Hey to all who came to the Valentine's Day show...our first in about 4-6 months? Something like that...

I know, I know...we need to play more. We're working on it.

In any event...thanks for coming out - it was a great show and we hope you enjoyed. Careless Whisper was damn fun to sing, man. I heart Wham.

Anyway...I'll see y'all soon.

A.

I'll be honest...I don't know anything about politics. I don't know anything about foreign relations. I don't study it, and aside from my man relaying the news to me, I pretty much don't pay attention - usually because it upsets me. That is my fault and my flaw, I know...

...but that's not the point of this. I read about Jewish hate all over the place and it drives me nuts - from white-supremecists, from African-Americans, from hipsters whose popular belief is now to be anti-Israel, from young Middle Eastern students. And it's heartbreaking to me...the effort that goes into discussing not just opposing views (which would be okay) but going the extra mile and spewing hate. Serious hate. I'm responding particularly to www.jewwatch.com - a truly interesting, if not disturbing, site where people comment on anti-zionist (but really anti-semitic) beliefs.

I'm not asking people to stop hating Jews. Everyone has their opinion, and I'm quite aware that the people who write these blogs and post this hatred are truly convinced of their feelings...my telling them not to feel that way, no matter how factual I may get, is not going to change their minds. I'm realistic enough to know that. I'm reaching out to the people who are listening to these extremists - people whose opinions might be swayed either way. I implore you to really know the facts, and look at something from BOTH sides (the only way to truly understand a situation). Until that happens, do NOT proclaim to know 100% of any story. And thus do not presume to know 100% or even 50% about any one culture/race/religion. I admit I don't know 100% of the Israel situation and I'm making it my point to see it from not only my religion's perspective, but from the Palestinian view as well. It's the only way to truly form an educated opinion about a subject.

So the reason I'm writing this blog right now is to discuss the hate that is going around the internet. Hate is why 9/11 happened. Not Jews. Not Americans. Obviously there are policies and things in our culture that have led certain parts of the world to dislike our way of life. But that is not what brings destruction. It was hate. Just hate for everything those terrorists were not. Nothing would have changed that. There is no reasoning with people like that. There are people all over the world who have extreme beliefs. And the more people spew hate, the more justification those extreme beliefs receive. And hate begets hate. And so on...

Just leave us alone. Please. You don't like our way of life, then don't live it. You don't like us as people, then don't befriend us. The internet has given people with scary voices a medium through which to spread their hatred for jews and many others. It is frightening. And I guess I'm asking people to either not read these things, or if you do, please have the presence of mind to read an opposite view - just to hear both sides. Please educate yourselves. And know that we all have flaws and faults and ugliness in our history. Every one of us. All we have is the future and the ability to arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible.

In Time Out Chicago, a preview of a show at Schuba's:

...Chicagoan Alison Breitman writes startlingly mature alterna-rock ditties and--finally we can say this--has a voice to match. Too often, vocal chops in pop-rock are an afterthought but Breitman's gorgeous soprano never strains above her witty material. Fans of That Dog, Veruca Salt, Elvis Costello and Lisa Loeb have a new ally in town...

you and i
you and i will be just fine
you and i
you and i
we got time
darling please
take the best of me with you
when you go
as for me
i will sleep with your memory
until you're home
i've been told
it's been said
the more time you take to go around
the more release you get
and it's still warm
in this bed
so lay down your fears
lay down your head
let it go
let it rest
with me

you and i
you and i will be just fine
you and i
you and i will make it up
as we go along
darling please
look at everything
even if it's nothing to share
what you see
you'll bring back to me
and i'll have been there
never worry
never mind
as long as we're taking chances
we're still living our lives
and i'm still here
on this line
so lay down your weights
lay down your time
let it go
let it ride
with me

you and i
you and i will be just fine

i should be asleep. 12 hour work day today. not so fun.

stay tuned for insomniac ramblings. i'm sure they're coming soon. i'd probably do it now if i didn't have to pack for new york.

new york. it's still home to me. but i know chicago. i know chicago like it's home. and it is. these streets are familiar and lovely. the view of the city on the river across the lasalle street bridge is like nothing else. i'll write my love letter to chicago someday.

for now...home to new york. be back monday.

    okay...just had to brag for a moment...

check it out, everyone - The Changes were the featured artists on the main page of myspace today. i think the featured artists normally rotate, so hopefully they'll be back up again this week...but this is pretty cool and definitely a nice boost for them!

take a gander at their page...and leave comments for jonny about how hot his haircut is.

man, i'm good.

thanks, all...

i have to say it.  they're in print, in advertisements, on t.v., in neon signs on storefronts...they're in places where they JUST SHOULDN'T BE.

this may seem small...but it's an epidemic!  dammit, i'm going to try to get the word out to as many people as i can.  so you can run.  run away.  fast as you can. 

apostrophes are taking over the world. 

watch for this, my friends.  watch your its and your plurals and possessives and conjunctions...and all that's in between...see if the ' is creeping in there...changing shit up...making it all funky...because they'll get you those sneaky things.  they will indeed....and more rules will change...and then they all go out the window.  and you know what that means...

it means the apostrophes will get what they wanted all along...to be sipping martini's on lounge chair's by a hotel that has it's own neon sign's saying:
Apostrophe's Welcome!

that's what they want.  grammatical obliteration. 

consider yourselves warned. 

two years...two years i haven't had one.  two years and it strikes....out of nowhere - well that's actually not true, as i've had this cold for three weeks - but it hit me...the fullness of the sinuses.  so. fucking. fun. let me tell you.

so in case any of you are ever bogged down with one of these brutal things...here're a few pointers that may help you:

- swallow your pride...doctors are good...antibiotics are better. you won't get better on your own...believe me.
- gatorade is great. 
- pain medication is genius.
- terms of endearment is a bad movie to watch at 3.30 am when you have not been to sleep yet.
- when you notice that all of the channels on tv are paid programming or early news shows...you've watched enough...and it's time to wake up your boyfriend/girlfriend/roommate/best friend/what have you and get them to help you get to sleep. 
- apropos of the above point...it really helps one to fall asleep when one knows there's another person up later than one is (that point is a bit mean to the other person...but it ultimately gives them a sense of purpose because they helped you, so really...everyone comes out on top). 
- keep in mind that the amount of sleep you'll get once you're so exhausted and all you can DO is sleep will make you so rested that once you are well, you won't be tired enough to sleep anymore....which is my problem right now...

which is why i'm writing this asanine blog at 2.30 in the morning. 
 

and if you saw me
and then ignored me
i still wouldn't take my eyes off you
if you turned around and
i hit the ground then
i'd still think of it as something new
and if what you told me
was what you sold me
then i'll take from it just what i should
cuz i am open
and i was hoping
that you'd stick around for good

cuz i want to love you
i just want to love you

and on the record
i was never
getting anywhere inside my mind
i've shed my skin
there's just so much of it
that i'm leaving behind
and i tried and i tried
not to trust nobody
but hey i wasn't trusting myself
i am released now
almost at peace now
and i'm ready to step off that shelf

cuz i want to love you
i just want to love you

i drink my coffee
i make my bed
i wrap a towel round my head
i do everything slowly
you do everything for me

baby i
could tell you my
story i
could tell you my life
but none of it matters now
baby i
tried and tried
so many times
could not get it right
but none of it matters now

the open window lets the breeze in
the shadows playing with the light
i'm feeling still enough to sleep in
i just might
would you stay here with me, baby
by my side

baby i
could tell you my
story i
could tell you my life
but none of it matters now
baby i
tried and tried
so many times
could not get it right
but none of it matters now

all the times that i knew it was over
couldn't tell the difference
i couldn't see my way
all those times and i knew it was over
and all i wanted was
somebody here to stay
but you came along
without a warning
and it didn't take too long
for me to understand
there was nothing wrong
all my mistakes
were just part of the plan

baby i...