golden week…late, but updated

So about a month ago was Golden Week, which my previous post alluded to.  Golden Week is a series of 4 holidays run back-to-back, which combined with paid leave can make for an excellent long vacation with minimal time off.  So, as is common, if not obligatory, with English teachers, we took a trip.  Most of our friends take their big out of Japan trips, but since we were saving for the trip that will ultimately start on Wednesday night(more on this in a few minutes with my double post), we kept it fairly local.  We ended up hitting all of the sites my previous post mentioned but with a few unexpected delays.

So the morning started, as any truly great morning does, with a McDonald’s breakfast.  I know that doesn’t sound special, but I have only experienced that maybe 2 other times in Aomori, so it was pretty epic.  The decided path was down the coast to Matsushima(the pine tree island place) and then the night in a park in Sendai.  I headed through the mountains on a warm and sunny day only to discover you didn’t have to climb high to see snow still towering over cars only a few feet on either side of the road.  Also, contrary to most day drives through the mountains, there were BOATLOADS of people.  Due to the large numbers of buses of vacationers, the inability of Japanese road planners to think larger than one lane, and the absence of any extra road beyond the solid white stripe(snow clear up to the line), the road took almost an extra hour on the regular time.  Behind schedule already…

And it kept getting worse.  Every deadline we were shooting for kept getting pushed back.  I was told that Sendai was 4 hours or so by bus.  The buses take the toll roads, but I thought the highways looked fairly direct while not quite as direct or fast paced as the toll roads.  I planned on 6 hours or so and thought that was about right.  We hoped to roll into Matsushima about 3 or 4 that afternoon.

Following a LONG day of windy roads behind the slowest drivers ever, we reached Matsushima well after dark.  In fact, we just had to keep driving through to Sendai because our planned 6 hour drive turned into a 12 hour journey.  So much for the first day.  On a side note, it was super pretty with all of the sakura in full bloom and we did see over 400km of Pacific coastline(and I wasn’t nearly as “glass half full” that day).  With everything closed and no plans on where to stay we totally lucked out on finding the perfect place to sleep that night.

Way in the middle of nowhere, no kidding, we found a pitch black rest area with barely any cars.  After the day we had, I didn’t waste much time flopping down the back seats and through down the futon.  I was out.  We woke up to find that this pitch black place was amazing in the daylight.  There was a huge pond with sakura all around and mountains completely surrounding us.  Not bad to wake up to.  Oh, and the weather was warm…something that hadn’t happened in Aomori yet.

The first full day was in Yamadera.  We hit up a 1 hour drive to Yamagata prefecture through what we decided was one of the prettiest places we have seen.  There were wonderful mountains and valleys filled with towns full of simple life.  Yamadera, as big an attraction as it was(especially during GW), was in one of these towns.

We drove through neighborhoods as small as anything in rural Oklahoma and then…BAM!  A line of cars.  Some old local man, who I decided has to be the coolest in his town, came to us as we waited in line and told us to take this little road to get there faster.  It made me wonder if he does that every day; his equivalent to knitting or watching Perry Mason.  Anyways, he was totally right as we completely cirsumvented the entire line of cars.

Not much can be said of Yamadera other than it was really beautiful.  You can see pictures on our flickr page(link on right) if you are interested.

After Yamadera we headed to Sendai for the first time for dinner.  I had looked at Wikipedia and Sendai really didn’t impress me from what I saw.  However, once we got there I realized it was awesome.  It is a small, big city.  I guess it kind of reminds me of Indianapolis a bit.  It is big enough to have abundant entertainment and bustling crowds, but with all the people and size it is EXTREMELY clean and open.  It is known as the city of trees or something.  All of the sidewalks were much wider than most Japanese cities offer.  People watching was pretty awesome too.  All in all, going in with a bad mindset, I came away wishing I could live there.  Given the opportunity, I would.

Our final day was more of the same.  Wake up, take a shower in a sink(quick note – Japan is full of onsens[public baths].  That being said, it is easy to not have to shower in a sink if you go to one.  We found a BIG sign near our sleep place, which as I said, way outside of town.  We got to our place, followed the billboard to where the shower was, but it was not there.  Thus, showering in a sink.), and get moving.  We went to Sendai to see what the daytime had to offer.  A few hours later we headed to Matsushima.

Coming into Japan, especially looking at what Tohoku had to offer, Matsushima was at the top of my list.  Yamadera was second.  So finally after 8 months, we get there, and honestly I was not that impressed.  It was really pretty, but it just wasn’t as good as books made it seem.  On the bright side, I have now seen 2 of the 3 ancient views of Japan(and the third looks lame and well off the beaten path, so I have accomplished as much as I wanted).  Melissa will see her second next week.  While I wasn’t really impressed with Matsushima as a site, the town was really cool.  Also there was a temple, which while closed, had and amazing courtyard in front of it.  That, while I didn’t know about it beforehand, was the highlight for me.  Oh, and the famous flavored corn.

Headed back, I decided no more attempts at the sea route.  I wanted the more direct route straight up the middle of the island.  It didn’t shave off a ton of time, but it was a lot less wheel turning, and for that I was appreciative.

That is pretty much our trip in a nutshell(or coconut shell maybe).  Hopefully the next trip won’t take me a month to update.

And speaking of our next trip…

what we are up to

So I just wanted to inform everyone Melissa and I are alive and doing well.  Right now is the beginning of Golden Week, a week of strung together holidays, so we have been enjoying the spring together.  We are going to have a go out of living in our car for a few days starting at 7am tomorrow.  Our planned stops are Sendai, Matsushima, and Yamadera.  Since it is 1am and we leave in 6 hours, I am going to head to bed, but just wanted to let you know things are going well and to keep posted with stories from the trip.

Right now is hanami(literally “flower watching”).  We went to Hirosaki-jo which has some of the oldest cherry trees in Japan and is one of the most popular sakura(cherry tree flower) viewing places in all of Japan – which means something in a country where EVERYBODY takes part in the tradition.  Anyways, since it is late, there is no writeup, but here is a sneak-peak of what’s to come.

my top 50 favorite albums

This is a list of my favorite albums.  In order not to get too repetitive(ie – listing 6 Beatles albums or something) I tried to pick the best of the best even when it came to a few bands that I just loved a bunch of stuff.  With a few bands I found it impossible not to share my love for the genius, but no artist has more than 2 albums so I still kept it pretty balanced I think.  Also, some of the albums had EPs from the same time frame.  If I felt the EP was in the same ballpark of greatness with the album, I clumped them along.  Hope you enjoy the list.  It took a long time to make and surprisingly came up at 53.  It was tough to cut the last 3 though because I was so selective when making the list.  One final note: albums are ordered by the artist’s name, not by preference.

1. In a Safe Place – The Album Leaf
2. Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs – Andrew Bird
3. Memory Man – Aqualung
4. Funeral – The Arcade Fire
5. Neon Bible – The Arcade Fire
6. Abbey Road – The Beatles
7. Sea Change – Beck
8. Gulag Orkestar + Lon Gisland EP – Beirut
9. Dear Catastrophe Waitress – Belle and Sebastian
10. Rockin’ the Suburbs – Ben Folds
11. More Than Brains – Bike For Three!
12. Blonde on Blonde – Bob Dylan
13. Digital Ash In a Digital Urn – Bright Eyes
14. Broken Social Scene + To Be You and Me EP – Broken Social Scene
15. You Forgot It In People – Broken Social Scene
16. This Right Here Is – Buck 65
17. A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay
18. Yip/Jump – Daniel Johnston
19. White Ladder – David Gray
20. Plans – Death Cab For Cutie
21. XO – Elliott Smith
22. Copia – Eluvium
23. Brushfire Fairytales – Jack Johnson
24. Futures + Stay On My Side Tonight EP – Jimmy Eat World
25. Love – The Juliana Theory
26. Keane – Hopes and Fears
27. Day & Age  – The Killers
28. Pretend You’re Alive – Lovedrug
29. Before the Dawn Heals Us – M83
30. Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts – M83
31. Oracular Spectacular + Time To Pretend EP – MGMT
32. Play – Moby
33. Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK – Múm
34. Not Too Late – Norah Jones
35. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? + Whatever EP – Oasis
36. Achilles Heel – Pedro The Lion
37. Give Up – The Postal Service
38. Lullabies to Paralyze – Queens of the Stone Age
39. Songs For The Deaf – Queens of the Stone Age
40. In Rainbows – Radiohead
41. OK Computer – Radiohead
42. Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers
43. Stadium Arcadium – Red Hot Chili Peppers
44. ( ) – Sigur Rós
45. Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness – The Smashing Pumpkins
46. A Grand Don’t Come For Free – The Streets
47. Original Pirate Material – The Streets
48. Come on Feel the Illinoise – Sufjan Stevens
49. How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb – U2
50. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – Wilco

Adam

A good weekend

This weekend was one of the first weekends where it was somewhat warm and somewhat nice, save a few light showers. Adam and I were happy to go enjoy the springtime feeling.

On Saturday morning we headed to Yunoshima Island, a very small island in the bay where Aomori City sits. We took a small boat to the island and began the steep walk up to the top, where you can view the bay and see the glorious colors of the water below. I couldn’t believe how clear and blue the water was! Also, a special kind of violet (I”ve been told it only grows on this island, but am unable to confirm this fact), called the Dogtooth Violet grows on this island, along with other beautiful flowers. There were rumors of snow this weekend, so we were happy that it stayed sunny and warm. The walk up and down, ending with a view of the torii gate, was just extremely pleasant, with birds singing and the smell of flowers filling the air.

After our island excursion we took a drive down to Towada Lake and Oirase Gorge. We saw both of these beautiful sites in the fall, but it was nice to seem them again still in the starkness of early spring. On the way, we drove into the mountains, where snow drifts on the side of the road still towered over our car. Near Towada City, Adam spotted a gift shop where we bought a decorative vase and a wooden doll, as everything was half off. We drove about halfway around the lake before heading home, and were awed by the continuing beauty around us.

Today we watched the Thunder pummel the Lakers, and then headed down to Gappo Park on the other side of the city to celebrate ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day with some of our Australian and other foreigner friends. It was nice to barbeque, even though the weather was less than ideal, including wind, rain, and even hail for a bit. It was also nice to enjoy good company

All in all, just a good weekend.

~Melissa

Farewell

For those of you who have not lived in Japan, it probably comes as a surprise to hear that teachers in Japan don’t get to choose where they work. They are placed by the prefecture, with the possibility of moving coming up every year, and the decision is completely out of their hands. Apparently, the underlying assumption is that people working in the same place for too long is bad, that it can lead to corruption. It seems to me that the only thing it really leads to is a strong sense of community and camaraderie.

But anyway, within the last 10 days I have learned that a number of teachers will be moving to another school. Almost all of them will stay in Aomori City, but not working with someone anymore can be pretty sad. There is one teacher with whom I had the most classes and with whom I had a pretty good friendship. She speaks English very well, is young, and is extremely nice. She is also an incredible teacher. She is leaving, and it makes me pretty sad. As she gave her speech today at the farewell ceremony, she had some tears, so it seems she is also pretty sad. Another English teacher I didn’t actually teach with but have had a special bond with is also leaving – but she is actually retiring.

One of the teachers asked me how I felt about the ceremony. I said, well, that it was kind of sad. I asked him how he felt. He agreed, explaining that his best friend would be leaving. While I respect Japan in many ways, sometimes I feel like top-down decision making misses the point in situations like this. Good, friendly relationships in the workplace are highly valued and considered necessary. So why disrupt them every year?

All the farewells I’ve witnessed recently at graduations and ceremonies have also broken down even more a commonly held stereotype about Japanese people. This being that they are stoic, unemotional, even superficial in their relationships. Day to day it might seem that way to a foreigner, but I have seen how deeply felt emotions are felt and expressed in very public ways. In fact, another very close coworker of mine recently expressed something to me that was one of the most touching and heart-breaking things I have ever been told.

I guess the point is that farewells bring out something special in people anywhere you are, but it seems especially vivid here where emotions are perhaps generally more subdued. I know when I leave permanently in July, it will be a time filled with sadness and with feelings of gratitude. And I will probably feel even closer to my coworkers after they bid me farewell.

~Melissa

something just happened

To start off, I will admit I failed at the “post a day” thing in February.  The fact is, I didn’t forget to do it, but I started a few journals out of obligation only to neglect posting.  I feel like my muse left.  Since the beginning of February I have been in the weirdest funk.  I literally can’t sleep anymore and can’t be awake.  The past week has been the pinnacle.  During that span I have on one occasion gone to bed only to be awoken 10 minutes later…by Melissa’s alarm.  I have also woken up to the sound of the door shutting…when Melissa was getting home from work at 4pm.  Needless to say, it has been weird.  And I am not proud of myself; ashamed really.  So that is where I have been headed.

Also, in that time I have hit level 80 on a World of Warcraft character and had our car break down.  The depressing part of the WoW character is that I sold my character before I moved to Japan so I would never play again, but with the declining state of my Japan job situation and the unending amounts of snow, I have been house-ridden for much of the past 2.5 months.  I really don’t even enjoy the game that much but almost play out of obligation because there is nothing else for me to do.  In that same time I have managed to neglect learning Japanese(which I convinced myself I would do during January…well, I convinced myself in November when January was in the future).  I have really neglected my spiritual life – something that before moving to Japan I thought would grow from being in a new environment in which I would have more time to think and live without distractions…such as WoW.

All of this has been culminating for the past few weeks really.  The WoW has died down as I just started playing again in January and now it is feeling old again(this is a good thing).  Also the sleep thing is getting to me.

For the fall, in hindsight a great time for my brain and well-being, I had spent my nights working on little projects like my Flickr page.  I spent nights alone writing or listening to music or watching documentaries.  When I first got back from America this winter I spent a lot of time listening to lectures on tape.  I went all the way from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance…some 40 hours of lectures in just a few weeks in January.  Since then I have almost gone brain-dead.  I have not spent time alone – which is most bizarre since I spend a majority of time by myself.  I have spent my time at a computer mindlessly clicking buttons and killing dragons and trolls(yes, I realize how lame that sounds, but it is fun).  This really isn’t that WoW is bad for me, and I plan to keep playing, but it is that I have let it blindly control me lately because there was “nothing else to do” which is such a lie to myself.

This past week is the first time I kind of was able to reflect on the depression I am in.  The thing is, I have realized I am doing things like WoW because I am lazy.  I could be reading or writing or learning Japanese or praying or WHATEVER.  The fact is, it is so much easier to just click a button and go brain-dead for infinite amounts of time.  The biggest misconception is that I enjoy playing games as much as I do.  I really do love games, but there is the point you just can’t take any more(ask anyone that has done a full day of LAN party).  I even enjoy WoW when I am not playing it all my free time because that is only playing it because I have nothing else to do(or don’t want to do anything).  So anyways, this week was the first that instead of just playing away until I was able to fall asleep I have switched back to the music and documentaries in those late nights alone and slowly it has begun to help my mental state.

And then something happened!

Tonight at about 3:15, in the middle of a conversation with Derek Green(this is significant because we used to chat a lot more when my computer screen wasn’t occupied by WoW), I had to run out and take the trash.  Yes, I know 3:15 is late, but it has to be late because technically I can’t do it until the morning or I get in trouble…and it’s hard to not get caught when you are the only white person around.  But as I went out on my routine bi-weekly trash run the air was amazing!  I don’t know what happened on my short run, but it just felt like spring, like there is change.

Much like my life, there is still the cold snow of winter on the ground, and more will undoubtedly fall.  But also like my life, there is a touch of spring air – one that wasn’t even there a few hours ago!  It is there and it is coming.  This routine trash run was not so routine after all.  I even ran around like an idiot.  I spread my arms out like I was flying…something that baffles me even now as I recall.  What did I think this was a movie?  Who does that?

At the same time as all of this, kind of the cosmic buildup of excitement, I have began to re-realize what I love about Japan(sidenote: I just watched “The Cove” and that is a bump in the love, but oh well).  My friend Joe’s little sister is headed here tomorrow and as I think about all the things she will see and do it makes me want to do it all too.  I want to tell her to do this and that etc., but what I kind of started to think about is that I can do that any day!  I forget that I am in the place I love so much just because I have let the shroud of depression clog my view.  I am realizing that this little experience ends in July, which with the way things go out here, is really a matter of weeks.  There is so much I still want to see and do.  Spring is here…will I have enough time?

Now seriously…I need my car back.

Adam

czech parade

As I reflected on my time in Japan being full of all sorts of festivals and celebrations(just in the past month we have been to a kite festival, snow festival, snow lantern festival, and will be heading to a traditional dance festival next weekend), I decided to post a few pics from Yukon’s finest festival – the Czech Festival.

The Czech Festival is held every October to celebrate our town’s Czech heritage.  I did not get the greatest pictures last go around, but you can see a few of the beautiful dresses and get a taste of small town parading.  Hope you enjoy.  I am also throwing in a few extra pictures of town for the enjoyment of some of my students.

snow lanterns. that has to be cool right?

It is funny how a lot of times I hear of something, and while not always thinking it sounds amazing, I always agree to go because, well, I’m in Japan.  Anyways, this particular day was a nearby snow lantern festival in Hirosaki.  The big draws here were 1) a castle 2) combination of snow structures and fire 3) did I mention fire?  So, Melissa and I headed out to Hirosaki to see what it was all about.

We often roll into a pretty typical pace of foot traffic, but seeing as this was a big deal, there were tons of people on foot.  Lights were strung through trees, snow was falling.  It was one of those beautiful moments that is kind of like the bustling about in America during Christmas season.  It truly was exciting just to be around.  Unfortunately, right when we got there I realized that a city with extremely few parking places.  Luckily, the place I discovered accidentally on my first trip to the castle happens to be unknown to most…and within just a few feet of the outer moat.  SCORE!

The first little thing we saw was a long wall of snow with inlaid lanterns.  Pretty, but nothing cool compared to what lie ahead.  The bridge, which is always our first picture stop due to proximity with our parking, was beautifully lit.  I am not sure if it is always like that at night, but I know that on this particular night with the bright lights, falling snow, and flow of people it was pretty amazing.  For some reason, this was one of the coolest things all night to me even though the real attraction lie on the other side of the bridge.

The lanterns were pretty, but nothing really that cool…which just proves there are too many neat “traditional” things here.  I mean, in America I would go pretty crazy for something like this.

This is the part where I was going to describe the rest of what we saw, but that doesn’t really do any justice to what “it” was.  Not to mention, a blog about all the lights is pretty boring.  “There were purple ones!  There were bright ones!  There were candles, oh my!”

Anyways, I will add this.  For all the beauty that was out there, it was REALLY cold.  The sad part is that the temperature in some ways detracted from my experience because I seriously couldn’t feel my hands(at least in a non-painful “feel”).  But, I will add that it was really, really beautiful and special out there.  It was like Christmas and at least for a short while I felt that pre-Christmas excitement I am so famous for.  The lanterns, the reason for our trip, were actually not even that pretty.  The real beauty was in the excitement of kids running around and the witnessing of something so intricate and simple.  Oh, and it was exciting to watch people fall on the ice…I mean, I was concerned when this really old lady fell on her back and didn’t get up a while.  And by “fall on her back,” I mean it in the Home Alone Joe Pesci kind of way.  I didn’t laugh, but I almost did(and yes, I realize I am a terrible person).

Adam

A personal victory

Yesterday was a day of fear and triumph for me — the dreaded skiing lesson day with my school.

While most people wouldn’t bat an eye at this, I had only been “skiing” once before, when Adam tried to teach me to ski. It didn’t work. I’m not sure why, but I think it was a combination of really old skis (with no curve in them), old boots that hurt my feet and legs, and being talked through it instead of shown how to do it. Whatever it was, I had a horrible experience and was doubtful I would ever learn or enjoy skiing.

Despite my fears, I agreed to try skiing with my school’s annual ski lesson trip for the first graders. I tried to emphasize to everyone involved that I couldn’t ski, but I would try. And so I took the trip to Ajigasawa, over an hour away, with the first grade teachers and almost 240 first grade students.

I was nervous because I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I knew the instructor would speak Japanese of course. I was hoping I would be in a beginner’s group and we would learn the basics on a bunny hill first. Wrong. Well, I was in a beginner’s group, but the lesson was going up the mountain and skiing down it with the instructor nearby. Yes, I was scared. But somehow, I was able to do it. One of the teachers who is very kind came with the group and snowboarded alongside us. He speaks a little English and made sure I was okay. And the instructor was great at showing me what to do, when I was doing it right, and when I wasn’t. I was even more scared when we went up the mountain a second time to a more difficult hill. But, I did it. I did fall a few times, but I can now ski. After the lesson I went up all alone and went down the easy side of the mountain. And I actually enjoyed myself for the first time. I feel like I can control myself on skis and can have fun doing it.

I hope to go skiing with Adam again sometime, so we can actually ski together and enjoy ourselves. I felt bad not being able to enjoy skiing, as it is something he and his whole family enjoy doing. Now I can at least ski the easy stuff and have fun with it.

~Melissa

music madness – round 2

A few months ago I wrote a blog about music.  What I did is put the player on random and wrote the few things each song conjured up in my mind.  Maybe a story, favorite quote, feeling, whatever, but all on the spot with no pausing or much thought.  Anyways, I have wanted to do this again for some time but never got back to it.  Now that I am trying to play catchup on my February blog-a-day, and I have nothing to tell that has happened in the past 24 hours, I thought I would finally revisit it.  I actually may end up doing it multiple times this month because it is fun(at least for me) and, well, I don’t have much happening around here.

Holes to Heaven by Jack Johnson  Listen here

• Bought this cd spring of Freshman year.  I had heard Justin Zerkle play a song by Jack Johnson the night before but had never heard him before.  Anyways, the weather had turned nice and I had to write a paper so I ran up to Target and purchased this cd and it was perfect for spring.  Don’t really dig Jack the way I used to, but maybe I should listen more because I am so happy right now.

There were so many fewer questions when the stars were still just the holes to heaven.

Smoke by Ben Folds  Listen here

• The accordion or whatever reminds me of the little windmill song from Zelda Ocarina of Time(edit:  not as close as I thought, but it’s been like 12 years or something.).  If you listen and are a nerd, you will know what I mean.
• “All the sadness, all the rage.  Throw this book away.”  I love that line.  This song is actually better than I have ever really given it credit for.
• Saw Ben Folds with Jesse Williams in 2005 just a few days after my brother had gone home.  Marked a change in my life.  I was no longer an RA and my brother would no longer be going to Anderson.  Both of those things were pretty big events in my life and that concert is the last memory I have from that school year.  As it turns out, it was my favorite year of college.  I wish I could go back and touch it again.  But everything is different now.  We are all married.  My whole floor is obviously not residing in 4th Smith…not even close.

Between the Bars by Elliott Smith  Listen here

• After the first year of college I was HOOKED on Elliott Smith.  I remember church league softball and listening to this on the way to and from practices while cruising the Oklahoma sunset lit highways.

Forget all about the pressures of days.  Do what I say and I’ll make you ok.

The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash  Listen here

• Not sure how many times he recorded this song, but I like the American IV version.  His voice is raspy and old.  It seems so much more relevant.

Then the father hen will call his chickens home.

• The guitar is so strong in this song for an acoustic.  Especially around the part where he says “whoever is filthy let him be filthy still.  Listen to the words long written down.”  In the middle of that last sentence is epic when the guitar chimes in.

Pepper by Butthole Surfers Listen here

Marky got with Sharon
And Sharon got Cherese
She was sharing Sharon’s outlook
On the topic of disease
Mikey had a facial scar
And Bobby was a racist
They were all in love with dyin’
They were doing it in Texas

Tommy played piano
Like a kid out in the rain
Then he lost his leg in Dallas
He was dancing with a train
They were all in love with dyin’
They were drinking from a fountain
That was pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain

You never know just how you look through other people’s eyes.

Another Mikey took a knife
While arguing in traffic
Flipper died a natural death
He caught a nasty virus
Then there was the ever-present
Football player rapist
They were all in love with dyin’
They were doing it in Texas

Pauly caught a bullet
But it only hit his leg
Well it should have been a better shot
He got him in the head
They were all in love with dyin’
They were drinking from a fountain
That was pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain

• This is a depressing song, but I love the little stories in it.  I read once that these were all kids the singer went to school with.  That makes the song so much more depressing and heavy, but real.  Interesting tune that I can never hit “next” on.

At Least That’s What You Said by Wilco Listen here

When I sat down on the bed next to you
You started to cry
I said, maybe if I leave, you’ll want me
To come back home
Or maybe all you mean, is leave me alone
At least that’s what you said

You’re irresistible when you get mad
Isn’t it sad, I’m immune
I thought it was cute
For you to kiss
My purple black eye
Even though I caught it from you
I still think we’re serious
At least that’s what you said

• This song is so simple and deep at the same time.  I particularly like the first chorus.
• I love the guitar that comes in after the final verse and then the piano that pounds in right after.  This song is like part emotional relationship song, part jam session.  The best part is, however, even with the jam session it still somehow calls up feelings of relaxation.  It is really quite beautiful and a great “drive and contemplate” song.  I feel that Wilco has a lot of those songs…or maybe I just get into them in my contemplative states of life?  I haven’t listened to them in a couple years and just got back into them now(a contemplative state of life).  I originally discovered them in the spring of 2005 which was another “what’s it all about?” phase of my life.  I wonder if I am honed into them at those times because of that or if it is just coincidence?  I don’t even know if it has to do with most of their lyrics or just their music style?  I don’t know…