Days have been long—the nights, rather, excruciatingly lightless, while time drops like a depth charge out of my control. I’d’ve been all over this forever night nonsense were I, say, fourteen and goth. Unfortunately (?) I’m adult and postmodern (postpunk, postrave, postyouth, postal) and prime to succumb to seasonal affective disorder.
Thank god (ahem—a mangered baby Jesus in swaddling garb) for science and the oncoming Solstice, my favorite co-opted celebration passed like a secret between humanist friends like there’s really such a thing as atheist identity or a true need for a substitute holiday. I just like the sun.
That Christmas thing is okay, too, the colored-lights I begrudgingly put up (quicklike, before my mother arrived) now turned on every night because I realize, yeah, they make me happy. I’ve noticed in the Cities stringed lights don’t come down until late February, a collective resistance, unspoken sentiments spanning neighborhoods and salary lines it’s cold and dark and depressing, dammit the lights stay on.
My mom, stepdad and two younger brothers visited last weekend, trying out my new rollaway pulled off a boulevard, sampling my mp3s with attention deficit delight (Joe particularly liked “Eye of the Tiger,” heh heh) and playing the crappy games I didn’t know I had on my computer.
Along with Sam we checked out the Swedish Institute in all its tasty free juice and myopic, self-congratulatory glory and experienced the Holidazzle parade, the annual nightly-for-a-month, live-action marketing campaign marched through the streets of downtown Minneapolis. The light rail was free Saturday evening, so we took the train at moshpit density along with ten thousand other fleece-ensconced potential consumers eager to get their holiday glee. An intended pitstop, the Marshall Field’s holiday display (featuring Snow White this year—*yawn*), had a line that stretched down three floors. Hm, maybe if I were five and cute, not adult, smug and in the company of teenage boys who’d rather browse the manga at Barnes and Noble, with, pulp as it is, narratives infinitely more imaginative than falling asleep and falling in love.
When my youngest brother showed intense interest in a simple blank book, my heart became thick in my throat. Encouraging. Terrified. What would he use it for? Cataloging PS2 cheats or documenting the Diary of a Madboy? I’ll get him one and take the risk. Which is the hazard, I don’t know.
As go-time approached, we all rushed to the street, several bodies deep from the curb. The procession was entertaining: the floats, the lights, the music, the spastic Motown giraffe kid dancing in a cage. But best was witnessing the spectacle with family, testing smartass virtuosity with PG-rated sarcasm and spreading holiday jeer. Ain’t nothing like heckling at a parade, I tell ya—nothing.
In music news: Wormwood releases its debut album Meiosis to do away with two-oh-oh-four and bring in steadfast stern the new year (stern as in we’re seriously going to rock all the rupture from your life—like out with like—and make you make). Hear a couple songs at wormwoodband.com and keep checking for more album details—the release party is slated for January 5 at the Star Bar in Columbia Heights (8 pm, 18+). If you’re in the Cities, drop me a line—I’ll pick you up and won’t even ditch you.
Shawno
December 19, 2004 at 7:14 amMegh, postal? Only if I get to film it.
With bros like yours, I’d be feeling right proud. I have a mirror situation, that being sisters who make me right proud. Booyah and stuff like that.
Tonight is/was really really cold.
January five. I should have that night off. Carpool? I’d feel like a white-collar worker, by Jove!
Oh, by the way, dearie, the UCKF album is out. Not sure when our Minneapolis release show is, but I know we’re having one in Chicago in January sometime. If yea’d like a copy, and maybe a stocking-type stuffer for the Anna, gimme a nod, I’ve got copies.
And, I could babble on, but I should save this for a better scenario. Cheers.
S
megh
December 19, 2004 at 12:09 pmcheers and cheerio indeed. siblings are awesome. and it *is* cold. i’m at my desk, and in the corner of the room a couple feet away, it’s really, really cold. there is a window nearby, but there’s not much draft coming from that (i saw to it with plastic on the outside and duct-tape from within). but this *corner…* it’s eerie. like someone-died-there-a-long-time-ago cold. 😐
speaking of creepers, i saw A Tale of Two Sisters last night, a 2003 Korean thriller/horror movie. sehr gut! very cinematically pleasing in an artsy kinda way. i’m still not sure who was living/dead, insane/sane, but this lack of full comprehension does nothing to dampen my enthusiasm. i’ve found over the past several months that asian horror takes the pants off hollywood. even when asian movies’ plot lines suck (haunted cell phone? c’mon…) they’re still far superior in the visually pleasing department, as well as good old- fashioned (but not necessarily cheap) scares. american horror has a history and continuing complex with slasher blood and boobs. asian horror (i’ve seen mostly japanese and korean films) has a very theatre-esque approach, creepy as hell crawly ghosts and a delightful lack of CGI and mass quantities of blood. the only time you should use a lot of blood is when it’s gushing out of an elevator and sloshing tidal wave-like up the walls of a resort hotel hallway.
regarding the wormwood show, i’ll coitainly pick you up, friend! any other takers? as for the UCKF album, i’ll get one when i see you next, shawn.
Anonymous
December 21, 2004 at 8:07 pmWhat’s Meg doing for Christmas? Maybe we can have an akward bit e to eat. Or we can have an unakward bite to eat with some other strangers.
megh
December 21, 2004 at 9:29 pmhmm… awkward bite to eat with anonymous person/people… it may be tempting.
i’ll be in fargo the 22nd – 26th. you’ll just have to reveal yourself and email me like proper.
Shawno
December 24, 2004 at 4:34 pmSounds like a plan, yo. I’ll see if I can round up others for this illustrious event. And now I go to serve the drunks on all hallow’s eve… I mean giftmas.
megh
December 26, 2004 at 10:37 pmi rather enjoy the term “giftmas.” it is officially part of my vocabulary.
any other takers on the ride to the Wormwood CD release?