could develop the roll.

Our neighbor is a smoker.

I’ve updated the list of shows I’ve seen and posted it finally. I need to get back into keeping track of all the shows I go to—had to hunt around for ticket stubs and reviews and pictures I’ve posted various places to get this thing updated.

Here it is.

I’m sure there’s some I’ve forgotten.

Some favorite live pics I’ve taken over the years…

Opeth:

Low:

M Ward:

Goatsnake (Scott Reeder):

Players Club:

When Daniel and I first got married (Feb ‘89), we lived in Hawaii for six months. We were sooooo young.

My favorite beach was Laniloa Beach. It was just down the road from us in Laie. All the BYU college students called it Bikini Beach, because it was secluded and they could wear bikinis there without getting caught. (BYU has a dress code which includes no bikinis.) This is me at Laniloa:

Nice belt, huh? I was 18 or 19. Daniel at Laniloa Beach:

My other favorite beach was Kailua Beach. It was a ways away, but we worked not too far from Kailua, so I went there a lot. Both of these beaches have houses right on the beach—like we’re basically standing in people’s yards. But all of the beaches in Hawaii are public. None are privately owned. So while people can sometimes build houses right on the beach, you can just walk right onto the beach any old time.

This is a picture of Laie Point. Daniel lived in a house out here the year before we got married, when he was attending BYU:

I took this picture from Laniloa Beach, or maybe it was from up on the Point, of a spear fisherman walking out on the reef one day:

I used to walk down to Laniloa after class (I went to BYU in Hawaii for a semester while we were there) and sit on the beach and do homework.

We bought this car, a Plymouth Scamp, for about $200. It was a rust bucket, but all the cars in Hawaii were. It’s so humid there. We had a lot of fun in this car, mainly because there was an exhaust leak and we’d get completely delirious while driving home from work at night. (Our drive was about 45 minutes.)

We rented a basement apartment to Daniel’s right in the picture above. In the picture below, it’s the bottom right part of the house:

My parents came for a visit once. I took this picture of Honolulu when my parents were visiting and we went up to Diamond Head. Actually, I can’t remember going up there, maybe they went without me and I gave them my camera.

Daniel’s parents came to Hawaii on their anniversary, so we got to hang out with them as well. Here I am with my in-laws:

Ah, to be young and in Hawaii…

Chuck Dukowski, bassist of Black Flag, has a band called the Chuck Dukowski Sextet. His wife does vocals; Tony Tornay of Fatso Jetson plays drums; and they have a very young-looking guitarist.

A Sextet of four people.

The show was in a little art gallery in San Pedro. Just a small room with the walls covered in old Black Flag show flyers.

Before the show, the TVs on the table in the pic above were showing videos. One had clips from some band playing in what looked like an auditorium or something. The other was footage of a band playing a skate contest at the Basic Pool a few years ago. Nathaniel and I were tripping out because we were at that contest.

Tony’s a friend of mine, but I haven’t seen him in a few years. He was telling me about how every time he goes snowboarding he thinks of Daniel because he rides an old Lib Tech board. Daniel used to work for Lib Tech. The board Tony has is a Dave Lee pro model. Daniel most likely built the board. Dave Lee is now Daniel’s boss, the owner of Signal Snowboards. I can’t believe a board that old is still rideable.

The guitarist looks like he’s about 13.

Chuck was having fun.

They closed with “My War,” which I then had stuck in my head the rest of the night. Funny how it’s such a catchy song. I’ll post it to the radio.blog.

Nathaniel and the one armed man came along.

I have a post up over at Kulturblog.com about why today’s popular rock music sucks. Go check it out if you want.

We have a giant whiteboard on our wall between our living room and dining room. We use it as a calendar. The kids put stuff on it, their activities or plans. I put shows on it.

Next show: tonight in San Pedro, my friend’s side project band is playing at an art gallery. The band is called the Chuck Dukowski Sextet. Chuck Dukowski is the bassist from Black Flag, and he plays bass in the CD6; his wife does vocals; my friend Tony, drummer from Fatso Jetson, plays drums. I can’t remember who else is in the band. Should be fun, I’m taking Nathaniel, and trying to talk Daniel into going. Dillun, you can come too.

I know it’s hard to read—so other notable notes on our calendar are:

May 2 - Cat’s friend Jenn is having a masquerade party
May 3 - Cultural night at church (yummy food)
May 10 - Bono’s birthday
May 14 - a cartoon face Cat drew, excited about having a blue pen
May 17 - Brant Bjork at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach!

I’ve never posted on my blog about American Idol, but I thought this conversation I had with my best friend from high school was kinda funny. We email each other back and forth almost everyday, and we always talk about American Idol on Wednesdays. Sometimes it reminds me of when we were in psychology class together and would write notes on the same piece of paper, passing it back and forth. (Daniel was in that class with us.)

Forwarded conversation
Subject: AI
————————

From: JM
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 7:56 AM
To: Susan M

How funny was Paula?!?!

———-
From: Susan M
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:03 AM
To: JM

“This is really hard!”

She does so well under pressure.

———-
From: JM
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:00 AM
To: Susan M

Yeah, Michael and I were cracking up because no one corrected her right away.

———-
From: Susan M
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:05 AM
To: JM

No one could believe their ears.

———-
From: JM
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:02 AM
To: Susan M

So who do you think will go?

———-
From: Susan M
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:18 AM
To: JM

Dial Idol actually has Syesha and David Cook at the top. I was hoping she’d leave. They’ve got Brooke at the bottom. I think at this point it’s anyone who could leave. I think the final will be David Cook and David Archuleta, either one could take it. I think David A has gotten a little old and David Cook is more relevant to today’s radio, so David Cook will probably win.

I wish you could’ve heard Daniel’s comments after David Cook performed. He went off about Simon thinking he was “brilliant” because he’s just like all the other schlock on the radio for the last 10 years.

———-
From: JM
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:16 AM
To: Susan M

I told Michael after David Cook sang, here’s the next Goo Goo Dolls.

Yeah, I think Syesha needs to just go to broadway. She’s a much better singer/actor than pop singer. I think Jason and Brooke did terribly last night. And David A. is starting to sound like a 1 trick pony.

———-
From: Susan M
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:25 AM
To: JM

Daniel said David Cook must be a big fan of the Goo Goo Dolls, too.

I liked Jason’s first song. I like that he doesn’t seem to care. I really think he’s just going through the motions at this point, though. I’m wondering if he’s just overwhelmed by it all and wants it to end or something.

I liked Brooke’s second song.

“America” was the best number, I thought, but it’s just such a great song. Daniel was saying it’s like “Bohemian Rhapsody”—so cheesy, but it’s just constructed so well, the chord progression, the way it builds—you can’t help but start feeling like “Yeah! AMERICA!”

———-
From: JM
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:25 AM
To: Susan M

America is one of my favorite Neil Diamond songs and both Dylan and Michael were like “I hate this song”. I was like “WHAT?!” yeah, I didn’t like either Jason or Brooke’s songs last night. Actually, I’m getting quite bored by the whole thing. There’s really no one I like, you know?

———-
From: Susan M
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:31 AM
To: JM

Well the problem is I don’t like them on *American Idol.* I think I’d like Jason and Brooke’s albums when they come out, if they’re allowed to do their thing. They do their own thing well. They’re just not American Idol material. David A for sure is, but he is getting boring. He needs to liven it up somehow.

———-
From: JM
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:30 AM
To: Susan M

Yeah, I would agree with you on all counts. David A. is just trying to not get beat by his daddy every week!

———-
From: Susan M
Date: Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 8:37 AM
To: JM

Neil Diamond night wasn’t the trainwreck I was hoping for, but it definitely wasn’t a stellar night, either.

You know, I’ve seen hundreds of bands live. (I did a count once a year or two ago, it was up around 200, I think.) The last few years I’ve averaged about 24 shows a year, and with each show having at least 3 bands, usually 4, it adds up. There’s just nothing better than a really intense live show.

Some bands I love to see live because of how emotional they are for me—U2, the Waterboys, Low, the Frames, Calexico. I’ve seen U2 and the Waterboys twice (two of my all-time favorite bands). I’ve seen low and the Frames multiple times, Calexico only twice—and they all three are, hands down, the best live bands performing today, IMO.

Other bands I love to see live because they’re heavy. Some heavy bands leave me feeling euphoric after seeing them—like Isis, Pelican. Some just leave me ultra-pumped—like Converge, the Melvins.

If anyone asks me what my all-time favorite show was, I always say Jane’s Addiciton w/Soundgarden. In the late 80s. Jane’s was so energetic and so wired. Soundgarden was so heavy and intense. The show was at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, which is a big venue. My husband, our friend Brian and I went down to the show with no tickets. It was sponsored by a local radio station and tickets were only $3, but we didn’t have any. We had only $6 on us. (And it was Brian’s.) Some guy was standing out front trying to sell three tickets. We asked if he’d take $6 and he agreed. We got in.

The seats were in the balcony. Soundgarden at the time was getting a lot of lame reviews calling them Led Zeppelin wannabes. I remember that Chris Cornell read from one of those reviews, then they launched into “Kingdom of Come.” Classic moment in Soundgarden history.

When Jane’s came on, they told the crowd to forget about the security. And the crowd did. They went nuts, stage diving, etc. When Daniel and Brian saw that, they made a bee-line down to the front. I stayed in the balcony where I could see all the mayhem. What I remember most was Stephen Perkins, the drummer. He was amazing. He still is—a year or two ago I saw him play at a small bar in Long Beach with Mike Watt and the guitarist from Porno for Pyros, they were called Hellride, and they did all Stooges covers. I got to meet Stephen Perkins. He’s a short, kind of hyper guy. I didn’t talk to him at all, just said hi. But he’s one of the best drummers there is. Here’s a few shots from that Hellride show:

This is an early live video of Soundgarden in 1989. They’re performing in Philly:

This is an early live video of Jane’s Addiction, this is actually from their first album, self-titled, which was all live and recorded in LA in 1987:

Jane’s Addiction has reunited with their original line up (the last reunion they had the original bassist wasn’t involved in). I’m tempted to see them because I know how good they are live. But I’m also leary of it. It’s going to be different now. Will it be as good? If it’s not, I don’t want my memories of their early shows sullied.

Nathaniel and I went to Hollywood Saturday morning to go to Amoeba Records. We parked in a garage across the street.

He picked up a DJ Shadow album on vinyl (and has been listening to it ever since). I went through a few of the $1 vinyl bins and got:

Joe Jackson - Stepping Out
Air Supply - The One That You Love
Fame Soundtrack
Hoodoo Gurus 12″

Plus a few other albums. Mostly crap. Problem is, I love crap. I can listen to crap all day. And when it’s only a dollar, I can buy all kinds of it.

After Amoeba I wanted to walk around and take a bunch of pictures, but we’re having a heat wave and it was just too hot. I managed to get this picture up the street of a Church of Scientology building:

Then we went home. Tried to find a place to eat on the way, pulled off the freeway a few times, but couldn’t find anything! It was ridiculous.

Daniel had gone dirt biking while we were gone and when we got home he wanted to go to the back end of the Bolsa Chica Wetlands to see what sort of bmx jumps there are there. But first we went to his work to drop off his motorcycles.

Nathaniel and me in the truck:

A *crazy* tree across the street from Daniel’s work that I’ve wanted a picture of forever, and it’s finally in bloom again:

Front door of Daniel’s work:

Then we were off to the wetlands. One reason I’m glad we don’t own a dog:

The jumps there weren’t much to look at:

This is what a palm tree looks like when it’s left untended:

There were snails *everywhere*:

Pretty wildflowers:

And junk:

Can you spot the lizard?

For some reason, Daniel wanted me to take a picture of him with this sign:

After that, we came home and soaked in the pool.