Life, as it is this week

This is a cool idea: The Public School, an educational venue for classes proposed by the public and taught when enough people are interested in signing up. So far class proposals range from discussions of single books, to “Striptease: Theoretical and Practical,” to knitting. I wish I could think of something to teach, but I think there are more worms in that can than I need right now.

I feel good but shaky. I checked out Dr Jeffers’s fear book in the first place because I found myself obsessing unnecessarily over making outreach cold-calls for work. Finally, today, I devoted the first hour of my work day to making such calls. I had to psych myself out beforehand with techniques from her book, but you know what? It went well, and now the local WIC and a nearby elementary school will distribute our flyers. As the book says, doing things that scare us makes us feel better afterward, and it’s true, but I think one hour was definitely enough. I’ll try to start every workday this way, though. Why not confront my anxieties first thing? It sure makes the rest of the day seem like a breeze!

I am excited to go to Amoeba today after work to look for CDs. The other day I found myself doing housework with The Stone Temple Pilots’ “Lady Picture Show” stuck in my head, so I dug out that CD and listened to it while I washed dishes. I forgot how much I loved and still love that album, and then I realized it’s been years since I found and bought a rock CD I really liked. So I did some online research, with the help of Eurie’s blog, the New York Times CD reviews list (I thought about other publications, but decided I’m not really that indie), and Amazon’s music sampler, and made the following list. It’s less rock-heavy than I initially hoped, but that’s okay.

I will buy, if they’re in stock: [I’ve embedded video links for the albums I eventually bought]
Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

Patty Larkin – Watch the Sky (not rock; she sounds like Joni Mitchell) [I wouldn’t say that, now]

Kim Richey – Chinese Boxes (again not rock)

Jonatha Brooke – Careful What You Wish For (this made me feel the same way I did when I was thirteen years old and listening to Jagged Little Pill, alone in the backseat as my family drove past Auburn to go to Tahoe… which is, yes, a very specific feeling)

I may buy:
The National – Boxer

Beirut – Flying Club Cup
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
Dengue Fever – Venus on Earth

[This post was imported on 4/10/14 from my old blog at satsumabug.livejournal.com.]