Surfin' in Iowa

I am in Clear Lake, Iowa where the temps are hovering around zero, but the sun is shining on the glittering snow. Sounds romantic, right? Well, nothing romantic about the Mason City Holiday Inn, but everything romantic about the Surf Ballroom. The Surf is the last place where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper performed before they died in a plane crash. Not only that, but the Surf is a tremendous venue all around and has recently become a non-profit entity. Why am I here? It's the fiftieth anniversary of the day "the music died," and the Rock Hall is co-hosting a series of events, from classes to symposiums to concerts, honoring those legends and their legacies. It's a tremendous program, and exhuasting, but it's truly amazing. This is such a landmark in American cultural history, and I am so fortunate to be part of it. I have met and spent time with Bobby Vee, the Fireballs, Maria Elena Holly (Buddy's widow), Ritchie's family, and others. Graham Nash, Sir Timothy Rice, Bob Hale, Jimmy Clanton, Wanda Jackson, Los Lobos, and others are trickling in, and are participating in concerts and panels. It's surprisingly magical, and extremely emotional. These are some of the legends who shaped the history of rock and roll, and I am excited to meet them.

Hope!

For once, I am really and truly proud to be an American. Or better yet, a United Statesian (estadounidense). I am proud of our country, our decisions, and our new leader. I am filled with hope. Bring it, Barack.

Nicknames

Growing up, my family called me Ka. They still do. Other than that, it wasn't until college when people started to give me nicknames. People in my dorm started calling me Kat because there were so many Kathryns, Katies, and Kathys on my floor. Then I went to Spain where Kathryn isn't exactly an easy one to spell or pronounce, so I became Kati. I've always been sensitive to the spelling of my name, and it drives me nuts when it's spelled wrong. But for some reason, I never really solidified the way Kati was spelled. So my friends in Spain and Peru spell it every which way; the only common demoninator is that it begins with a K, which I was quick to enforce. My friend Esther spells it Katty, Irene spells it Katy, others spell it Kati, and still others Katti. I guess because it's only my name in parallel worlds that it doesn't bother me not having a codified spelling of this random nickname that I never imagined I would have. I lived in Spain in 1999-2000 and am still close with the whole gang, and they all spell my name differently. And it doesn't bother me in the least. Random interesting fun fact of the day!

Up and Down

Work has been CRAZY. In one day I taught 200 inner city kids, designed a brochure, led a professional development program and called Sir Timothy Rice (of Andrew Lloyd Weber fame) to ask for a photograph for a program for an upcoming event. WTF? Crazy but distracting. In a good way. It's hard to focus. Especially when it's -9 out. Luckily tomorrow I am going to buy a mag trainer to hook my bike up to so I can exercise indoors. I draw the line at 0. Anything below zero is unfit to run in. There have been ups and downs, but thank God for my friends. They are my lifelines.
















I straightened my hair for kicks today. Never again. What a pain in the ass.

I am trying...

...not to hate on Cleveland. I think the deal is that I feel trapped. I'm living paycheck to paycheck and I've made about zero progress on the diss. I hate that I can't just up and go to Peru. I hate that I have to work in the summer. I hate that I can't just do what I want to do. I love the gig, but I miss the freedom. I know I can leave at any time, except that I can't. It's pricey and just not feasible. Aaaarrrggghhhh.

Welcome to the Beginning of the Rest of Your Life

Ok, so that title is a bit dramatic, but I feel like a different person at 30. And I'm 30, baby! So entering a new decade is a big deal, dammit, and I'm excited about what's to come.

I never make New Year's Resolutions. I never really have, probably mostly because of their notoriety for breaking easily. It's like they're fine china. Regardless, I think I might give it a shot this year. And I'm not going to call them NYRs. Instead, I'm going to call them NYBEs, or New Year's Best Efforts. I think I'd be disappointed if I resolved to change something or approach something differently and I didn't do it. But I can certainly make my best effort to do or become XYZ. Catch my drift?

NYBEs for the next twelve months or so (in no particular order):
1. Run two marathons.
I'm running Madison in May. But what about Chicago or Columbus in October? I need running goals because without them, I don't run as often . I kind of need something to keep me focused, and having an end goal is that. I don't know if two marathons that close together is a bit ambitious (a few of us ran two marathons in 2005, but one was in February and one was in October), but we'll see. If it doesn't happen, oh well.

2. Do a tri
There's a great triathalon sprint (.5 miles swimming, 15 miles biking, 10k running) in Cleveland in June. My running partner loaned me a fancy road bike, and I think I'm going to do it. I've been threatening to do a tri for a while now, and I think this is the year.

3. Curb my swearing
I swear too much. And the funny thing is that I never swore before grad school. I think living with Sam and Miranda opened the door to the possibility of the f*bomb, but I'm taking it to a new level. I work with little kids and teachers all day. It's time to not worry if that is going to pop out at any given time.

4. Organize?
I have a lot of stuff. I have a hard time organizing all of it. I'd like to start pitching it, realizing the waste that is sucking out my life. We'll see how it goes, but I don't like being a slave to things.

5. Graduate with my Ph.D.
This is the most difficult NYBE. I don't really want to talk about it (or write about it here) because of the level of anxiety it induces. Here's hoping I can OWN that anxiety and use it for good. Please note that I am blogging right now instead of writing. Ha!

6. Budget the books
I don't manage my money. It flies out the window, and I don't even go out here in Cleveland. I'm 30. It's time to learn to live like a grown-up.

Are these NYBEs possible? I hope so. I'll give it a whirl! The only one that will kill me if it doesn't happen is the graduation. That'll be REALLY disappointing.

On another note, how about a cheer for some good albums that came out this year? I don't really buy that many new albums, but there were a few that caught my ear that I really dug.

TV on the Radio, Dear Science
This band is so extraordinary. They are phenomenal musicians and songwriters, but it's the production value that sets them apart from the rest. This album is catchy and interesting, and you hear new layers of stuff all the time.

Kanye West, 808s & Heartbreak
Ok, so Kanye is always pretty good, but what's really interesting about this album is how much it's not a hiphop album. It's a thoughtful, digital pop collection of great, albeit heartbreaking, tunes. Dig it.

Wynton Marsalis and Willie Nelson, Two Men Playing the Blues
This is a live recording from January of 07, but it is just great. It's warm and fuzzy and catchy and just plain feelgood. I love it!

Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend.
I hate loving it. But I do! It's so good! Melodic, Afro-pop yumminess with just enough hipster to get your inner skinny-pant wearing rocker totally dancing.

Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
Ok, so you might want to slit your wrists listening to these sad, sad, lo-fi songs, but they're beautiful. What Bon Iver does with just his voice and a guitar on a multi-track recorder in the middle of BFE Minnesota is pretty stunning and elegant. Perhaps only for the nostalgic or faint of heart.

Mika, Live Parc Des Princes Paris
Guilty pleasure Euro-pop trashy (although creative) dance music. So much FUN!

Anyway, bring it on, 09!