About Me

MY FAVORITE BOOKS
Naked: I love David Sedaris. Kids, this one is worth the read over your summer break. He became known from his Santa Land Diaries on NPR which were later put into his book, Barrel Fever. For more on this guy, check out this site.
The Fifties: My favorite pop history book. After a slow start covering politics, it really picks up with a great blend of topics from the '50s such as the rise of Marlon Brando and the creation of Holiday Inn.
Making of the A-Bomb: If science books were written this way more people would be into science. Rather than covering the way atomic energy works, it takes a narative approach of how we discovered atomic energy. The details in this book are intense.
Class: This book will change the way you look at America. Although his examples are sometimes dated (early 80s), he's incredibly witty.
High Fidelity: When I got to Charleston for my second summer at Sticky Fingers, Goldstein tossed this book at me and said "This is scary." Like the book, we had an obsession with music and list-making. To see it in print was pretty eerie. Watership Down: My young life leader (Frank Ivy) bought me a copy of this book one day while we were at Great Escape my senior year of high school. My heart was racing the first time I read it, and I've reread it every few years.
Shogun: It may be cheezy, but this book is a fun read. The main character learns how to be Japanese (or rather a new age 70s version of it).



MY TOP 10 ALBUMS
[this is an ALL TIME list. not what's my favorite right now. i'm not actually listening to these now] The Pixies: Kiddos, imagine a world in which big hair bands (Warrant, Nelson, etc) and Paula Abdul dominate radio. You had to look to college radio (WRVU) to find interesting music like this. Debaser and Hey were my two favorite songs. Check them out at their Official Site
Pavement: I still love this band, although it took a few months for me to appreciate this record (their first). Pavement always reminds me of living in Charleston (thanks Goldstein). Rolling Stone put this record on their list of 200 Essential Albums. Although they disbanded in 1999, lead singer Stephen Malkmus has released two great solo albums.
The Apples in Stereo: Perfectly made pop songs. I have Seth Murray to thank for turning me on to this band. Apples is part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Check out the list of bands associated with it. The Apples' official site is pretty good, but make sure you give the others in the group a listen.
The Shins: Music for hippies. Another band Seth pointed me to. Thanks Seth, hope IU is treating you right. The Shins are on Subpop, a great label out of Seattle.
Sleater-Kinney: Really simple guitar rock, but I love it. (especially Little Babies). They've got a great web site!
Built to Spill Yet another band Seth showed me. I tend to like short stripped down music, but this is one case in which I really like the layered guitars and longer songs.
Esquivel: This is my Happy Music. I always listen to him when I'm cleaning my apartment. It's often called space age pop and sounds like music for George Jetson.
Dinosaur jr: Although I never listen to this CD anymore, it still makes the cut. Green Mind will always be one of my favorite songs, along with Puke & Cry. This one will always remind me of hanging out in Memphis with Jeff and Shonali.
Beulah: This CD stayed in my CD player for 3 months straight when I bought it. Sunday Under Glass just might be my all-time favorite song.
Ben Lee: I listened to this CD every day for over a year. Perfect pop songs. And "Song For You" is the Best Song Ever. I have Jeff Goldstein to thank for my Ben Lee addiction. Oh, and Kim Murray donated the Ben Lee poster that's in my Classroom. She rocks.

OTHER BANDS
Stephen Malkmus * Modest Mouse * Yo La Tengo * The Sea and Cake * XTC * Supergrass , of Montreal * Interpol * Ben Folds * Duke Ellington * The Smiths * Starlight Mints * Belle & Sebastian * Ivy * Beck * The Flaming Lips * Jurassic 5 * DJ Shadow * MC Honky * Beastie Boys * Fountains of Wayne * The JAM * Sloan * Sugar * Noise Addict (Ben Lee) * Superchunk * Dizzy Gillespie * Vince Guaraldi * Neutral Milk Hotel * The American Analog Set * Elliot Smith * Venus Hum * the dB's * Medeski, Martin, & Wood * Stereolab * Olivia Tremor Control * Doves * Dressy Bessy * Mosquitos * The New Pornographers * Mates of State * Metric * Q and not U * The Thrills * Oranger * Masters of the Hemisphere * Apollo Sunshine * From Bubblegum to Sky * D.S.X * Luigi * UltraBabyfat

FAVORITE RADIO STATIONS
Indie Pop Rocks! on Soma FM, Internet Radio
WRVU 91.1

FAVORITE TV SHOWS
Seinfeld * The Simpsons * Dinner For 5 * Moonlighting * The Muppet Show * Bernie Mac *