cowboy hats and hidden dragons

They saw Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [on their first date], a Chinese film with French subtitles. "I didn't hang out with many English-speaking people, and I forgot Win wouldn't understand."

Regine translated for Win, whispering into his ear, a first act of intimacy.

"Then we went to a party and we met all your friends. I was wearing a cowboy hat, coming from Texas, and you thought it was so exotic," Win says. "You wanted me to wear my cowboy hat everywhere."

This made my heart full-on melt.

darling, so it goes

Elvis is on the brain.

Elvis has been on the brain for the past two months, thanks to my research paper. I just finished up a rather rigorous work session and I should probably be wanting to focus on other things, but I think I just want to look at more of his pictures and listen to more of his music and watch more of his interviews, etc.

One of my favorite stories I came across in my research was when the Beatles visited Elvis for the first time. It was super tense and awkward, and Elvis just said, "If you guys are just gonna sit there and stare at me, I'm going to bed. I didn't mean for this to be like the subjects calling on the king. I just thought we'd sit and talk about music and maybe jam a little." Then John and Elvis had a strained discussion and George ended up smoking a joint by the pool with one of Elvis' guys. 

Elvis seemed to be a little bit jealous of the Beatles' newfound success and the Beatles just were in awe, just wanting to meet their idol. They shook Elvis' confidence a lot, I think. What I would have given to see that meeting, despite the major secondhand tension I got just by reading about it.

My paper's about the creation of rock & roll in the 1950's, the effects that it had on sexuality and race relations. When I get heavily invested in my research, I have to remember I live in 2011 and not 1956. Sometimes I wish I lived in the 1950's. Other times I really, really, really don't. It certainly wasn't an ideal time, but it must have been incredible to be a part of this complete 180-degree musical revolution right as it was happening.

At least I get to be in the Gaga generation, eh?

(Can't Help Falling In Love: Elvis Presley)

and a sun to maybe dissipate

While shopping (or more often, while I am at Banana Republic with my father while he's being indecisive about dress shirts and I've already picked through the rather boring women's section), I like styling the male version of Sophie. A really, really impeccably dressed man is fantastic, and I enjoy picking out the clothes that would make the ladies and/or gentlemen swoon over boy-Sophie.

(This is the same jacket Win wore at ACL, and my thoughts during the concert were as follows: Holy mother of everything pure and holy this is the greatest show I've ever seen and will ever see in my life, Regine is a goddess among human beings, Win is beautiful, everyone is so talented, my brain is crying... DAMN that's a nice jacket)

So if money were no object, I would be the sharpest-dressed man in town. I wish more men took time to dress well (I'm not saying none do, I'm saying that everyone needs to), because people do take notice. I recall a certain time with a certain friend where everyone within a ten-foot radius exclaimed for about six minutes straight, "YOU LOOK FANTASTIC. DOESN'T HE LOOK FANTASTIC? LOOK AT HIM!"

Men of the world (who I'm sure are all flocking to this blog): menswear can be so fun. Make everyone happy and take advantage of it.

(Mykonos: Fleet Foxes)

i am a woman above everything else

I loved this picture of Caroline and John F. Kennedy. I've been watching History Channel clips about the Kennedys for a good twenty minutes (On a Friday night? Yes, it is an unspoken understanding that when you enter this blog, you are entering the mind of one wildly out-of-control teenager). I'm on a bit of a Kennedy kick after watching JFK's inaugural speech in history yesterday.

And while we're on the subject of quotes from yesterday:

"No, let them see what they've done."

-Jackie Kennedy, refusing to take off her blood-stained suit after the President's assassination

(title is a quote from Jackie as well)

goddamn. we just had a near-life experience, fellas.

I love quotes. 

My bedroom door is comprised of 240 Post-it notes of quotes. There are quotes stuck to the bottom of my calendar at my desk, there's a quote just taped up alone on my wall, there's an ongoing book of quotes that I keep (seen above). 

I don't care if they're silly or serious or meant to blow your mind or turn your entire damn world 180 degrees. There's something about seeing someone say something memorable that makes you want to say memorable things, something that, years from now, a kid could have stuck on their door or written in a notebook.

(title courtesy of Tyler Durden, one of my favorites)

viewing vagabonds

she felt she should have wanted
scarlet-glinting stoplights stained red on rainy pavements,
spilled light of streetlamps dissolved golden into air that smells of tire screeches,
city filth in her veins, stale wind on her skin
(for that’s what the stories of wanderers told her to want).
but she found herself curiously content
with consistent alarm clocks
and the brake-pedal-brake of foggy morning traffic.

(photo of cross-eyed & beautiful Win Butler taken by Grace at ACL, non-autobiographical writing by me)

P.S. The new Blogger is hurting my head and making me anxious. Why must the Internet continue to change?