Spanksgiving

Well, the holiday season if officially underway. Hopefully we have all recovered from the trials and tribulations Thanksgiving usually offers us. It's a wonderful time to share thanks, but it can also be a stressful time of travel. This year my Thanksgiving was very quiet. I spent some time with my other family in North Austin, but most of the day was spent eating pizza and relaxing with Spike & Ross. I figured this would be a good time to share a few things I am grateful for. I am incredibly thankful for my loving family and friends (you know who you are). You guys mean a lot to me and I really appreciate the support. Here's a few other things I'm thankful for:

Spike
I am so lucky to have my little gentleman. He's the best dog in the world and I love him more than anything! In the seven years we have been together, I have no complaints about Spike. I mentioned just the other that the reason why I love Spike so much is because he loves me more than anything. Dogs will always love you unconditionally unlike cats who treat you as a minion. I'm also pretty proud of the fact that Spike is incredibly well behaved, probably more well behaved than most children. He loves to play with other dogs and people. Sure he doesn't like children or cats but neither do I so that's alright. I never have to be cautious of having people over because he's comfortable around anyone. I also don't have to worry about him destroying any of my belongings while I am out of the house. I can't wait to adopt a new baby brother/sister for him.



Austin
I try not to take for granted that I live in such a great place. The city I grew up in wasn't terrible, it just wasn't right for me. As far as where I want to be career wise and creative wise, Austin is where I need to be. I'm lucky to be able to do just about anything in this town and not get tired of it. Sometimes I forget how good I have it, then I drive down Lamar by Pease Park or step into an Alamo Drafthouse and realize there is no other place I'd want to be. The rent is reasonable, the food is good, and the art/film/music community is thriving. I'm also happy to live in such a great community. The neighborhood I grew up in as a child was notorious for shootings & robberies. Now I can walk my dog around the neighborhood and feel totally safe. I've had a wonderful time in all the years I've been in Austin and I only look forward to many more.



Education
I often complain about certain aspects regarding my education, but in the long run I'm pretty lucky. Taking into consideration that others are not fortunate to experience higher education, it's something I take very seriously (sometimes TOO seriously). I agree higher education should not be as costly as it is. Look at what happened in England with all the student protests; they have every right to oppose these injustices. Maybe then our world leaders will take notice and realize what is really important. There was a time when I felt really lost in life. I was going out partying too much because I just wasn't sure what I wanted to do with myself. Having so many friends who are professional artists, musicians, and photographers, it was so frightening to feel untalented & inept. It took a while, but I finally found my place. I have been advantageous enough to come across some really amazing mentors and educators. Teachers hold the most important job in the world yet they get as much respect as Rodney Dangerfield. I intend to change that by becoming the best person I can be.



Modern Technology
As some of you may know, just a few years ago I was completely incompetent when it came to technology. I couldn't even type faster than a chicken pecking at a keyboard (just ask Chad). Here I am today, capable of operating several computer programs, making PowerPoint presentations, and writing my own blog. I have come a long way! I'm incredibly grateful to those who helped me along the way. I'm still pretty apprehensive about certain aspects of the Internet (FaceBook, YouTube, Tumblr, etc.), for personal reasons, not because I'm afraid to use them. I'm relieved there's no video or photos on the Internet of myself acting a drunken mess. Most social networking sites exude exposure I am not comfortable with. I just don't need every moment of my life chronicle. I'm also grateful most of this modern technology did not exist while I was in my party phase. I imagine if it were, I would have made a great embarrassment of myself. On the other hand, the Web has aided in mobilizing various movements going on in the world. It's amazing to see people come together for a cause that matters. Modern technology has also afforded me the luxury of communicating with my loved ones (Ruth, John, Kevin, Big Brother, etc.) who live elsewhere. I sent a lot of handwritten letters in my day; now I can just send an email. I just love writing which is another reason why I'm thankful. I may not be Hemingway or Salinger but I do enjoy writing, even if it's just a few blog posts here and there. I'm even more thankful that you guys read them!



Turkey
Sure he's arduous & difficult at times, but in the big scheme of things I am lucky to have him and I don't say that enough. I've made some tough decisions in the last few years and he was there supporting me all along the way. I cannot express how much I appreciate his kindness and patience. He gives me the last bit of his french fries, listens to Rick Springfield with me, and always lets me pick the movie no matter how gross or boring he thinks it is. It's no secret that I can be demanding & stubborn at times. It takes a lot of guts to handle me sometimes and I know I'm not very good at being sentimental. Extra special thanks to the Turkey for taking the good with the bad.




Honorable Mention
I'm really grateful for the WamPug!



Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Costume Party

Some of you were asking about my Halloween costume this year. I kept my costume to a minimum of one this year due to time constraints. I have been known to were up to 4 costumes a season. Honestly, I didn't think my costume this year would be that cool, but it came together quit nicely. I even won a prize in the costume contest! I decided to be a Mexican sugar skull from the Day of The Dead. I've always been fascinated with Day of the Dead customs and traditions. Sugar skulls are such an amazing piece of unique art. I hope I did them some justice. What do you think?




I also decided to look back on some of my previous costumes. I'm usually working on a tight budget so I've become pretty crafty when it comes to putting a homemade costume together. When I was about ten years old, I decided to hand stitch my own Catwoman costume a la Michelle Pfeiffer in BATMAN RETURNS. Well, let's just say it wasn't movie quality but it was a great try. I once went as Cleopatra for Halloween and a few years later, I made a mummy costume out of it. I also put together a slutty devil costume using things I had in my closet. My friend John was the master of last minute costumes. He effortlessly threw together Hunter S. Thompson, Andy Warhol, and Anderson Cooper. One of my favorites was the Bride of Frankenstein; I had the best beehive! Then there was my Wednesday Addams costume which took almost no effort. The chola was a bit too realistic for my own good. Here's a few of my old costumes (and some of Spike's):









I also thought I would share some of my favorite costumes of all time:


Racist costumes are uncomfortable because you never know if it's OK to laugh. Now when it's a racist children's costume, it's definitely OK to laugh.



I love pugs and I love TEEN WOLF.


It's not fair that Heidi Klum looks amazing even without skin!


The craftsmanship alone is incredible. Also, getting a pooch to keep that costume on long enough to take pics is pretty awesome too. Star Wars fans will go to any length to display their fandom. I applaud their creativity!

I am so sad that Halloween is over! I guess I better start thinking of a costume for next year. One day I will dress up as Princess Leia (NOT the slave costume). My all time dream costume would be Jackie Kennedy in the bloody pink Chanel suit. I'll do it one day. Maybe I'll be a juggalo next year?

End of an Era

There's been a lot of rumors going around about the "new" Emos and the fate of the old Emos. It was previously stated that the outside area would close, but the inside room would remain open. From what I know, as of now, the whole building where Emos was located on 6Th & Red River has been sold and will indeed close at the end of the year. It was allegedly sold to the restaurant El Sol Y Luna which is where Emos IV was briefly located.

I have in fact visited the nu Emos on the corner of Burton & Riverside where the Backroom once stood. For those unfamiliar, the Backroom was a local metal bar that often hosted various punk rock shows. The building itself was split in half with one side as the venue and the other half as a bar with pool tables etc. One of my fondest memories of the Backroom was the infamous "Power Hour." Power Hour was a long arduous sixty minutes of $0.10 rum & cokes. They were also notorious for $2.50 pitchers of Lone Star which often ended in trouble.

The nu Emos is actually pretty state of the art and remarkably clean (as opposed to the old Emos or The Backroom). It resembles nothing of what the Backroom building was or the original Emos for that matter. It essentially looks like every other shitty corporate venue I have visited across this country. There are now three bars with even more overpriced alcohol and absolutely no recognizable bartenders. The restrooms all have doors that open and close which is nice. The stage is much larger and free of any poles in the center. The dressing room does in fact have a shower, but it is about as small as the old Emos dressing room. And I'm pretty sure it holds the same old, dirty, black, leather, couch that could probably tell you some stories you would never believe. The nu Emos has great sound, but it definitely lacks the original spirit that Emos was founded on.

It's been quit some time since I even called Emos my stomping ground. I spent many a night at Emos once upon a time. A couple of years ago, my priorities took a shift, not for any specific reason. It was just time for me to do something different. In all honesty, I just grew tired of the disadvantages of being an aging party girl. Almost simultaneously, there was a shift in power amongst the music scene with the inception of Transmission Entertainment. Red 7 & Mohawk became the unspoken rivals to Emos. Everyone has their own opinion regarding the situation and it's not really my place to air other's grievances. However, I do believe those events signified the beginning of the end.

Regardless of what happens, I had some interesting times at Emos, like when my roommate Andrea called Lukas Haas by the wrong name, & watching a girl stand in her own puke, or watching some idiot drive his scooter into a parked truck out front. There were so many good times, a few bad times, and a whole lot of drunk times. As an homage, I thought I would share a few of my favorite moments at Emos.

The time Bad Sean got stabbed

It's no secret that I used to party balls. SXSW was an all out week long assault on my liver and sanity. It's also no secret that I have an extensive knife collection. I've always carried a piece in my purse for protection as long as I have lived in Austin (I did 3 yrs on Riverside). One fateful SXSW afternoon at Emos I got into a drunken discussion with Bad Sean. He was of the persuasion that I didn't have the balls to stab someone. To prove him wrong, I stabbed him in the arm.

Side Note:

As I relayed the above story the following day (after my friends and I decided to see who could drink the most free Red Stripes in one hour), my friend Pete was convinced that the knife in my bag was not sharp enough to cut through skin. I disproved his theory by stabbing him in the elbow.

S.O.S JTB

My love for Jets to Brazil runs as deep as my love for Jawbreaker. I was fortunate enough to see them play at Emos each tour they did for the three albums that were released. I briefly met Blake Schwarzenbach in 2000 and even took a photo with him. Then in 2003 (their final tour) I sat at the bar for a bit after the show. Blake walked up to the bar next to me and said, "Hey, what's up." I was speechless.

JTB

Frodo on the loose

Again SXSW (2007?), while waiting for The Living End to play, I indulged in several beverages. As I waited in line at the bar, it was complete madness. Suddenly I saw a very small person in front of me jump over the bar and throw his arms around Cody, Sanchez, Hushang, & Patrick. Low and behold it was Frodo ( or DJ Frodo Ipod as some know him as). They posed for pics as cameras snapped away for what seemed like forever. Clearly, Frodo had more to drink that night than I had.

There was a time when Frodo was in Austin a lot. I coincidentally ran into him at the most random places. Apparently, during SXSW (2006?) I approached him outside of Emos and said, "Hey Frodo, give me a cigarette!" Number one: I do not recall this event, it was relayed to me the next day & Number two: I don't even smoke.

Propagandhi (2000)

This was a memorable show, not only because it was Propagandhi (who don't leave the Great White North very often), but it was the first show after Emos expanded the outside area. It was a sold out show and with the exception of SXSW that might be the most people I've seen packed into Emos. We got to meet Chris Hannah and talk with him for a bit which was really cool. My friend Eddie (number one Prop fan) even had a song dedicated to him (Back to the Motor League). Being in that audience was such an amazing feeling. Seeing hundreds of people in unison sing the lyrics "fuck religion, fuck religion, fuck religion" was pretty incredible. I've seen Propagandhi since then (Mohawk 2009) and they were great, but it will never compare to that first show.

Blackout with The Faint

When The Faint's Danse Macabre came out, it was all of my friend's favorite album (it still holds up and I still love the keyboard player). It was so incredibly infectious! Soon after I turned 21 yrs old, they were on tour opening for No Doubt and decided to play a one off show at Emos. My friends and I partied like it was Spring Break '98. While the Faint played, I began dancing with this guy I was sure I knew from somewhere. He offered to buy me a drink and I could not refuse. This mysterious gentleman returned with shots of tequila. I immediately downed mine and replied, "See you on the other side." I kept asking this fellow where I knew him from but could not place him for the life of me. Meanwhile we talked about how much we really liked The Faint. Mystery man said, "Yeah that's why we asked them to go on tour with us." I replied, "Oh, you're in a band?" Mystery man, "Yeah, I play guitar for No Doubt, we're playing here tomorrow. You should come see us." I guess that's where I'd seen him before. The next morning (with no recollection of how I got home) I awoke to a message on my answering machine (yes, you heard correct) stating, "Hey Priscilla, it's Tom from last night. I left a couple passes for you at the box office so I'll see you tonight."

Gorilla Biscuits reunion

If any of you are familiar with the old crew at Emos then you know about their hardcore pasts. Most of those guys were recovering straight edgers who had a soft spot for old school hardcore. The night Gorilla Biscuits played a reunion show (2007?) at Emos, it was a huge deal. In the middle of the set, Graham pulled out a trampoline on the stage and the entire staff started diving into the crowd. It was the most ridiculous/hilarious thing I have seen. A bunch of grown ass men beaming from ear to ear while jumping on a mini trampoline. It was an interesting sight!

The Hot Dog Incident

If you ever spent more than ten minutes inside Emos, you will know it was never the pillar of cleanliness. The Onion crowned the Emos facilities "Worst Bathrooms In The World" for fucks sake. SXSW 2007 was a rough one to say the least. As Saturday approached, our momentum began to dwindle much like prior years. While waiting for Turbonegro play the final set of the night, we realized none of us had eaten any solid food. My fast thinking led me to Hot Dog King where I promptly bought dogs for myself, Kenny, and Chad. As we sat at the bar inside of Emos, enjoying our dogs Chad dropped the last inch & a half of his hot dog on the floor. Without hesitation, he bent over to pick it up and put it in his fucking mouth! HE ATE THE GODDAMN HOT DOG OFF THE FLOOR AT EMOS! A wave of nausea washed over me immediately. It's been four years since that incident and Chad is still alive & herpes free (I think) so I guess he got lucky.

Side Note:

Chad's Lil bro (Brandon) once relieved himself of number two in the Emos restroom. Chad apparently felt the need to one up Lil bro.

Heaven in a plastic cup

There once was a beloved bartender at Emos named Sanchez. This revered man brought us the greatest invention since the interwebs: The Sparkleberry. The Sparkleberry was a delicious drink that often resulted in the best slash worst decisions I have ever made in my life. The ingredients were simple: half vodka, half Sparks, splash of cranberry, twist of lime. Well, now that the original formula of Sparks has been altered, I will never enjoy another Sparkleberry which might be all for the better. So long orange tongues!

I'm grateful that I got to see some amazing shows at Emos like RFTC, Screeching Weasel (pre Ben Weasel breakdown), and the first Lifetime show since they broke up just to name a few. The best part of those wild, crazy days were the friends I made. I'm glad I could share those moments with the people I care most about. We had some great times and now it's time to make some new memories. Goodbye Emos, it was fun while it lasted.

I'll always remember playing "Jet Black" on that jukebox.

wish list

So with the holidays rapidly approaching I figured everyone would be racking their brain about what to get me as a gift. I thought I would give you a hand in case you're looking for that perfect Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Halloween, Christmas, Birthday, or Thanksgiving present. Here's a list of things I would love to have. Do what you will with it.

The Shining Dress

I found this on a website that makes really cool clothes. It's as if someone dug around in my brain and merged the twisted ideas with fashion. They also have a Steve Buchemi dress, a Jaws swimsuit, and blood splattered tights. How awesome is that?

Claddagh Ring

I didn't realize until much later that this is a traditional Irish ring symbolizing love, loyalty, & friendship. I first saw the ring in season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was a ring given to the Buffster by main squeeze Angel right before he banged her and turned into the Evil Angelus. Despite my distaste for Angel (Team Spike), I always thought the ring was really pretty. I often find myself checking them out at Tesoros on S. Congress. Isn't it kind of weird to buy jewelry for yourself? Unless you're Liz Taylor but even then, Richard Burton threw her a couple bones.

Riptide by Michael Prescott

I came across this book in a list of must reads on Huffington Post or something like that. I generally tend to gravitate towards a lot of horror, true crime, music bios, and satirical books. I've read a lot of books about serial killers (more than I care to admit) and Jack the Ripper in particular. This book is a fictional investigation of the Ripper murders. It sounds like a different take on the murders which could be pretty cool. I'm not into the kindle/nook craze quit yet because I really enjoy the aesthetic of a real, live book in the flesh. I usually buy my books second hand or order them online. I've actually had a tough time finding this one so keep an eye out for me.

Morrissey vinyl singles box set

Not to endanger my goth cred, I do appreciate The Smiths. It just so happens that I enjoy Moz's solo career far more. His solo catalog is so much more self deprecating yet shockingly narcissistic. Albums like Viva Hate & Vauxhall and I made me fall in love with this charming man. They have this box set at Waterloo Records for $99. I often find myself fondling it when I stop by. I really could use the 7" for Last of the Famous International Playboys. How can you not love Morrissey?

ANTICHRIST Criterion

I love Lars Von Trier's films, but some of them I can never watch again. His films are beautiful and tragic all in the same. ANTICHRIST really caused a stir for this self proclaimed greatest director of all time. He recently announced his withdraw from public interviews. Von Trier's comments were a bit misconstrued at this year's Cannes Film Festival resulting in a lifetime ban. I do think Von Trier is incredibly over the top but he's also really misunderstood. Being Dutch, I think his language barrier makes it difficult to translate his unusual sense of humor to English. Anyhow, I loved ANTICHRIST and I have built up my own conclusions on the plot. I would hope the extra features could explain a little more about the film. Although, I fear it would only be more confusing so maybe I don't really need the Criterion collection.

Funeral Home Perfume

I know it's pretty goth but hear me out on this one. I love the Demeter line of fragrances. They're really different, reasonably priced, and very subtle. Funeral home is apparently a blend of lilies, carnations, gladiolus, chrysanthemums with a hint of mahogany and oriental carpet. I've used a few different scents over the years; I currently wear the grass fragrance. The Hello Kitty scent is not so great but there's a new cherry scent that sounds really yummy. I highly suggest checking out the line. Whole Foods carries a few scents but the funeral home one has to be specially ordered.

Frye boots (Jane)

It seems I am always on a perpetual hunt for the perfect boot. I go back and forth about what type of boot I want and what color. On top of my indecisiveness, I have really skinny calves so that poses another problem. I love this brand of boots but they are so expensive. I really like Fluevog boots as well, but those are even more expensive. However, I have yet to find something comparable. I'll take one in every color please, size 7!

Freddy Krueger Nikes

This would take my horror cred to a whole new level of awesome. Most women lust after Louboutins, but I lust after a different red bottomed shoe. Damn these are cool!

Camo Snuggie

I have a faux Snuggie, a fuggie as I refer to it. I don't really like it; it's baby pink. I will trade you a baby pink fuggie for a camo Snuggie that I can take with me anywhere I please. I'm always cold so a Snuggie would be useful for me when I attend hockey games, outdoor movies, or even work. Maybe a matching one for my dog too? Make sure it's camo!

HUMAN CENTIPEDE necklace

I have a Centipede t-shirt which I get many complements on so I think the necklace would make a great companion. Whoever made this classy necklace is a genius. I think if anyone could pull it off, I can.

Eggies

Have you seen the infomercial? I love eggs, but I hate yolks. This makes it really easy to cook eggs while eliminating the yolk. It also makes it a lot easier to make deviled eggs. If you've had my deviled eggs, you know they are simply the best around.

Yoda backpack

Do I need to explain why this is awesome?

To be honest, this list is a bit of a joke. I wouldn't mind having these things, but I could live without them. As long as I have a happy healthy pooch & a talking/dancing gopher I couldn't be happier.

Halloween

There really are few things in this world I love more than Halloween season. It has been an obsession of mine as long as I can remember. There's this magic in the air that you cannot find any other time of the year. I love decorating, carving pumpkins, eating pumpkin stuff, dressing up, dressing my dog up (which he loathes), baking treats, and most of all watching horror films. I have various decorations that stay up year round in my home and when I was a little girl, I often got more presents on Halloween than Christmas! Even when I was a kid, I made up various reasons to wear my costumes throughout the year. I'm not really sure how I justified recycling the dino costume for 4 yrs, but my mom was OK with it. She always let me decorate our house. Her stipulation was that the decorations had to be cute & cuddly as to not scare any neighborhood children much to my dismay. Now, as an "adult" my goal is to scare any & everyone including myself.

I have this special ritual in October. I watch horror films all year long, probably more than the average person in general. However, in October I only watch horror films, almost daily. I would like to share with you some of my favorite things to watch at Halloween time. This might sound redundant so humor me.

The Other Holy Trinity

No, I'm not talking about Lord of the Rings. EVIL DEAD, EVIL DEAD II, & ARMY OF DARKNESS are all great films to kick of October with. Part 2 is definitely the piece de resistance, but my favorite thing to watch while baking/cooking is ARMY OF DARKNESS. I love Bruce Campbell & his gorgeous chin; I think ARMY really highlights his sense of humor and Raimi's love for the genre. Although, now I would question that love after hearing about this bullshit remake.

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

I remember seeing this in the theater as a kid and being completely mesmerized. All that Pixar shit has nothing on this masterpiece from the twisted mind of Tim Burton. Not only is it a cool kid's film, but it's also a really sweet love story between Jack & Sally. My friend Jason used to collect NIGHTMARE toys and one day I told him that I wished I could be the princess of Halloweentown. He relied, "take a look around you...you already are!" And so I am.

MONSTER SQUAD

Three words: Wolfman. Has. Nards. Where else do you find Dracula, Mummy, Wolfman, Frankenstein, and Creature in the same film? I loved this film as a kid, and it has withstood the test of time into adulthood. One of the coolest moments in my life was getting to watch it on the big screen with cast & crew in attendance.

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE

I watch this film while passing out candy on Halloween. In high school, I devoured Ann Rice's Vampire Chronicles. My favorite books were Queen of the Damned (the film was awful) and Memnoch the Devil. Those Twilight fans can take some notes from Lestat & Louis. Real vampires are dark, violent, and horny as fuck....not cute, sparkly, and waiting til marriage. It's hard to believe that was a little Kirsten Dunst as Claudia. Brad Pitt recently revealed his misery while filming INTERVIEW. Apparently he was not happy to play second fiddle to a certain scientologist.

HALLOWEEN

Well, the name says it all. Who would've know how frightening a William Shatner mask paired with a pair of coveralls could be. I remember watching HALLOWEEN with my dad when I was little. I immediately went out and watched all the sequels, of course some were better than others. This is pretty much the quintessential halloween film.

These days, I tend to watch more French, Spanish, Japanese, and Korean horror films. As a purist, I think Halloween season deserves good ol' American classics like these. I also realize how watching all these old films remind me of my dad who I miss dearly.

I hope everyone has a lovely Halloween season and I will be posting pics of my costume so stay tuned! And remember "slutty whatever" does not a costume make.