Luxury

So it's a three-day weekend and I've got weed and a pizza and two new CDs. This is gonna be a real nice few days.

Glad to hear it, farmboy. You deserve it. What CDs did you buy? You hardly ever buy CDs.

Yeah, I know. They were both on sale so they didn't cost too much. But it is a luxury. I bought the new ones by the National and Vampire Weekend. I'm listening to the National right now. It sounds really good.

So I'm gonna try and leave all my fuckin' work headaches for a while. 

Have a fun time, farmboy.

Thanks, man. I'm gonna.

Favorite albums of 2010

It's time, farmboy.

Time? Time for what?

It's time for you to list your favorite albums of 2010.

My favorites? That's gonna be interesting, man. I can't afford to buy no fuckin' albums any more. I don't know if I've even heard ten albums this year.

Well, do five, then.

Okay, then. The big number one is High Violet by the National, which may be the only CD that I really surrendered to.

Number two? I guess that would be This is Happening by LCD Soundsystem. 'Cause James Murphy is always fascinating. And funny.

Three: Ali and Toumani by Ali Farke Toure and Toumani Diabate, from North Africa, Mali.

And then number four would be, um...

I told you I haven't heard much. I've been more concerned about my own music, my songwriting, this year.

So is this quits, then?

No, no, there's got to be...Okay, number four is The Suburbs by Arcade Fire. Which means number five has got to be The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens.

But, man, I'm leaving so much out, not to mention all the music I haven't heard this year. I haven't heard Mavis Staples' new album. and I love Mavis Staples. There's groups like the Local Natives and Surfer Blood and Freelance Whales that I love but I haven't heard their CDs. I haven't heard the new one by Kanye West, and that's supposed to be great.

I think it's great that you've been working on your music so much this year.

Thanks. I think so too. I also think it's pretty good when too much quality music is a problem, you know?

This stayin' awake business

Hey.

Hey yourself. Busy day?

Yep. Went to work and screwed up my throat singing with the kids...

The kids?

The students. Anyway, I came home and googled "sore throat remedies" and found this great website of home remedies, you know, the stuff your mom and dad did when you got sick. One of the remedies was gargling with salt water. Which my mom had us do, And it really brought some relief. It felt much better after that.

I bookmarked the website, of course.

How was work?

Good. It was good to see my coworkers and the students.

How was the performance?

It went really well. I was pleased, for the most part.

Are you tired?

Yeah. I'm hungry, too, I hadn't really thought about it, but I am tired. I'm not long for this stayin' awake business.

You gotta rest, farmboy. Take good care of yourself.

Meaning?

Go to bed, farmboy.

I'm going to. Gonna eat something first, then I'll do internet things, then go to bed and go to sleep.

Then tomorrow?

Tomorrow I listen to the CD I bought today, "High Violet" by the National. $7.99 at Best Buy. I haven't bought a CD for a long time.

But, tonight, tonight I sleep. Like the innocent and lovable farmboy I once was a long, long time ago.

But until then...

I deal with staying awake, which is a good thing. I want to relax, then sleep. Calm. I want to be calm.

Calm is good.

In the right place. When it's good, it's great, and absolutely necessary.