As for cozy sweaters

Well - I thought to myself all week - here it is! Autumn! I get to pull out all of my 90s sweaters, corduroys, and fuzzy  boots. Except - hold up. It's 80 degrees today. Dammit New England, stop screwing around with me! I do love autumn though. It's around that time before school hasn't entirely decimated your mental health and the rain feels so fresh against your just-peeling summer skin. I love sleeping with my window cracked open when it rains huddled in a sweater, just because it feels so crisp. mmm. But today, I pulled out that sleeveless cropped t-shirt and flip flops again. Oh well.

In the spirit of new beginnings and new school years, I've just mediafired 3 albums that Tavi's new online girl mag suggested - the Freaks and Geeks soundtrack, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain by Pavement, and Let's from Olivia Drusin. Musicgasm - they're all fantastic. If you haven't noticed yet, I definitely have an affinity for 90s sub/pop culture. Empire Records (on Netflix Instant) is one of my favorite movies (as is Clueless) and I have been watching My So-Called Life on repeat since the sixth grade, when I still emulated teenagedom. Sidenote: When I rewatched the season in tenth and then eleventh grade it was like a revelation - everything that had seemed so distant and so cool was now so....relatable. That's slightly depressing, but it was and is pretty nice to have Angela Chase to share my angst with. I also realized that in my life I have a Rayanne, a Jordan Catalano, a Brian Krakow, a Sharon Cherski, and a Danielle and Patty Chase (I'm not naming any names here).

My So-Called Life

Just this past year I started watching Freaks and Geeks - I have yet to finish the season (MUST MAKE TIME!) but so far I am in love with it (especially Nick Andopolis and Lindsay Weir) so turning on that soundtrack while I get ready for school is a beautiful experience. This all adds up to: I love the Pavement album. Stop Breathin is frickin awesome. Seriously, it's on YouTube and MediaFire - listen. Now. You won't regret it. Such angst and that grungy unfinished 90s vibe - it is way too perfect for my current state of mind. And I totally understand why oversized plaid shirts were such a thing back then - they rock. So comfy. So Idon'tgiveadamn. Mm, I like.



The adorable Pavement



Unfortunately, the bottom line of the day is, I am writing this at school during lunch (1. get me out of here 2. it's pretty awesome that blogger isn't blocked). But this is a hell of a lot better than Physics class, so at least my day has been brightened just a tad!

In the spirit of September and the 90s (which seem to logically go together for me...) here is a "Chill the September Out!" playlist, with a sample of chillwave and a Beyoncé song I haven't downloaded a pop culture album in years...and I just bought hers; it was too good for life. Enjoy!

I'm Eighteen - Dave Allen

Plans - Dinosaur Jr.

Come Sail Away - Styx

Silence Kit - Pavement

Half a Person - The Smiths

We Are Modern Art - Olivia Drusin

I Was Here - Beyoncé

Call It Off - Washed Out

As for my poor aching head

I have been in a constant state of sleep inertia ever since school started. And I will be for the next nine months until I get to stop waking up at the inhumane hour of 6am. No one can do this and maintain sanity. YOU JUST CAN'T. However, one of my classes seems actually interesting. And the college course I enrolled in is pretty damn awesome. Quotes of the day: "I want us to cuddle" "If you're not interested in sexual perversions or sex in general, drop this class."


I just downloaded Washed Out's brand-new album Within and Without. This is perpetrating my state of subconsciousness, but making it slightly bearable (so it's ok).  It's chillwave. All the songs seem like they sound the same until you realize they totally don't. Zone out to it. I promise, you'll like.

As for a couple bits

Listen up to my lovely chum Jules' mix. I personally am lulled along by it to my continued denial of school starting letsnottalkaboutit. This mix will make you think feel nice.

Also, this video is like coffee porn.

As for those soft lilting notes and expletives

You know when it's late at night and you're just keeping yourself up because it's better than falling asleep and all you feel like doing is listening to soft melancholic music? Well, that was me last night. So, low and behold, I made a (mostly) Soft Nighttime Mix.

Teenage Love Song - Rilo Kiley

Flying High - Jem

Sweet Memory - Melody Gardot

Skinny Love (Cover) - Birdy

Calgary - Bon Iver

Whispering - Lea Michele (Spring Awakening)

It Doesn't Hurt - Katie Thompson

Sensible Heart - City and Colour

Who Knows, Who Cares - Local Natives

Skin & Bones - David J. Roch

Size Too Small - Sufjan Stevens

18th Floor Balcony - Blue October

How Am I Doing - Anna Waronker

Grow Till Tall - Jónsi

In other news, it is the last day of summer. I'm having a latte and a lemon poppy scone for lunch at the cafe. This is nice. Except for when I wake up this morning to my parents trying to...parent me. Errchhhhhh. WHY?! I have lived on my own for the past two summers. The transition back to minor life is always sucky, but whenever they make a concentrated effort to, you know, be my "support system," I always feel like listening to angry songs that overuse the f word (and special guest, shit). So, here is a F*ckin Angry playlist (actually some of these songs don't have that much anger, but you know, let's just appreciate the word use). 

F*ck You Right Back - Frankie

Die Motherf*cker Die - Get Set Go

F*ck You - Cee Lo Green

Dickhead - Kate Nash

Totally F*cked - Brian Johnson (Spring Awakening)

F*ck You - Lily Allen

Shit Song - Kate Nash

F*ck Was I - Jenny Owen Youngs

F*ck You - Garfunkel and Oates

Have a lovely last day of summer! And in the spirit of dreading the school year...I took and edited this in sophomore year. It pretty much embodies my hatred of school work and how I embrace cafe-living as a coping method. 

As for fairytales

kudos to some tumblr kid

I just watched Tangled on Netflix. Best. Decision. EVER. This was of course, while eating cereal in bed. God, I love summer. So going with the theme of magic and fairytales I am currently listening to the Wicked soundtrack. On high volume. (Yeah, my theater nerd side is coming out. Deal with it....if you got it, flaunt it! Oh god, there I go again.) Ahem, catch The Producers reference? I hope so. Well for those of you with the same escapist impulses as I, here you go:

Dancing through Life - Wicked

As for the fear of god and Claire Danes

Last year, I was really stressed. I was stressed about standardized testing, grades, extracurriculars, and my personal life. By the end of last year, I had consistently been self-inflicting sleep deprivation for weeks and was basically drained. So drained, in fact, that one night while studying for AP tests at 2 in the morning, I decided it would be a good idea - in the interest of documentation - to take a picture of my poor bedraggled self as an illustration of "This is as best as it gets." All I can say at this point is - I hope I was right. I hope I don't stress out as much as I did last year as I'm bound to this year about college applications. Because the essays have instilled the fear of god in me. It can't be healthy. When I can't sleep I fantasize about opening the email that starts with "Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you..." I've already picked out my happy song to dance around my room to if I get in (Blister in the Sun - The Violent Femmes). For those of you who are cool, you'll get the reference: Angela Chase danced around to that song in her room in "My So-Called Life" when she was happy about being over Jordan Catalano. Needless to say, I celebrate about academic achievements a tad more frequently than I celebrate about guys. *Sigh* Thus is life. Point being, you should all watch MSCL. It's on Netflix Instant. There is nothing stopping you. Go. Do it. Here is Angela Chase:

Image thanks to IMDB

In a similar vein, as a treat for you all, here is the song that Buffalo Tom played when they guested on MSCL. It's great in that 90s kind of way. Enjoy!

Late at Night - Buffalo Tom

As for feeling down and frozen yogurt

Alright - it's time for a rave about frozen yogurt. Frozen yogurt is so freakin' good. It's like, berries and ice cream (except lighter!) and a whole filling meal all at once! Perfect post-yoga munch. Also...it's healthy?! A new frozen yogurt shop just opened up in my town and needless to say I'm well on my way to becoming a frequent foodie there. Today they were serving chai flavored yogurt. Seriously. Does it get any better than this? Yum.

So, the other night I was wallowing in the senior blues. You know the type, "I'm so done with high school, get me the hell out of here, why am I not a year older..." etc. etc. It's obnoxious and cliché. But let's be real here, it happens for a reason. Going from living on my own and interning in a really independent environment to living with...parents....was a big transition for me. Not the - I'm not ready to grow up, I miss home - type of transition, but the - I'm a big girl I don't need this shit get me back to my real life as a 20something - type of transition. Yuk. That combined with the monumental amount of stress I'm submitting myself to about college essays = mopeyness. To the max. So, for you I have a "Feeling Mopey and Cheering Up" playlist. Unfortunately, the website I use to share these playlists with does not support all the songs on this list (but YouTube does).

Just a Friend (feat. Biz Markie, Matt Berninger, and Sharon Jones) - Booker T. Jones

Time Bomb - The Format

Whatever You Like (Single Version) - Anya Marina

Float On - Ben Lee

There Goes the Fear - Doves

Talk of the Town (feat. Kawika Kahiapo) - Jack Johnson

Love on the Rocks - Sara Bareilles

The Execution of All Things - Rilo Kiley

Simple Day - One EskimO

Melody - Kate Earl

L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. - Noah and the Whale

Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes

Wrecking Ball - Amelia Curran

Lost in the Post - The Wombats

Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap

(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay (Live) - Sara Bareilles

I'm an Animal - Neko Case

All Balloons - One EskimO

Many the Miles - Sara Bareilles

Daylight - Matt & Kim

Calling All Crows - State Radio

Let's Dance to Joy Division - The Wombats

Valerie - Amy Winehouse

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