Saturday, February 5, 2011

helplessness blues

ever have a song that cuts you to the core?  that opens you up, butterflies your heart in a way that joy and sadness, in an effort to separate themselves, become a new thing all together?  this song is it for me.  a new one off of Fleet Foxes soon-to-be-released sophomoric album, due out this Spring.  If this song is telling of the rest of the album, i will be in heaven come May 17th.  I've already purchased my tickets.  you'll come too?
enjoy! it's gorgeous.


xokaymills

 Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues by lamusicafresca

*if you head to cafe maroon, you can download the song for free.  yessa!

a relentless wind

i’ve come to understand that complaining is a unifier.  especially when it comes to weather.  it puts you in the foxhole with the other soldiers.  it can be called on to perform at the last minute and there’s always someone to commiserate with.  If we were to tie all of our complaints end-to-end, heat them up and lay them on top of boston, that blanket o’ whine would melt all the snow we’re all so hellbent to complain about.  what’s strange to me is that we all bought here.  we chose this place and last i checked, boston was still that one coastal new england city that would always be in the path of a solid nor’easter.  winters in boston haven’t much changed since it’s long existence and when we penned our names on the deed, the mortgage or the rent application, we chose here.  so let’s try to enjoy it.  ha!  easy for me to say.
I’ll step down off the soapbox now and tell you the real reason I’m enjoying it; i missed most of last week due to being in LA for a photo shoot.  So I got my vitamin D from the 75 degree-not-a-cloud-in-the-sky-weather.  It was like a booster shot to the brain.  Flip-flops never felt so good:)  
Now I’m back and it’s been a week and perfectly timed to yet another snowstorm with some ice on top.  I’ve just started running again and the last few 30 minute runs along the river have been quite the adventures.  For the most part, the Storrow Drive side of the river has been a dream and, as long as you’re keeping your eyes on the pavement for the shiny black ice, it’s been awesome to break open some tarmac.  The Memorial Drive side is absolutely horrendous, however, and I found myself with 2 miles left and 5inch puddles of ice cold water swallowing my shoes.  I found out later that the city of Boston can only distribute that salt/chemical concoction a specific distance from the river, and since Mem Drive is practically on the river, well, you just use the foot-tracks of the people who’ve gone before.  Which turns into slushy icy pools of death.  
Still some issues with the mighty, mighty psoas.  I went to see my favorite massage therapist, Anna Scire at Boston Bodyworker today and was all sorts of supertight.  After laying the hammer to my entire bod, she’s recommended I pay a visit to Dr. David Nolan, a Senior PT over at Mass Gen.  Somethings up with my gait.  My hips are off, my right hip socket clicks and it’s a pain in the butt (pun intended).
So we shall see.  
In other news, I want to highlight some of the things I’m loving up on this winter.  Precious Awesomes that have kept me smiling, warm, or happy.  Most of the time, all three occur. I tried taking pictures with these things on, but I just looked creepy.  Like those people on facebook who take pictures of themselves at weird angles in their bathroom or bed (two places that should never be shared with the public).  So I did my best with mac photobooth.  
In no particular order, may I present...
Super long scarf! This sucker wraps three full times around my neck so that just my eyes appear if I really want them to.  It doubles as a gut-hider and I feel so bohemianly warm (new word).  I also love the color.  


 These gloves.  I wear them running, walking, climbing, sleeping, camping, bonfiring, etc.  So far, I’ve had 3 musicians and about 40 people ask where I got them.  I actually won them back in 2006 at Defi Orford, a mountain trail race in Quebec.  They have cut-outs for your fingers - and I canNOT find them anywhere here in the states!  I’ve looked!!  I once got to yoga only to find that one of these precious gloves was not in my coat pocket.  I literally ran back out and retraced my steps all the way to the T, where I found it on one of the steps! A mini celebration occurred.  This nice girl on crutches laughed.  She must know the feeling.  Needless to say, if one or both of these suckers are ever lost, I will be as well.  

Sorels.  Plaid.  Waterproof.  Enough said:)


Wooly headband.  i scored this beautiful creature at a farm fair in the adirondacks last year.  it was weird buying it in august but it was so worth it.  i've never made such a great purchase so far in advance of winter.  i don't regret it and haven't seen one like it and i met the gal who made it for me, which is always awesome.

There are plenty of other things to get excited about, but in winter, these staples make it fun to rock the free world n’ slippery brick paths that line the streets of Beantown.  May you stay warm these final weeks of winter and find something beautiful to enjoy!
exhos,
kay