Author: cocokeevan

Back Talk: The New New Girl

in: potent quotables

“I like to move forward … I don’t know how much it would help for me to think about things too much. It just seems so fucking unfair. So I get on my elliptical machine and listen to some Rihanna and try to forget about this bullshit.” – Mindy Kaling on the death of her mother in New York magazine, Sept. 17, 2012

This should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone at all, but I adore Mindy Kaling. She is absolutely hysterical and so self-assured, and she’s an inspiration not merely as a woman or as an Indian but as a comedian and as an individual. If you haven’t yet, be sure to read her memoir, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). She’s absolutely one of a kind and so, so high on my list of empowered females. She’s still writing for the last season of The Office, and she’s got her own television show (for which she’s showrunner, writer and star) on Fox, and the pilot alone boasts such big comedic names as Ed Helms and Bill Hader. She was the cover girl for last week’s issue of New York magazine, which may still be lingering on some newsstands, if you’re lucky. The profile is touching and sweet and hilarious, much like Kaling herself, and certainly worth a read.

And, embedded below for good measure, my favorite Kelly Kapoor moment from The Office.

The Dunce Cap: Week of Aug. 26, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 49: Well, I’ll fall if I don’t fight. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Bodegas and Blood” – Butch Walker
2. “No One Else” – Weezer
3. “Market Girl” – Headlights
4. “Breakin’ Up” – Rilo Kiley
5. “I Want You” – The Tallest Man on Earth
6. “Criminal” – Fiona Apple
7. “The Ballad of El Goodo” – Big Star
8. “Landslide” – Smashing Pumpkins
9. “Watching the Detectives” – Elvis Costello
10. “Stephen” – Voxtrot

I’ve been a good, good girl. I’ve been careless with a fraudulent man. And it’s a sad, sad world, when you’ll trust a boy just because you can.

Alright, y’all know I’m no Fiona Apple, and I certainly don’t purport to be a masterful songwriter (or, even, much of a satirist at all), but I’m really feeling these tunes this week. I never seem to quite learn my lesson – and drama tends to trail me* – and I’ve found myself, so soon after the most recent transgression, knee-deep in interpersonal muck. This mix is a testament, in various ways, to those damn unpretty situations.

Some of the songs are more straightforward than the others – “Watching the Detectives” is fairly lyrically apt, the murder stuff, y’know, aside, while “Stephen” is appropriately titled but reflects a previous point of view – but I think they all convey a particular current state of mind for me. I’m done wading through your (the general ‘you’) philandering bullshit, I’m done being objectified, I’m done being walked all over or weak or manipulated, so I’m strapping on my dancing shoes and letting loose.

It’s time for a fresh start.

Happy listening.

*there are those who’d suggest I seek it out, but I’d beg to disagree.

A.V. Club: For the Love of the Game

in: viewing room

YOU GUYS, baseball’s been very, very good to me. ‘Specially these last few weeks.

Sure, the Nationals are all but a lock for the division title, but the Braves are leading in the Wild Card race, and Chipper Jones is destroying expectations in his final season in the majors, and I’m optimistic we won’t have a replay of last year’s September debacle. I’ve confidence in my boys of summer.

Also, these. Just – these.

Let’s Have a Party, Phanatic’ll Dance the Horah

Y’all know how I feel about Phillie Phanatic. And this could not have been more perfect; the Braves at Citizens Bank Park, celebrating Jewish Heritage Night, and Phanatic dancing the Horah to the Hava Nagila. It’s so many things that fascinate and amuse me, all coupled and in technicolor and gorgeous and perfect.

And, also, let’s not forget Aly Raisman’s London floor routine, to a surprisingly touching “Hava Nagila.”

Frenchy Filches Fan’s Fare

Link here.

Full disclosure: I approach alliteration like I do Pringles – once you pop, you can’t stop.

But, seriously, this video is hysterical. During a Royals road game in my fair city – on the South Side, at US Cellular – Jeff Francoeur took a break from (occasionally) shagging fly balls to steal some popcorn from an unsuspecting fan. The video clip does absolute justice to Frenchy’s cheeky attitude, one I , as a hometown gal and a Braves stalwart, truly miss.

And for good measure, an aquatic Delorean graces McCovey Cove.

The Dunce Cap: Week of July 16, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 48: I can’t wait to say all the things you can’t see, all the things that make you better. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Sunlight” – matt pond PA
2. “Like U Crazy” – Mates of State
3. “I Saw You Blink” – Stornoway
4. “Chloe” – GROUPLOVE
5. “You Wouldn’t Like Me” – Tegan & Sara
6. “Ten-Twenty-Ten” – Generationals
7. “I Won’t Spend Another Night Alone” – The Ataris
8. “Laura” – Girls
9. “Jack-Ass” – Beck
10. “Wicked Game” – James Vincent McMorrow

YES!, middle of July, summer swelter. I’m at a loss for words, mostly, about these ten. I think I’ll let them speak for themselves, though I’ll point out a few key things:

– Aw, yeah, matt pond PA. “I wish you would say/when I fuck up that it’s okay.” 
– Same with Mates of State. I really wanted to include, “Help Help,” but I thought “Like U Crazy” was more appropriate.
– I’m on a Tegan & Sara kick currently, and I refuse to apologize.
– I saw Generationals (and Pet Lions!) open last year for Magic Kids at Tomorrow Never Knows. They were incredible live, and I picked up a cool 3D poster (with glasses!) from the show. Got into the music a little later.
– I’m also rediscovering my love for the pop punk of my adolescence. My current gym playlist is a mix of The Ataris, Fall Out Boy and Something Corporate. I still adore The Ataris album, Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits. It’s replete with pitch-perfect pop culture references (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure in “San Dimas High School Football Rules!” and “I’d rob a Kwik-E-Mart for you!” from this one) and soaring, rough sing-alongs.
– And, hell, I saw James Vincent McMorrow last week at SPACE here in Evanston. The venue – my home away from home – is an intimate one, which lent itself perfectly to McMorrow’s haunting, booming, Bon Iver-esque vocals (sorry for the oh-so-obvious comparison). McMorrow’s been performing and recording awesomely unexpected covers, like John Hiatt’s “Higher Love” and this, Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game.” I remember the video for Isaak’s original from when I was a kid; it was, and remains, one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen in my whole life. And it was, if possible, sexier with McMorrow’s timbre.
– Finally, count the handclaps. I dare ya.

As always, happy listening.

About a Girl: The Gaslight Edition

in: viewing room, on: the girl

Happy summer, folks!, and greetings from Evanston.

It’s hot as hell out here, with even the breeze coming in from the lake doing little to abate the stifling heat. But it’s pretty, rull pretty, with mid-afternoon rainstorms and gorgeously encroaching sunsets and rippling tides. The coastline (can you call lakeside beaches “coastline”?) is astounding. I love summer ’round here. I’ve barely entered the city limits at all – hell, I haven’t gotten downtown but once this summer, surprisingly – but there’s so much to do in Evanston on a budget, so much to enjoy, even if the best of times are marred by itchy mosquito bites. My dear friend Jimmye and I have embarked on a grand old tradition to beat the summer heat. We delinquents are breaching the delicate Evanston-Wilmette divide and dragging our less-than-divine North Shore tourist butts to the Wilmette beaches. And it’s glorious. We trek up to Wilmette, biking along Sheridan, past the looming Bahai Temple and down through Gillson Park to the beach. The water is clear there, the sand fine and warm, the quasi-boardwalk pocked by generally well-behaved kids. It’s actually incredible, and it’s truly reminding me of why I love summer.

And, y’know, more than that, I think I’m loving the experience because it reminds me of a little movie I used to love called “Now and Then.” When it came out in ’95, critics called “Now and Then” the female “Stand By Me.” And while that’s hilariously untrue – one’s a classic, one’s a laughably admirable sleepover flick – it remains one of the most beloved films from my youth. And my little bike jaunts with Jimmye remind me a bit of this –


Clip from “Now and Then”

I like to think that, if we were to actually reenact “Now and Then,” I’d get to be the character of Roberta (Christina Ricci), the tomboy who tapes her breasts and flirts with and then (spoiler alert!) snogs dreamy Devon Sawa. But that would mean I grow up to be Rosie O’Donnell, and I’m not sure I’m on board with that if it can be helped. Regardless, last night, Jimmye and I caught a bit of an a capella group’s set live in the park amphitheater. Ac•Rock, “Chicago’s premier acappella rock ‘n roll singing group,” as per their website, played a few pretty fun songs, a number of which would have fit right in with the whole “Now and Then” thing. It was fairly perfect.

To you, all of you, happy summer! I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am. And be sure to enjoy tomorrow’s moderate temperatures. I, for one, will likely be beachside, bitten and buried in schoolwork. For now, I’m off to find out a little something about Dear Johnny.
Au revoir, Simone!

Back Talk: Just Thinking ‘Bout Nothing

in: potent quotables

“What do rich people need and poor people have that is greater than God and, like, if you eat it, you die,” she asks.

I ponder the riddle a moment and admit, “I have no clue.”

“Nothing!”  she exclaims.

She is off in a tizzy just moments later, giddy with the thrill of stumping her older, arguably wiser babysitter. But her brother hangs around, kicking dirt, sheepishly staring at his feet as he half-skips, half-lopes toward the glass door of the office.

“It’s funny, y’know,” he mutters, searchingly, bemused, “You’re thinking about nothing, ’cause you don’t know what the answer is, but that’s the answer: nothing!” He pauses for a second, halting, considering the implications of his statement. And then, in a moment, wizened, he sagaciously muses –

“Did you know I spend half of my life thinking about nothing?”

I am bent at the waist, clutching my gut, bowled over by the hilarity of this statement. Six years old, a veritable wizard, and a reminder of all the good things in life.

That kid’s gonna take over the world.

Back Talk: Mary Oliver’s “The Ponds”

in: potent quotables

“Still, what I want in my life
is to be willing
to be dazzled —
to cast aside the weight of facts

and maybe even
to float a little
above this difficult world.
I want to believe I am looking

into the white fire of a great mystery.
I want to believe that the imperfections are nothing —
that the light is everything — that it is more than the sum
of each flawed blossom rising and fading. And I do.”

– Mary Oliver, “The Ponds” (House of Light)

I’ve a particular soft spot for Mary Oliver. She’s a true literary gem. One of my biggest influences, my high school English teacher, first introduced me to her, and, in writing about me for the Outstanding Senior portion of our yearbook, he quoted this very poem. He claimed the last few lines (“I want to believe…And I do.”) reminded him of me, and I like to believe he saw in me the unrelenting optimism I’m trying so hard to keep. That’s what I see in these Oliver stanzas – I want to see the beauty of life even as I weather the storm, and, perhaps, this can remind me.

And, as always, Oliver’s gorgeous reminder, the mantra I try so hard to repeat:

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?“

– Mary Oliver, “The Summer Day”
(The Truro Bear and Other Adventures: Poems and Essays)

Read her stuff – it’s rull, rull good.
Happy summer, y’all.

The Dunce Cap: Week of July 2, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 47: Oh, it’s tough when love’s a weed – it grows inside of me. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Ho Hey” – The Lumineers
2. “Nothing’severgonnastandinmyway (again)” – Wilco
3. “The First Single” – The Format
4. “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)” – Nine Days
5. “For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)” – Pete Yorn
6. “If It Makes You Happy” – Sheryl Crow
7. “Do You Love Me?” – Guster
8. “New Shoes” – Paolo Nutini
9. “Here Comes The…” – Butch Walker
10. “In the Sun” – Joseph Arthur
11.  “How’s It Gonna Be” – Third Eye Blind

Welp. It’s been one of those weekends, the kind that throws your entire conceptual existence for a loop and forces you to rethink the very construction of your day-to-day life. Not to be, y’know, melodramatic and whatnot. To be fair, and to be concise, I put myself in an incredible pickle, one that’ll take a lot of finagling and change (true, serious, real, long-lasting change) to get out of. I will get into that later, surely, in vague and agreeable terms, but I think knowing even that informs the composition of this Dunce Cap. This one’s a happy one.

I realize I’m recycling a lot of tracks from previous mixes, but I’m certain this particular combination of songs is fairly perfect for this moment. It’s a little longer than a traditional Dunce Cap (10 plus one, woohoo!), but it’s a mix replete with handclaps, soaring choruses, killer harmonies and unbridled optimism. From the most excellent opening by the Lumineers that spells out its lightheartedness in its title to the Sheryl Crow girl road trip anthem (see “Crossroads” if you don’t believe me) to the incredible Butch Walker/P!nk collaboration, this mix is a relatively uplifting reminder that good things don’t have to end. I’m going to lay some real claim to my very favorite Wilco track, “Nothing’severgonnastandinmyway (again)” from the exceptional album Summerteeth, which seems, at current, fairly apt. It’s a real winner, but it’s certainly not the lone standout on this Dunce Cap. There’s that Nine Days single from the late ’90s about “a girl who cried a river and drowned the whole world,” and I’m pretty sure that’s who I’ve become as of late. Pete Yorn’s “For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)” was my sister’s favorite track from his debut album, musicforthemorningafter, and it’s one I like to keep on standby as a call to arms of sorts. In my mind, I like to think I can hear it and keep it as a reminder to keep moving forward, to keep the faith because things are already okay, or they will be, or whatever, though in rereading the lyrics, there seems to be a lot more to it than just that – they’re lyrics, and a point of view, I can really get behind these days. Maybe give the lyrics a gander and see for yourself. I think you’ll get it.

I don’t know, y’all. I’m trying to listen exclusively to happy tunes. I’m trying to move forward. I’m trying to try and to be better, you better, you bet.

So, for now, and for future iterations of the Dunce Cap, truly happy listening.

Oh, yeah, I should say too –
This week’s been kind of fun and good and stuff, too, not just a lesson in life. Three quick things: I liked this week because

1. It made liking Katie Holmes cool again!
2. I properly ID’ed a Creed song at trivia. I’ve still got it. So proud.
3. Dawson’s Creek season five seems to open nearly every episode with establishing shots of Boston. I couldn’t be more excited*.

*I keep forgetting – more on that later.

The Dunce Cap: Week of June 10, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 46: It’s just another wish you wished in a very long list, ha-ah-ah. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Concrete Bed” – Nada Surf
2. “California” – Delta Spirit
3. “El Scorcho” – Weezer
4. “Once Around the Block” – Badly Drawn Boy
5. “If You’re Feeling Sinister” – Belle & Sebastian
6. “Fuck and Run” – Liz Phair
7. “A Boston Peace” – Say Anything
8. “Strange Condition” – Pete Yorn
9. “Umbrella” – Dog’s Eye View
10. “Motorcycle Drive-By” – Third Eye Blind

I’m all backed up Dunce Cap-wise, so I’ll make this one short. This one’s unthemed, for the most part, just ten songs that I’ve been listening to as I pound the metaphorical pavement. A lot of these, I see now, are songs of heartbreak. Actually, maybe, they kind of all are? Take that as you will.

I’ll be back soon with some real content. In the meantime, feel free to peruse the site and take note of a few new changes. My totally revamped resume can be found on the “Contact” page. Give it a gander.

As always –
Happy listening.

The Dunce Cap: Week of May 21, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 45: And the whole damn complicated situation could’ve been avoided if I’d only shut the window. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Can’t Hardly Wait” – The Replacements
2. “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” – T. Rex
3. “Instant Karma!” – John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band
4. “Living in Paradise” – Elvis Costello
5. “Train in Vain” – The Clash
6. “Venus” – Television
7. “Let’s Go Crazy” – Prince
8. “Spit on a Stranger” – Pavement
9. “Murder (Or a Heart Attack)” – Old 97’s
10. “All My Friends” – LCD Soundsystem

Happy spring from the Windy City!

I realize it’s May, creeping into June and ohmygodgraduationisrightaroundthecornerholycrap, and it’s been May for a serious chunk of time, but Evanston’s weather is finally getting its act together and being the painstakingly beautiful place I knew it could be (I say “painstakingly” because this weather makes me wanna stay put). It’s breezy by the lakefill, with a seriously impeccable blue sky looming into oblivion, and it’s hard to stay motivated when captivated by something so, well, pure. All I want to do is climb down the rocks and lose myself in the wake of airplanes and point out cloud shapes (dead presidents’ heads) and laugh uproariously.

But, for me, the best part of this weather, all warmth and afternoon sprinkles, is the opportunity for night drive perfection. I spend so long riding in cars (with boys) that I ache for the ability to roll my windows down all the way and drive at unconscionable speeds with the volume at maximum. And, for the last week, these are the tracks I’ve been blasting through town. I can’t say too much except that all ten of these are killer sing-alongs. This Dunce Cap opens with The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” – the studio version from Pleased to Meet Me to which I am partial –  and those memorable and intoxicating horns, morphing into the definitely handclappable T. Rex megahit, “Bang a Gong.” Then there’s a little John Lennon solo with one of the most smile-inducing choruses in modern music, a cheeky Costello diddy from This Year’s Model that seems to be about the perils of deceit (appropriate) and four tracks in a row that would abs-o-hu-lutely make my 100 favorite tracks of all time list. The playlist closes with a seriously precious Old 97s track that only intensifies my overpowering crush on that doe-eyed ingenue Rhett Miller and The Best Driving Song of the Last Decade, “All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem. I realize retrospectively that I put “All My Friends” on a previous Dunce Cap, but it was two years ago, so I’m willing to overlook it – and I hope you are too. That track defines summer for me, long night drives down nearly abandoned Atlanta highways with that breeze I just feel in my bones.

Basically, these are ten tracks I can’t get out of my head. And considering that, with the exception of “All My Friends,” not a one of these tracks was released in the last 13 years, I’m feeling a bit embarrassed that I seem, for the first time in my whole life, to have lost touch with whatever’s occupying the charts. Mostly, though, I listen to nearly 35 hours of music per week (at least), and I just want to hear things I won’t tire of.

Just a few more things to leave you with:

– I just found out that Alex Chilton, of Big Star, was also the lead singer of ’60s Memphis rock group The Box Tops. The Box Tops had a major hit in ’67 with “The Letter,” a song I know quite well because my mother and I used to belt it out on road trips. I feel a bit like my world is exploding, and it’s way too cool to process.

– I think I’m going to be writing a bit of a longer entry soon on happiness. There have been some notions percolating as of late, and I’m interested to see where they’ll take me as I muse without any sort of real direction.

– I just realized, as I’m loitering around the student center food court, that I have never eaten at this campus Sbarro. Four years, and nary a breadstick.

– And, finally, in big news, this. Jokes on jokes, but actually.

Happy listening.