but the clouds are clearing up

I'm still here.

Things I would've missed if I'd left: James and the Giant Peach, bad chinese food, 'brown chicken', learning to play chess, more miniature golf, one last trip to the water park, horses, 'A Nightmare Before Christmas', super long lashes, kid's car seats in MY car.

I hate it here. I love what's here.

about today

It will just make it even harder to leave, but I'm kind of thinking of staying one more week.

it's a mystery where you'll find me

August was Lollapalooza in the rain, the mud and the heat. Music in a beautiful city.

I saw 'Jane Says' performed live for the first time ever.

stolen from the sea

Finally made it to Joshua Tree.

Saw a desert tortoise and some snakes, but my favorites were the lizards.  This guy was the best.

Is it possible to feel a connection with a lizard?  This guy and I hung out for a little while staring at each other.  Then he tried to crawl up my leg. Then I watched him eat grass.  I think he's beautiful. 

sit back and wait through the daylight

just like your father, buried deep beneath the water

This is what we did for Father's Day. 

I have the best dad in the world.  I guess I should've taken a picture of him on this day, but I didn't.  I did get photos of Claude the beer guy and the Pepsi guy though.

I said it's Arizona

It was here I realized that maybe I'm no longer the city girl I used to be.

happy and sad and back again

In the last two weeks I've learned a lot about this city that has held my permanent address for most of my life. Even when I was in other cities, this is where the important stuff would go.

stop the seasons stop the sting

all I can stand is this air in my lungs

Coachella is my favorite holiday.

you're my guitar hero

Amanda Fucking Palmer. One of the highlights of Coachella.

or you can take it right between the eyes

The Serpent Mother from San Francisco California.

out catching up to tomorrow

I'm not sure why, but this is my favorite picture from Coachella weekend.

it's nice to meet you, ho ho!

My Coachella 2009 sounded like:
The Courteneers, We Are Scientists, The Airborne Toxic Event, M Ward, Franz Ferdinand, Leonard Cohen, Silversun Pickups, Paul McCartney, Cloud Cult, Liars, Joss Stone (but just for a moment), Blitzen Trapper, Amanda Fucking Palmer, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses (but on accident), The Night Marchers, The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Lykke Li, Antony and the Johnsons, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Kills and The Cure.

My Coachella 2009 tasted like:
strawberry lemonades, warm coke, kobe cheeseburgers, fruit punch gatorade, shrimp cucumber dill salad, frozen lemonades and caesar salad.

My Coachella 2009 looked like dust and sunsets and fire and bright lights. I'll have photos soon.

I'm in California. It was a hard winter in Chicago and I missed it here. Today was my first day in LA and I ate sushi and walked in the sunshine and met friends on Larchmont. I feel like I never left and it's weird and confusing and wonderful.

I'm not thinking about what it's going to feel like when I go back.  Who knows.  For once I'm actually living in the moment.

like you were just a wish

This is where I want to be. Not forever, just for a little while, just to say good-bye. I want to look at all my favorite places and appreciate it one more time. This place was important to me and I wish I was there right now.

be still for a second

The line up for Coachella 2009 should be announced at any second. I've decided it doesn't really matter, I plan to go anyway, even though I'm far from California and it won't be easy. It will be worth it and Coachella isn't really about who is playing anyway. Although I have made up a little prediction/wishlist. I guess it's mostly a wishlist:

Kings of Leon

Franz Ferdinand

Jack's Mannequin

Airborne Toxic Event

Heartless Bastards

Silversun Pickups

Neko Case

Gaslight Anthem

Manchester Orchestra

The Walkmen

Duncan Shiek

Handsome Furs

Jimmy Eat World

Noah and the Whale

Say Hi

Fleet Foxes

and I guess The Killers can play, if they want.

And even though they don't have anything at the moment, The National should come anyway. Same with MGMT.

and I don't feel any different

Happy New Year! Two weeks late.

Champagne in margarita glasses. 2009 is going to be so classy.

I had a teacher from Moscow and he pronounced champagne as sham-pan- ya! I love the word but I hate the actual stuff.

I made resolutions, but the only one I can remember is: learn to straight-iron my hair.