Back in the Saddle

I got my bike back. In less than two weeks!

After my little brother deployed to Afghanistan two weeks ago, my lovely mother drove his '89 Cadillac up to Boston for me to car sit for the next seven months. I was cruisin' in the Caddy when I saw some kid riding my bike up Washington Street. The lock was still on it and everything. I pulled over and told him it was my bike. He stopped and was really nice about it, very apologetic. I suppose I could have caused a stink but I was just so pleased to get my baby back. My lights were gone but otherwise the bike was intact. It's so nice to be back on a bike that goes quickly and stops and shifts when I want it to.

After a mostly lazy three day weekend I'm trying to gear up for two weddings and a 9 day trip to Belgium with my mom. Why is dress shopping so hard? I must have tried on 25 dresses during my lunch break today. They were all super pricey, a bad fit, or just not that awesome. I really wanted to make my own dress with some wax print fabric from Africa but, even if I had a lot of time, I'm sure I'd screw it up without a pattern. If anyone knows a good site for dress patterns, please let me know.

I might just go with something simple like this:

I can't stop listening to Tune-Yards and I need music suggestions. Please help. What have you been listening to?

Tune-Yards at Brighton Music Hall, May 16, 2011

Last night I took Wyatt to see Tune-Yards at the Brighton Music Hall. Leader Merrill Garbus seemed genuinely surprised by the enthusiastic full house, despite the recent success of her newest studio album W h o k i l l. It's my third time seeing her and she's mostly doing the same thing, just with a little more polish and attention to detail. She is touring with two sax players and they, along with bassist Nate Brenner, wore coordinated custom shirts and face paint. Garbus wore the most amazing dress, complete with big multi-colored tulle shoulder poofs.

The sound quality in this video is terrible but it features the poofs and will give you an idea of how fun the show was.

Openers Pat Jordache and Buke&Gass were both pretty swell. Pat Jordache made a splash on Best of 2010 lists last year with their song "Radio Generation" which sounds like the Clash drunkenly covering some recent indie rock song. Pat and his band were solid on stage. While not as unique as TY, they've got a good little thing going.

Buke&Gass (rhymes with "puke and race") were as loud as they were endearing. The duo rocked homemade instruments really hard along to Arone Dyer's soaring and unpredictable vocals. Their name is derived from the unique instruments they wield, a six string baritone ukelele or "buke" and a hybrid electric guitar and bass, or "gass." They also employ a small harem of percussion implements, including a kick drum with a bass drum and a tambourine inside it. I'm not sure their sound transfers in recording. Definitely see them live if you can.

Life After Alcohol?

I've been sober for almost two weeks! While it feels weird to hang out with drunk people, or say "no" to a free glass of wine, I think it's going to be okay. I think I can be a straight edge kid without being obnoxious, and I'm trying to focus on the positive. For example, I feel like I've already lost weight. That's probably not possible but it's what I'm going to keep telling myself.

Two things have influenced the switch to sobriety: 1) new medication and 2) a more serious realization that I am the best person to heal me. Seven years of seeing doctors hasn't gotten me very far so it's time for me to get real with myself and make change happen.

Some people have successfully reversed the symptoms of fibromyalgia through diet, exercise and reducing stress, and I would like to be one of those people. I got a book on the matter and have learned a lot about what I need to change and give up. I feel like God is really testing me on this one:

"So, Noelle, I'm sorry that I took away your bicycle and your favorite sweatshirt, but it's for the best. Materialism is for suckers anyways. And if you're serious about this whole healing yourself thing, you have to give up cheese, beer and coffee."
"Really God? Can I at least get hammered one last time because my bike got stolen?
"Not unless you want to puke your brains out."
"Fair point"
"How about a last supper of Eggplant Parm?"
"Not if you want to get better and stop being in pain all the time."
"You're right. Way to be wise and stuff. So if I do everything that you recommend, can I also join a convent and grow vegetables with nuns?"
"Hahaha...You wish! Now scram and get yourself a vegan cookbook."

Giving up cheese is going to suck. Giving up caffeine is going to be ugly. The promise of a mug of pure black joy is sometimes the only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning. Hopefully I can develop the same taste for Rooibos, my herbal tea of choice. I'm going to have to. I suppose it could be worse. At least I'll still have sex and Rock 'N Roll.

A group from the D.C. area called Laughing Colors wrote an awesome song called "War On Drugs." It has many choice lines ("I'd rather smoke crack out of Nancy Reagan's skull, while getting a blowjob from Tipper Gore") but the chorus is my favorite:
"What ever happened to sex, drugs and Rock 'N Roll? Now we just have AIDS, crack and techno."
Now I just have tea, flax and Afro-Flow.

Speaking of which, our Afro-Flow Yoga Guru Leslie Salmon Jones joined us at the recent Macrotones/Budos show. I've never felt so cool.

We wish we could move like her!

Listen to a clip from "War On Drugs" by the Laughing Colors, circa 1999.

Happy weekend!

Bicycle Eulogy

Today, I must devote my post to one of my most treasured possessions, my bicycle, which was stolen off my front porch last night. It was locked to a rickety porch, which the robber(s) partially destroyed. My housemate Justine also lost her ride in the raid.


Dear Bicycle,

I was so sorry to walk outside this morning and see that you'd vanished. You were so special to me, even if you had rusted handle bars and occasional shifting issues. I remember when you first arrived in my life, a gift from an old flame, sent to my office in Columbus, Ohio. I was in my second month of Green Corps, in a brand new city, and you came and added tremendous value to my life. Remember when we did so much riding that I forgot to move the rental car and it got towed? Together we explored and flirted with bike mechanics in five other cities. We got so many free tune ups and tire tubes. Those were the days, huh? I think it was your irresistible charm: your mismatched components, your itty bitty mostly useless lights, the zipties holding your fenders on. You're so unique. I know I will never find another set of wheels like you. Thank you for teaching me to love riding and helping me understand that the best way to see a city is from the seat of a bicycle.

I'll be looking out for you in the neighborhood, in case you're still around. If we never meet again, I hope your new caretaker will take some steel wool to your handlebars.

Your biggest fan,
Noelle

Comparing Countries in the Middle East

Experts always say that you can't really compare countries in the Middle East because they all have unique political, social, religious, and economic realities. Some folks in the Belfer Center, where I work, made this chart comparing attributes of countries in the Middle East (and some of Asia) so we can quickly see the differences and similarities. It lists the leaders and how long they've been in power, as well as population data, unemployment rates, and other interesting numbers measuring freedom, corruption, and government effectiveness. Take a gander when you can. Some quick fun facts from the Legitimacy and Accountability section:

- Iraq gets the best grade for level of democracy, but the lowest for government effectiveness
- Qatar ranks lowest in perception of corruption
- Kuwait is ranked highest in freedom of the press, followed by Egypt and then Jordan

Sources are listed at the bottom of the chart. To view a larger version of the chart, click on the image below or check out the original blog post here.