Getting a good chunk of work done in the AM meant I could go out and play in the PM. And by play, I meant bike around town running errands and just getting some air. Exchanged a shirt, bought some batteries for a bike light, got some cold cuts for lunch tomorrow. Found the new Calexico used, which was good, and got the new Pernice Brothers, which was even better. The art on the CD itself features a lovely Rickenbacker 330, Fender Jazzmaster and Gretsch DuoJet lined up side-by-side as if to say, “we are plugged in and ready to jangle”. Yummy.

NXNE has gotten some of their schedule up. Catching my interest at the moment are:

Flux AD – Thursday, June 5, 10PM @ Clintons

Space Elevator – Friday June 6, 12AM @ C’est What

Junetile – Friday June 6, 1AM @ C’est What

Sekiden – Saturday, June 7, 10PM @ El Mocambo

Salteens – Saturday, June 7, 11PM @ El Mocambo

Driveway – Saturday, June 7, 12AM @ Clintons

Great Lake Swimmers – Saturday, June 7, 1AM @ Healeys

To pick but a few who I’ve ever heard or heard of. I’m sure when the festival guides come out, I’ll find even more to pique my intereste. Maybe a wristband is in order this year.

So I’ve made my vacation decision for this summer – there won’t be one. It makes no sense to me to go somewhere for the sake of going somewhere, and spending not inconsiderable sums of money to hang out somewhere new by myself. Instead, I’m going to expand September’s All Tomorrow’s Parties jaunt to include a couple days for checking out the city. Almost a week in NYC? Sounds good to me. So I will be taking the remainder of my vacation days making weekends long weekends and long weekends extra-long weekends. And I will set a couple days aside for moving, if indeed that happens. Which it might. It just might.

np – Calexico / Feast Of Wire

Ross and Wiarda’s wedding went off without a hitch today, which is remarkable since a) it was an outdoor wedding and b) it was forecast to rain all day today. While it did dump buckets last night, today was thankfully precipitation-free, and even quite sunny at points. I had forgotten my sunglasses at home so I had to swing by a drugstore to pick up a $5 pair of shades. And also a wedding card. I forgot that, too. But anyway, it was a terrific wedding and they’re so happy it’s silly. My best wishes to them both in their future together. Particularly when that involves NOT living in Toledo anymore.

Oh – fun near death experience on the way down. On the 401, some stupid cow decides to change lanes while I’m in her blind spot. If hadn’t pulled right to swerve out of her way at the last minute, I’d probably be dead. And if the car that was in the right lane didn’t also swerve to avoid me, I’d probably still be dead. I did get to give the horn a good workout, though.

Val sent me this story. about Senator Robert Byrd speaking out in the US Senate about the tremendous fraud perpetuated on the American people about the Iraq Invasion. It’s so contrary to the current party line that tolerates no criticism of the US government that I’m suspicious of its credibility, but god I hope that it’s true. But just because it’s being said, does that mean anyone is listening? On a related note, the truth about Saving Private Lynch. But of course the truth wouldn’t make for as compelling a television movie-of-the-week, so we’ll make up our own. With the blessing of the Pentagon, of course.

np – Rilo Kiley / The Execution Of All Things

This year’s Stanley Cup final was obviously preordained. Now, no matter who wins, I have a suitable mascot. How often can you say that? While on the topic, I would like to extend my sympathies to fans of the Ottawa Senators… I would like to, but I won’t. Instead, as a lifelong Leafs fan, I will instead extend an emphatic shrug and a “My world and welcome to it”.

Pics of Earth taken from Mars. The Mars Global Surveyor takes snapshots of home from 86 million miles away. Fantastic.

I wish NXNE would get their damned schedule up. From the looks of things, there might well be enough shows I want to go to to warrant a wristband, but I need to make sure they’re not all going on at the same time.

When Irish mope-rockers JJ72 lost bassist Hilary Woods, I predicted they were finished. However, they’ve made the canny move of replacing their hot chick bassist with another, uh, hot chick bassist. Welcome Sarah Fox to the fantasies of pubescent (and post-pubescent) British indie rock boys everywhere.

Off to Waterloo tomorrow for Ross’ wedding. A shame about the weather – the forecast calls for thundershowers the next few days. It occurs to me that I haven’t gotten them a gift, and while they actually requested that we don’t give gifts (a pain to get back across the border to Toledo, apparently), I will still get them something at some point. Maybe matching umbrellas.

np – John Vanderslice / Life And Death Of An American Fourtracker

The new Beulah album is entitled Yoko and is out September 9 on Velocette. They will be touring in the Fall to support.

I went to bed at 11 last night on account of being unbelievably tired as of late, and still I sleep through two alarms. What’s a boy to do?

Today should be the first half day of the summer, the reward for getting in to work an hour earlier every day. Not me, though. I’ve got a meeting this afternoon in Oakville. I do get an extra half-day vacation, though, to make up for it. I will just lump that in with the other nine days I have no idea what to do with. Maybe I will take the time and get my damned wisdom teeth out. They’re bugging me again.

Oh, there’s a new mp3 up on the Lake Holiday website, taken from the acoustic show a couple months ago featuring Brad and Clay.

np – Broken Social Scene / You Forgot It In People

The Ride BBC Sessions disc, entitled Waves will be getting a UK release on July 21, with a worldwide release planned (hopefully) for the Fall.

Tracklist as follows:

1. Like A Daydream

2. Dreams Burn Down

3. Perfect Time

4. Sight Of You

5. All I Can See

6. Decay

7. Severence

8. Time Of Her Time

9. Not Fazed

10. Mouse Trap

11. Birdman

12. Walk On Water

13. Since Then

14. Crown Of Creation

15. Let’s Get Lost

16. 1000 Miles

17. I Don’t Know Where It Comes From

1-4 are 1st Peel session (1990)

5-7 are 2nd Peel session (1990)

8-10 are 1st Goodier session (1992)

11-14 are 2nd Goodier session (1993)

15-17 are Radcliffe session (1994)

You can order it starting in July from Oxfordmusic.net.

np – Dinosaur Jr. / Green Mind