Comic Books, Drag Race, & Life in New Zealand
by krisis
Quantum Slip is like some sort of contemplative cousin of Rabi, which is not to say that Rabi isn’t contemplative. They might even watch X-Files together. I’m never watching it again though … i can make up any other parts of the story in my head after getting the pieces i needed last night.
by krisis
The most shocking thing to me was that Rabi actually knew my songs from Trios, but i evened up the score because i knew the context of her poems from following her log. After a few requests, the set wound up as: Punk, Because, Unstrung, Colorblind, Under My Skin, Lost, All That’s True, Give, Never Say Goodbye. Trio has an interesting effect on how i make up a setlist when i’m playing for someone who actually listens to it … something i’ve never really had to deal with before. But, anyway, it was good excercise for me, and i think she really liked Never Say Goodbye cause she sorta just stared at my guitar while i played it. I could always ask her, but, erm, yeah. Maybe she’ll blog about it ;)
by krisis
Trying to recognize someone you’ve never met before is just a little tricky, but my guitar and mod-squad jacket were definitely a giveaway. She was a bit more obscure, but somewhere between the bright blue eyes and the bright purple kiddie band-aid on her finger i had it figured out.
I have to say that Rabi was a lot more effervescent than i pictured her (although, how many vegan astrophysicist rugby players do i really know to judge by?), and i can’t even begin to imagine what about me was suprising to her. Swarthmore would definitely turn me into the kind of metaphorical blogger that she’s become known as, because nothing i saw there translated literally the way things do in Philadelphia. We wound up getting right under the sun as if it was just a spotlight and trading poetry for songs (literally: she took home a demo and i took home my favourite of her poems), and finding things we had in common (bitten up fingers, music fetishes, and obviously obscure writing) and some differences (my fingers are just bit by my guitar and i can’t wear band-aids, my music fetish is slighty less rare and much less under control, and how taking the middle step out of word association makes it much more mysterious) . It felt just like talking to anyone, and i’m not sure if that’s because we know too much about each other’s thoughts and things or if it’s because we’re just two too friendly people. Except, this is all about my life and Wockjabby is all about her thoughts on life, so i think we almost swapped my thoughts for her life. Or something.
Three and a half hours later felt like a much longer time, though not long enough. I had more fun playing “Under My Skin” for her than i have for anyone since i recorded it. She read a poem she’d never read out loud before. Maybe i’ll see her again in the fall.
by krisis
#3
because i feel like
because i feel like there is
nowhere else to go
because i feel like
i am melting down
and i can’t slow down
because i feel like
a marionette burning up my silken strings
they aren’t strong enough to hold me
but i can’t do anything to get away
i am trapped up on my cardboard box
stage with nowhere else to go
like my life is just some five year olds
putting on a clumsy little show
and i’ve got my boxed up view
of paradise shining in
with everyone staring back at me
and i can’t slow down
It works, honestly it does. Pretend Fiona Apple is singing it. But, Rabi’s the one who wrote it, really, not i. I just had this instant “make me a song” reaction when i read her post. Apologies for maiming it so badly, R.
by krisis
It’s funny what can make you feel worthwhile. For me, it’s someone actually believing in me … my music, my personality, my desires. I believe in myself plenty, but sometimes having someone else believe too makes all the difference in the world. For other people it’s different, though. Sometimes i mention someone offhandedly on here, and to them that’s the coolest thing in the world because it means i was thinking about them even though i was totally apart from them and just staring at my computer screen. A compliment’s a compliment, either way, and i’m just as happy to give them as i am to receive. But, as far as websites go, i’m only ever flattered when i’m mentioned by Rabi :p