Done for Another Year

Official count 50,413.

WOW, I'm tired. I had several 5,000-word writing days and I'm worn out. I also realized while writing this story I was actually writing two novels, which is alright, but now I have more work to do get this one done. Thankfully, I can take a break from it while I go back to working on my first book, which I'm waiting on my wife to edit. Guess I'll take a break from fiction and focus on some poems.

I encourage anyone to give NANOWRIMO a shot next year. It's well worth it.

The Pixies at the Palladium 11/07/09

I've been waiting to see the Pixies for sixteen years, and to be honest I never thought the day would come. They've got a history of breaking up and on their past reunion tour they didn't come anywhere near Salt Lake City. Then, a few months ago I heard the Pixies were talking about celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Doolittle album's release, which of course is my favorite album.

I took the necessary steps to ensure I got tickets to the show, which included finding a roman coin with a metal detector and trading it for a elephant's haunted tusk and taking it to my local Wal-Mart at which point I was able to return it without a receipt for a phone number that would allow me to call and order tickets to the show. Later, I found out I could have bought them online, but I think I had a more memorable experience.

OK, I'm going to backtrack a bit: My cousin Michael introduced me to the album back in 1993 when I was asking him for some musical recommendations. He also suggested a girl named PJ Harvey and the Cowboy Junkies. He was also the cousin that introduced me to Temple of the Dog and Social Distortion. I have a lot to thank him for, I know.

Back to the album known as Doolittle. I quickly fell in love with Here Comes Your Man, Hey, There Goes My Gun and La la Love (after a former flame put it on a mix tape). However, it wasn't until I watched the movie Pump Up the Volume and heard Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) that I truly fell in love with the Pixies. I've loved them ever since, but I never thought I'd see them live since I found them right after their break-up. I got close when I saw the Breeders open for Nirvana, but it just wasn't the same.

I was excited and giddy. It's been a long time since I've felt giddy about seeing a band live. I'll admit that I've spoiled myself with seeing bands live. I've come to know what to expect and how to make the most of any show. However, I couldn't help but feel the seventeen-year-old inside me jumping up and down with anticipation. What would they be like? Would they break up before making it out to the stage? Would they be rusty, or would they blow my mind? I didn't know and I wanted to find out.

The opening band was alright, but I wouldn't ever buy their album. Rain Machine, if I remember correctly. The best way I can describe them and their sound is by saying I think they found each other in rehab centers and self-help group therapy sessions. They had small small moments of possible talent, but seriously there was at least one member of the band that might have been a lost first-year college student that was screaming for her mother on stage while going through a caffeine crash.

The Pixies started their set with a great classic Surrealist film from the 1920s famous for a particular scene in which it looks like a girl's eyeball is cut open with a straight edge razor, but for any squeamish people out there no worries it was only a cow's eye.

At which point the smoke machine began to pump out white heat and the band came to the stage. Black Francis or Frank Black, depending on how you know him, was in fine form. He didn't talk to the crowd at all, only making a few comments to his fellow band mates off mic. Kim Deal was the main communicator of the band, making funny comments about the songs and such. David Lovering would also make a few comments here and there. They started the set with four B-sides then they gave us all the songs on the Doolittle album. I have to say these guys held up to their name. They sounded tight and clean. The sound was amazing and never disappointing. Frank brought the screams and emotion to each song. It wasn't until they finished Gouge Away that Frank Black waved at the crowd. The band took the time to wave and take a few bows to the crowd. I wasn't sure they'd be coming back out, but lucky for us it was only a quick break.

When they came back for their first encore, they played some more b-sides and a song I never ever thought I would hear live, Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf). I figured they would pick one version to play for the concert fast or slow never did I think they'd do both! I turned into a 14-year-old girl at a Jonas Brothers Concert. If I was wearing panties I would have ripped them off and thrown them on the stage.

After the first encore, it took a while before the band came back for a second encore. It looked like they were trying to decide if they would come back out, but they did and proceeded to play a few non-Doolittle songs. And if my night wasn't great enough, they played my favorite non-Doolittle songs: Bone Machine and Where is My Mind? I have to say if you ever get the chance, please please see this band live.

Below is the set list enjoy.

1.Intro Film (Un chien andalou)
2.Dancing The Manta Ray
3.Weird at My School
4.Bailey's Walk
5.Manta Ray
6.Debaser
7.Tame
8.Wave of Mutilation
9.I Bleed
10.Here Comes Your Man
11.Dead
12.Monkey Gone to Heaven
13.Mr. Grieves
14.Crackity Jones
15.La La Love You
16.No. 13 Baby
17.There Goes My Gun
18.Hey
19.Silver
20.Gouge Away
Encore:
21.Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
22.Into the White
Encore 2:
23.Something Against You
24.Bone Machine
25.U-Mass
26.Where Is My Mind?

First Day of NaNoWrimo

The first day of NaNoWrimo (National Novel Writing Month) is always fun and daunting at the same time. I'm excited to start a new story--the prospect of creating something new and seeing where it goes. But I'm a little overwhelmed about the fact that I only have a month to write 50,000 words.

The nice thing about it all is the whole idea that you can't read what you've written the days before, which is what kept me from ever finishing a novel before NaNoWrimo.

I'd encourage anyone that has ever thought about writing a novel, or who's attempted to write a novel and hasn't finished, to give it a try. In the end, the only words of advice I live by are, "Just because you can boil a chicken, doesn't mean you can skin a rabbit."