I am a music lover. Amidst the seedy, traffic-filled, overly-paved underbelly of the endless business park/strip mall that is the metroplex, one thing that I have found to delight
me here in north central Texas is lots and lots of music and music love. Last week I saw two great shows-- on Friday night, The (extremely well-named)
Future Unlived unhinged for a fantastic, latenight show in Dallas and Saturday I was serenaded by the Earlybirds-- which includes my friend Petra on violin and is led by a singer/songwriter named
Teddy Georgia Waggy-- in Denton. Yes, that is her real name, but don't judge-- it was awesome. What more could a girl ask for than live music, once a day, like a vitamin? Not much. Next week is the 2nd annual north Texas alternative to South by Southwest (SXSW), a music conference most of you probably already know about that is held each spring down in Austin. North by 35 (NX35), as it's called, is a music "conferette" that aims to bring even more outside-the-mainstream talent to light by organizing a long weekend of back-to-back bands at all the venues in downtown Denton. Much of it is a little bit on the harder, western edge of my musical tastes, but there is also the characteristic "Denton sound" (perhaps most widely known now due to the growing popularity of
Midlake) which isn't harsh at all. I will definitely be heading up for one night of shows, before heading out into the field.
The FIELD, you ask? Indeed. For those of you that thought I had hung up my waders for good with all this genomics and bioinformatics business, I beg for reconsideration. Next weekend I am heading to Mexico to help catch rattlesnakes on desert islands in the Sea of Cortez. I am pretty sure Cortez, himself, did this very same thing at some point long ago, and thereby got a sea named after him. I don't expect such fame or riches, but I do expect to enjoy a week in the great wide open and some awesome mexican food. More on music and other mayhem, coming soon.
me here in north central Texas is lots and lots of music and music love. Last week I saw two great shows-- on Friday night, The (extremely well-named) Future Unlived unhinged for a fantastic, latenight show in Dallas and Saturday I was serenaded by the Earlybirds-- which includes my friend Petra on violin and is led by a singer/songwriter named
Teddy Georgia Waggy-- in Denton. Yes, that is her real name, but don't judge-- it was awesome. What more could a girl ask for than live music, once a day, like a vitamin? Not much. Next week is the 2nd annual north Texas alternative to South by Southwest (SXSW), a music conference most of you probably already know about that is held each spring down in Austin. North by 35 (NX35), as it's called, is a music "conferette" that aims to bring even more outside-the-mainstream talent to light by organizing a long weekend of back-to-back bands at all the venues in downtown Denton. Much of it is a little bit on the harder, western edge of my musical tastes, but there is also the characteristic "Denton sound" (perhaps most widely known now due to the growing popularity of Midlake) which isn't harsh at all. I will definitely be heading up for one night of shows, before heading out into the field. 
The FIELD, you ask? Indeed. For those of you that thought I had hung up my waders for good with all this genomics and bioinformatics business, I beg for reconsideration. Next weekend I am heading to Mexico to help catch rattlesnakes on desert islands in the Sea of Cortez. I am pretty sure Cortez, himself, did this very same thing at some point long ago, and thereby got a sea named after him. I don't expect such fame or riches, but I do expect to enjoy a week in the great wide open and some awesome mexican food. More on music and other mayhem, coming soon.
I'm in need of an update!! JP filled me in on some of your good news- I wish you could come out to Colorado and sing Karaoke with me on my birthday! XXOO
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