Christmas and NYs Roundup

A new icon for a new year! This was Tina's second recent attempt at a contour drawing of me. The first was hillariously unrecognisable, but I think this one is charmingly wonky.

I had a terrific Christmas and New Year. I got some time off work to spend with Tina, family and friends, which was really nice. Also got to catch up with the much-missed April, Tom and Max, who were all down from Canberra for the break.

Christmas eve was spent with my family, doing the "we're European, let's open our presents a day early" bit. My folks gave me a bottle of Bundaburg black label rum, and a promise of a $200 contribution to a present of my choosing. I'm going to put it towards an electric guitar starter pack. I'm thinking of going with the Fender Squier Bullet Strat package, which retails at $350, but I've spotted it at $300 before. It looks like a good setup for a guitar-novice like me.

Tina got me the awesometacular Star Wars Battlefront II for PS2, which I've been playing lots. Adam and Helen gave Tina and I a nifty sandwich press, which we've already used twice. April gave us a nice vegetarian recipe book, which we've also used twice. Both of those gifts tie in nicely with my new year's resolution to cook a more interesting variety of food :)

Christmas day was spent with Tina's family, which was terrific fun. There was a truly obscene quantity of food, as Tina's mum had prepared enough to feed all of us twice over, and then everyone brought along a dish of their own, adding up to something like 5 chickens, a ham, a quiche, lots of snacks and about three thousand salads. The night ended as all Lorenz gatherings do, with a family jam session. This one took a turn towards the hippyesque, as Scotty and Paul brought out the sitar and mandolin and got especially psych on us. It was pretty awesome stuff.

New year's was spent initially at Tina's folks' place, where the music was once again in full swing, and then at Dave and Karen's. I had a fantastic time at both parties, and managed to get to sleep sometime just before 6am. New year's day was spent feeling a bit zombified after my rather fragmented 3 or 4 hours of sleep, as well as some more hanging out with the Lorenzeses.

And that brings us up to now, where I'm sitting at work, writing in my lj. I'm the only one here, because many people decided to take some extra time off. I couldn't be bothered burning the extra leave :P

Seven Songs Meme

As tagged by Dr Tom. Seven songs I am currently digging:

1. Johnny Cash - "Ring of Fire"

I'd been listening to this one a bit for a few weeks already, but then playing it a handful of times in Singstar Legends kind of cemented it in my mind. It's also one of those songs that suits being sung in an incredibly deep voice, so that works nicely for me.

2. Hot Chip - "Over and Over"

Just stupidly catchy. I'll probably tire of it eventually, but right now I can't stop thrashing it.

3. Missy Elliott - "We Run This"

Still love Missy Elliott. The massive horns in this give it a crazy, hyperactive-cheerleader sort of theme, which is heaps of fun.

4. Subtle - "Midas Gutz"

This is becoming a serious contender for my favourite hip-hop track ever. About four vocalists take turns in this track, which features some of the most impressive lyrical gymnastics I've heard in a while. The words just seem to tumble uncontrollably out of the song, without even the slightest pause between one line and the next. The second singer also has the most brilliantly deep, booming voice ever.

5. Love - "You Set the Scene"

60s psychedelic-folk with strings and horns and tinges of country. This is the final track off their landmark Forever Changes album, which has been growing on me more and more with every listen. The finale has this great part where the strings and horns play different melodies simultaneously, and then switch melodies, then switch back again, etc. It sounds really great. My only problem with this is that it wastes the obvious opportunity to end on a massive crescendo, and opts for a wimpy, impact-killing fade-out instead.

6. David Thomas Broughton - "Ambiguity"

Incredibly strange, experimental singer/songwriter stuff from a guy with a voice somewhat similar to Antony. I just find this track, musically and lyrically, to be a very moving experience. It's one of those songs that's near impossible to describe, but I strongly encourage people to check it out, as well as the rest of his album The Complete Guide to Insufficiency.

7. Kitchens of Distinction - "Railwayed"

Poppy, early 90s shoegazer that's very catchy, with a strong, emotive chorus. These guys definitely strike me as one of those "didn't get anywhere near the attention they deserved" bands. Very much worth checking out.

Well, there you go.