Greil Marcus at The Pinhook-Durham, NC

We're heading down to Durham tonight to our favorite downtown dive bar in order to see rock critic god, Greil Marcus, speak. He'll be at The Pinhook and I love that he's taking time to appear in a venue that's a little more accessible than up on one of Duke University's untouchable podiums. Mr. Marcus has written countless articles and books on American culture and is thus, one of my favorite icons.

I can't wait!

Yann Tiersen on Valentine's Day

Tonight we're heading to the best local music venue Cat's Cradle so musician Yann Tiersen can serenade us into a lovey-dovey stupor. I adore the French film Amelie and wouldn't you know that this fine garçon composed the soundtrack. I can't wait! I'll post photos later.

Oh how I do love Valentine's Day...

Steampunk NC

Has anyone ever heard of the term "Steampunk" before? Because I haven't, and certainly not before coming to NC.
According to Wikipedia, Steampunk is a branch of science fiction that centers around steam-powered Victorian England and where technological innovation as the Victorians would have envisioned is at it's core. We're talking alternative universes where machine and man were both decked out in 18th English garb and could time travel or venture to the center of the earth, a la Jules Verne. I think "imaginary flying machines, goggles, and corsets" sums it up just fine.

Steampunk Gallery:
City Of Lost Children kick-ass French film
The Clockwork Cabaret weekly podcast

The Affinity Bridge novel

Causing A Ruckus

Last night the doorbell rang around 8pm, as we were all unwinding from the hectic birthday party for Dad's youngest son.  The mass of 8 year old boys had worn us all out with the shear amount of energy they all had.  Conner answered the door as I jumped in the shower.  When I came out of the house, my hair all wet and clutching my PJ's, I saw a bunch of police cars and Conner in the middle.  Not a sight one wants to see outside of their house at night.

Apparently one of the neighbors had complained about our trailer parked by the curb.  One cop came to check it out and had no clue what to do.  So he called a second cop.  Who had no idea what to do.  So they called another...until 4 police cars were out front.  And each one was either on their laptops searching for city ordinances prohibiting our trailer from staying right where it was, or one the phone with a superior trying to figure out the same thing.  And they came up with nothing.  They said to not worry about it for the time being. 

My step-mother Anita, was all upset and has decided that we're going to have a "Griswald Christmas" at the trailer; fully decked out with twinkle lights, fake snow, tinsel, an inflatable Grinch, and a small Christmas tree on top.  Tackiness is to rule this holiday season.

I Got A Job!

I finally got a job!  I started today at Specs Eyecare, a small eyewear boutique in Durham, NC.  I got a huge crash course in optometry today and after 8 hours of trying to understand spherical and cylindrical lens measurements and prescription notations my brain is total mush.  However, after I get it all down I think I'll really like working there.  And damn, it feels nice to have a job again and not worry about our dwindling bank account for a minute...cuz now it's increasing once again.  Yay incoming gas money!
Photo via SALT. Optics

Minus Sound Research 5th Anniversary

When I moved to Austin it took me about a year to really get integrated into my new life.  But that was in a place where I  barely knew anyone.  Now that we're in Chapel Hill--my old stomping grounds...well, North Carolina in general--I'm hoping that we'll ease on into the local culture in a matter of weeks.  After spending a week getting dressed up and going job hunting in places like Barnes & Noble, Anthropologie, and Trader Joe's, Conner and I decided to kick back and go to the 5th anniversary party of Minus Sound Research--a collective of musicians who are also visual artists.  I'm thinking these people might be a cool group to get involved with while we're here.

Varying Flora and Attitudes

It's interesting to be back in North Carolina after spending some time in the high desert of southern Colorado.  The juxtaposition of flora, fauna, and society in both areas makes me look forward to traveling the rest of US and seeing how different the terrain and the people all are; from the northern farmland of upstate New York to the muggy swamps of Louisiana, I'm excited.

Luckily I didn't have to spend the night in the Charlotte airport last week because my mom and little sister came to rescue me late at night.  Sleepless night averted.  I was whisked right back into the Zaslow family life again in Asheville and their passionately fussy dispositions.  Maybe the southern climate nurtures fiery temperaments because my family is always having some "passionate discussion" about the effects of whop-sided population growth and cognitive evolution on humanity as a whole or the state of my brother's life choices.  I think the fact that 3 out of 6 people in the household have done debate of some sort helps fuel the discussion fires.

 Photo by Rachel Letcher

There have been numerous NC summer thunderstorms pouring from the sky in mid-afternoon and the mountains are so green and luscious.  The trees are gi-nawmous and the kudzu's blanketed everything in these big green vines.  It's like a northeastern rain forest up in these hills.  Where as Colorado is so dry and the trees don't seem to get much higher that a one story building, at least not in the southeast where we're staying.  The blues, greens, and browns look much more vivid to me which makes photographing the landscape around Arboles much more exciting.

People of North Carolina get up in your face and ask many more questions about your life in general than people of Colorado, who will listen to whatever you want to reveal about yourself but who don't want to ask too many questions for fearing of prying into your personal life.  NC people also appear to have no problem telling you that they don't whole heartily approve of what your doing...
An example of an exchange:
"Oh yeah, we're going on a road trip and live out of our car for a year."
pause..."Well now, why ever would you do something like that?  What if someone tries to break in when you all are sleeping in the back?  Doesn't that seem dangerous to you?"

 Photo Via Swimming Holes.org

Arid and reserved in Colorado.
Lush and fussy in North Carolina.

Haha, I love my roots.

North Carolina-did some research

After I wrote the Texas In Music post I felt my own state pride rearing up and I indulged...until 4am.  I was really ready to get out of North Carolina and make a new life on my own terms in Austin.  Make no mistake about that.  However, Texas has made me throughly appreciate my North Carolina roots and now I'm a pseudo expert of NC people, with my interest mainly focused on the creative types.

For example, all people who are from NC:

* Cecil B De Mille - the original Riddley Scott; film director of epic movies from . The Ten Commandments clip.
* Pam Grier - first female action hero. Quentin Tarantino's muse. Check out Jackie Brown.
* Julianne Moore - beautiful woman! Wonderful in The Big Lebowsky
* David Lynch - grew up in North Carolina and Montana. Twin Peaks.
* Tom Robbins - Even Cowgirls Get The Blues was where I got my off-beat humor.
* David Sedaris - spent part of his childhood in Raleigh, NC. Makes me proud to claim him as part of NC culture because I think he's just so damn funny.  Santaland Diaries.

 David Sedaris. Photo via blog.

* Inventor of Pepsi, Caleb Bradham - from near the coast
* Edward R Murrow - famous newscaster during the Regan administration. Highlighted in Good Night, And Good Luck.
* Blackbeard - dreaded English pirate that made the tricky inlets of the NC coast his hideaway in between raids.  He was eventually caught and executed, rumors of buried treasure. 
* Zelda Fitzgerald - institutionalized here in Asheville.  Died in a fire with 9 other girls in the hospital.  I do love her artwork.

Painting by Zelda Fitzgerald. More paintings here.

A playlist of artists either born in North Carolina or based in NC.