My unfinished drafts are piling up again; it's triage time. A few are more or less done so i'm just going to post them one after another. A few others will probably get filed in my private journal. Two half-written concert writeups still need work, so those can stay in the queue. Stand by for a flurry of posts; then maybe i can start writing about what's on my mind today.
If you're reading this on Facebook, feel free to check out neilam.blogspot.com for the original, up-to-the-minute posts.
Hmm, it feels weird to post this without any real content. Lemme check my recent youtube favorites for something fun to share; stand by...
Oooh, i've got one - oh HELL yeah. So one of my favorite childhood tv shows was Reading Rainbow. I'm struggling to describe its awesomeness in words. If you're a fellow bookworm child of the 80s, you probably know what i'm talking about. If not, then you missed out. (Is the show still on? I remember seeing an episode in the late-90s, but it just wasn't the same because LeVar Burton was looking all hip and cool - no more 80s fro). Ok, i just looked it up - turns out the show ended in 2006. Sadface.)
Anyway, there was one particular episode which highlighted the importance of teamwork. They even had an awesome song, which i recorded in the usual 80s child manner - by holding a tape recorder up to the tv. I never forgot that song; to this day it'll still randomly pop into my head once in a great while and make me hum the melody and sing the few lines i can remember. And visualizing the video, especially the part where they're all firefighters and use *teamwork* to put up a ladder.
Finally (earlier this year) it dawned on me that someone's probably put it on youtube. I did a search and FOUND IT and watched it with glee. Heehee!
Are you ready? Time for TEAMWORK!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm_Mv4uL3s4
WOOOOOOO! Say what you wish about the neon tights, the 80s hair, the music production - this video is 100% awesome and makes me happy. TEAMWORK! TEAMWORK!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Today
I'm feeling totally sentimental today.
First of all, it was a *beautiful* cloudy day. And i don't mean the partly cloudy NorCal bullcrap where it's kindof overcast in the morning (just enough to get my hopes up) but then the sun burns it all away by lunchtime and heats up the day. No, it was solid grey & gloomy, just the way i like it. It reminds me of autumns back home - my favorite time/place combination. I've tried to write about this before but always fail to come up with a clear description. This time i'll try keeping it simple. The following items are inextricably linked in my mind:
- Autumn
- Beginning of the school year
- My favorite weather
- 90s rock music
- High school & college in general (my youth)
- Flannel
- Happy/content
Once i get into this mindset, my thoughts go to places like the cider mill back home - getting a cup of fresh apple cider and a rich cinnamon donut, then wandering around in the woods adjacent to the mill. *sigh* And as Halloween approached, we'd hit up the mill and then stop by one of the pumpkin farms nearby. I've decided that if heaven does exist, for me it'll be a place where every month is October. But more on this later.
So the weather was already sending me in this direction; then i saw that one of my friends had posted a few photos to facebook from ~2005, which of course triggered another set of wonderful memories and invoked some serious nostalgia. Furthermore, i'm flying back to Champaign-Urbana this coming weekend for her wedding, which i'm very excited about. Being there for their special day, seeing a bunch of my friends whom i usually only get to see once a year, visiting my old home (i can't seem to let go of this place).
Next up - a silly fun encounter at lunch: So i found this awesome little bagel shop near the office and have been going there for lunch 2-3 times a week for about 6 months now. And because i'm me, i get almost exactly the same sandwich every time. Thus, not only do i know the exact sequence of questions that come with ordering (what kind of bread, cheese, etc), but i have the answers cached. I also know everyone who works there (by face, not name (yet)), including the pair of hotties who usually run the registers.
So today i walk in and swiftly order from one of the girls, answering the questions without missing a beat, leading to this:
Her: "Wow, you've clearly been here before!"
Me: "Yep, i come here a lot and i usually get the same thing. Although it's not always you; usually it's..." *i peek around the counter* "...her."
Her: "Oh, you mean the annoying one..."
OtherHottie: "No, he means the *pretty* one."
Me: "I think you're *both* pretty."
Her: "Aww...heh, she's blushing back there."
Totally silly & lame, but it put a smile on my face.
Finally, i've been sitting here pulling up video after video from Scala & Kolacny Brothers. They're a Belgian girls' choir and they are *awesome*. I'd never heard of them until a friend shared their beautiful cover of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" (i love this song):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVtD_oMdKg
They have a lot more covers posted on YouTube - everything from U2 and Radiohead to Nirvana, The Cure, tons more. Just search for "Scala" and take your pick.
Ok, one more video - their lovely cover of "With Or Without You":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M27IMEjqEgk
So awesome.
First of all, it was a *beautiful* cloudy day. And i don't mean the partly cloudy NorCal bullcrap where it's kindof overcast in the morning (just enough to get my hopes up) but then the sun burns it all away by lunchtime and heats up the day. No, it was solid grey & gloomy, just the way i like it. It reminds me of autumns back home - my favorite time/place combination. I've tried to write about this before but always fail to come up with a clear description. This time i'll try keeping it simple. The following items are inextricably linked in my mind:
- Autumn
- Beginning of the school year
- My favorite weather
- 90s rock music
- High school & college in general (my youth)
- Flannel
- Happy/content
Once i get into this mindset, my thoughts go to places like the cider mill back home - getting a cup of fresh apple cider and a rich cinnamon donut, then wandering around in the woods adjacent to the mill. *sigh* And as Halloween approached, we'd hit up the mill and then stop by one of the pumpkin farms nearby. I've decided that if heaven does exist, for me it'll be a place where every month is October. But more on this later.
So the weather was already sending me in this direction; then i saw that one of my friends had posted a few photos to facebook from ~2005, which of course triggered another set of wonderful memories and invoked some serious nostalgia. Furthermore, i'm flying back to Champaign-Urbana this coming weekend for her wedding, which i'm very excited about. Being there for their special day, seeing a bunch of my friends whom i usually only get to see once a year, visiting my old home (i can't seem to let go of this place).
Next up - a silly fun encounter at lunch: So i found this awesome little bagel shop near the office and have been going there for lunch 2-3 times a week for about 6 months now. And because i'm me, i get almost exactly the same sandwich every time. Thus, not only do i know the exact sequence of questions that come with ordering (what kind of bread, cheese, etc), but i have the answers cached. I also know everyone who works there (by face, not name (yet)), including the pair of hotties who usually run the registers.
So today i walk in and swiftly order from one of the girls, answering the questions without missing a beat, leading to this:
Her: "Wow, you've clearly been here before!"
Me: "Yep, i come here a lot and i usually get the same thing. Although it's not always you; usually it's..." *i peek around the counter* "...her."
Her: "Oh, you mean the annoying one..."
OtherHottie: "No, he means the *pretty* one."
Me: "I think you're *both* pretty."
Her: "Aww...heh, she's blushing back there."
Totally silly & lame, but it put a smile on my face.
Finally, i've been sitting here pulling up video after video from Scala & Kolacny Brothers. They're a Belgian girls' choir and they are *awesome*. I'd never heard of them until a friend shared their beautiful cover of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" (i love this song):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVtD_oMdKg
They have a lot more covers posted on YouTube - everything from U2 and Radiohead to Nirvana, The Cure, tons more. Just search for "Scala" and take your pick.
Ok, one more video - their lovely cover of "With Or Without You":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M27IMEjqEgk
So awesome.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
MuteMath - 10/09/2009 - The Fillmore - San Francisco
I first heard about MuteMath from one of my coworkers back in 2005 or 2006. He came back from their concert in Chicago and reported that it was the most amazing show he'd ever seen. I was skeptical (my standards are pretty high thanks to bands like Dream Theater and Opeth), but checked out a few videos he pointed me to. I did find them to be unique, especially one piece in which the guy was playing some weird-ass homemade instrument. But i didn't follow up on the band at that time.
Fast-forward to fall of 2007. I'd been trading music with a friend (sending flash drives back and forth in the mail), and the latest batch of tunes from her included MuteMath's self-titled album. I didn't really connect with the music at first, probably because i just wasn't in the right mindset for their style (at the time i was pretty much just swimming in wallow music).
Then one day (a month or two later) i happened to queue up the album at work and it finally struck a chord with me. I was able to settle into a groove with work and let the music carry me through the afternoon. Awesome. The album grew on me even more with repeated listens, and i started to really enjoy what they're all about.
The band was on tour at the time, supporting Alanis, but i decided to skip that show. Nothing against Alanis; i'm just not familiar with any of her music aside from her first album. Ditto Matchbox Twenty (the other support act). I figured i'd catch MuteMath next time around, but it turned out that next time wouldn't be for quite a while.
So the next two years saw my musical (and personal) journey continue on its meandering path. I slowly got through the wallow phase, found some great new bands, reconnected with old favorites. I didn't overplay MuteMath like i have other albums which struck me, but i did pull out the disc from time to time and kept an eye out for news, studio reports, release dates. Finally they announced the Armistice tour in support of their new album of the same name; i bought my ticket the minute they went on sale.
Fast-forward to Friday night.
...
I arrived at the Fillmore shortly after 21:00 and found As Tall As Lions (the support act) already on stage. I'd checked out their myspace and was underwhelmed by their music, but they made a much different impression up on stage! I really enjoyed their set; rich and atmospheric, channeling the energy and magic that comes with any good live show. Wow. Maybe i should give their album another try. Or (more likely) keep an eye out for a chance to see them live again.
After they wrapped up i headed over to the bar to grab a beer. As i waited my turn, a hot girl came up to the bar to do the same thing. She started talking to me and i couldn't hear her at first (drummer's ears) but i quickly realized that she was offering to buy me a drink. Naturally this caught me off guard, but i managed to ask what the occasion was. She replied that she was just happy and felt like doing something nice for someone. She also mentioned that she was on a break from life; i've certainly been there too. We went on to agree that As Tall As Lions has surprised both of us with their live show. The drinks arrived, we toasted, wished each other positive energy, and went our separate ways.
After what felt like forever, the house lights went down and MuteMath took the stage. And proceeded to blow me away.
I hadn't fully absorbed their new album yet, and even the first album usually bleeds together for me since i always listen to it start-to-finish without picking out individual songs (aside from a few special favorites including "Chaos", "Noticed", and one track near the end of the disc). But i definitely recoginzed a lot of their setlest, which was cool.
I think the stunning brilliance of MuteMath's performance comes down to three main things:
1) Instrumentation and dynamic lineup. The guys play a wide variety of instruments up on stage. In addition to the usual guitar/bass/drums were two sets of keyboards, extra percussion, a synthsizer, and even a *marimba*. Roy played an upright bass for some songs, electric for others. Greg covered guitars, keyboards, and marimba on some songs. Paul (their frontman) played keyboards or keytar while singing (he has an excellent voice; i wish i could sing half as well as he does). And they all jammed on percussion at one point or another (sometimes all at the same time).
Oh yeah, and the afformentioned homemade instrument (called The Atari) made an appearance as well. It's hard to make out, but click the photo below to enlarge & check out Paul on the left:
Moreover, everyone was playing *something* at all times, and the combinations of instruments constantly changed, even during songs. It really impressed me, watching the guys play so many different instruments, showcasing their versatile talent and experience. I definitely did not fully appreciate the many elements and subtleties to their songs until i saw what all goes into playing them live. And the fact that the four of them covered all of the instruments instead of hiring tour musicians or pre-recording layers of the songs (aside from the sampling) - very impressive.
Also, they definitely played extended versions of some of their songs, launching into improv jams and experimental interludes. Awesome.
Their drummer, Darren, was on fire all night! He did more with his simple four-piece setup than many drummers do with kits an order of magnitude larger. Whenever i see a drummer like Darren, it makes me want to scale back my own kit (if/when i get back into drumming, that is). Then again he did have some fun embellishments, like an extra floor tom mounted sideways which would light up in time with the music as it was hit.
2) Innovation/stage setup. There was so much going on, at times it was almost too much to fully take in. Their stage apparatus included the huge arch from their album cover onto which lights and video were projected to enhance the music. I know all bands use stage lights and some have video screens, but this particular setup came together so well; they clearly put a lot of effort into planning.
During the intro for No Response, they set up four huge circles ("drums") along that backgrop and they lit up with projected light as Darren hit them. Amazing effect; here's someone's video from the Cleveland show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ag3cq4fYw4
3) Synergy. As i mentioned, they all played a variety of instruments with a level of precision and skill and heart that i still dream about. But the magic comes from how well they play *together*. It goes beyond just being well-rehearsed. Whether they're rocking one of their straightforward radio hits or weaving intricate patterns of melody and rhythm, they're all in the zone up there, each member completely in phase with the other three.
I'm running out of words to describe this incredible performance so i'll wrap it up by stating the obvious and then leave you with some video. Ahem. MuteMath played one of the most amazing live shows i've ever seen.
I hope you enjoy my recording of (most of) their encore. It's long, but worth watching. That's Paul with The Atari at the beginning; watch as he carries it into the audience for everyone to wail on. And you don't want to miss his famous keyboard flips, or Darren's antics towards the end - he passes his bass drum into the audience and *stands* on it as they hold it up; then he dives back onto the stage to join in for a group percussion jam. So awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh57CeV2R_Y
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Catching up
So i haven't blogged in forever, aside from my post for Tessa and my followup collection of links.
It's been an eventful and otherwise heavy couple of months, which of course made it a timeframe during which i had a lot to write about, but not enough time to actually write. Actually i do have a folder full of half-written concert reviews, think pieces, rants, raves, and multiple "so i haven't blogged in forever" catchup posts. At first i thought i'd eventually finish them up and post them, but at this point i'll probably just dump the lot into my private journal and move on with life. Except for my writeup from the Lacuna Coil concert; i have some great stories and photos from that night, so i do want to finish that one & share. As for the rest, since there's "no time to 'splain, let me sum up":
The latter half of my summer was loaded with travel (including trips to visit friends in Portland and Kansas City) and friends' visits (including one friend from Seattle with whom i drove all over the bay area and down the coast, seeing a ton of new stuff - pretty cool). Also a few friends were sent out here on business so we got to hang out while they were in town; awesome perk of living in Silicon Valley.
Also (as some of you already know), i'm currently in the middle of a concert marathon; fall seems to have turned into concert season for me. Possibly because a lot of bands tend to spend summers playing the festival circuit, so come September they're all ready to head out on headlining tours. And living this close to a big city, i'm actually able to catch a lot of them.
Indeed, i've become a bit of a concert junkie; two shows last week (writeup coming soon), three more planned for this week (including TRIVIUM, a favorite among favorites). A total of 18 shows (and counting) penciled into my calendar between now and Christmas. I won't be able to attend all of them, but about 6 are definite, and a handful more are likely (depending on how other things line up). This compared to the old days when i'd only catch 3 or 4 concerts in an entire *year*. Yeah, living here is fun.
In the interest of completeness, i'll mention that my workout routine and guitar practice are pretty much in the tank. There's been hardly any red ink on my calendar for the past two months, and not much blue ink either. And as for the music project, i was *this close* to having a new video to post. My recordings were steadily improving (one take in particlar was just about perfect, except i boffed the *last* frakking note - oooh, i was pissed). Another solid week of work and i would have had it, but the afformentioned travel and other plans got in the way and i managed to let myself go completely off the rails.
So now i feel almost like a bumbling beginner again; picked up my guitar this week and felt totally awkward on the frets. It's amazing how fast the muscle memory vaporizes. It reminds me of when i first started swing dancing - my technique would go to slop after only a few weeks off. The first Christmas break (2004-2005 school year) was brutal - i forgot just about everything i knew during those ~6 weeks off. But i found that the longer i'd been dancing actively, the less i lost during breaks. I'm hoping the same concept applies to guitar. Speaking of holiday breaks, though, i'm a little worried about this year because i'm going to be in MI for almost 2.5 weeks - without my guitar. Maybe i can rent one from a local shop to practice on.
Anyway, over the next month or so i'm hoping to get my guitarwork back to where it was before the lapse. The workout routine will probably take longer; maybe i'll start with some lighter goals before stepping it up.
Also on the list is getting back into swing dancing. I attended a lindy hop mini-workshop this past weekend which was (a) only my second time on a dance floor this year, and (b) exactly what i needed. Intermediate-plus level with a nice emphasis on fundamentals, driven by some cool & challenging new material (well, new to me anyway; i took notes). And i may be preaching to the choir here, but if you ever get a chance to attend a workshop with Peter Strom and/or Naomi Uyama, i HIGHLY recommend; they are beyond awesome.
It's been an eventful and otherwise heavy couple of months, which of course made it a timeframe during which i had a lot to write about, but not enough time to actually write. Actually i do have a folder full of half-written concert reviews, think pieces, rants, raves, and multiple "so i haven't blogged in forever" catchup posts. At first i thought i'd eventually finish them up and post them, but at this point i'll probably just dump the lot into my private journal and move on with life. Except for my writeup from the Lacuna Coil concert; i have some great stories and photos from that night, so i do want to finish that one & share. As for the rest, since there's "no time to 'splain, let me sum up":
The latter half of my summer was loaded with travel (including trips to visit friends in Portland and Kansas City) and friends' visits (including one friend from Seattle with whom i drove all over the bay area and down the coast, seeing a ton of new stuff - pretty cool). Also a few friends were sent out here on business so we got to hang out while they were in town; awesome perk of living in Silicon Valley.
Also (as some of you already know), i'm currently in the middle of a concert marathon; fall seems to have turned into concert season for me. Possibly because a lot of bands tend to spend summers playing the festival circuit, so come September they're all ready to head out on headlining tours. And living this close to a big city, i'm actually able to catch a lot of them.
Indeed, i've become a bit of a concert junkie; two shows last week (writeup coming soon), three more planned for this week (including TRIVIUM, a favorite among favorites). A total of 18 shows (and counting) penciled into my calendar between now and Christmas. I won't be able to attend all of them, but about 6 are definite, and a handful more are likely (depending on how other things line up). This compared to the old days when i'd only catch 3 or 4 concerts in an entire *year*. Yeah, living here is fun.
In the interest of completeness, i'll mention that my workout routine and guitar practice are pretty much in the tank. There's been hardly any red ink on my calendar for the past two months, and not much blue ink either. And as for the music project, i was *this close* to having a new video to post. My recordings were steadily improving (one take in particlar was just about perfect, except i boffed the *last* frakking note - oooh, i was pissed). Another solid week of work and i would have had it, but the afformentioned travel and other plans got in the way and i managed to let myself go completely off the rails.
So now i feel almost like a bumbling beginner again; picked up my guitar this week and felt totally awkward on the frets. It's amazing how fast the muscle memory vaporizes. It reminds me of when i first started swing dancing - my technique would go to slop after only a few weeks off. The first Christmas break (2004-2005 school year) was brutal - i forgot just about everything i knew during those ~6 weeks off. But i found that the longer i'd been dancing actively, the less i lost during breaks. I'm hoping the same concept applies to guitar. Speaking of holiday breaks, though, i'm a little worried about this year because i'm going to be in MI for almost 2.5 weeks - without my guitar. Maybe i can rent one from a local shop to practice on.
Anyway, over the next month or so i'm hoping to get my guitarwork back to where it was before the lapse. The workout routine will probably take longer; maybe i'll start with some lighter goals before stepping it up.
Also on the list is getting back into swing dancing. I attended a lindy hop mini-workshop this past weekend which was (a) only my second time on a dance floor this year, and (b) exactly what i needed. Intermediate-plus level with a nice emphasis on fundamentals, driven by some cool & challenging new material (well, new to me anyway; i took notes). And i may be preaching to the choir here, but if you ever get a chance to attend a workshop with Peter Strom and/or Naomi Uyama, i HIGHLY recommend; they are beyond awesome.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Tessa links
I miss my friend.
At a swing dance on Tessa's birthday, spring 2005.
If you haven't read my previous blog post already, i hope you will.
...
So for the past month (has it only been one month? has it *already* been a whole month?), i've been saving a bunch of open tabs (on multiple web browsers and multiple computers) with various blog posts and articles i found about Tessa. I knew i wanted to do something with all of the pieces; maybe one day i'll print them out and make a memory book, along with some of my emails and photos. For now i'm just going to compile them here.
This is primarily for myself; perhaps it's a step in dealing with the loss of my friend, and/or a gesture of moving on. And/or just building a reference so i'll have these links handy. Feel free to skip this post if you don't care. (But - i hope you do care.)
"Goodbye and God Bless (for Tessa)"
A wonderful piece written by one of her professors at UIUC (this is the post that many of us have been sending around). Absolutely worth reading.
http://www.open.salon.com/blog/libertarius/2009/08/16/goodbye_and_god_bless
"Taken"
A short piece by another professor at UIUC.
http://dhawhee.blogs.com/d_hawhee/2009/08/taken.html
"RIP Tessa Oberg"
Jen's blog post; another nice piece which i think is worth reading (make sure to also read Rasheed's response at the bottom).
http://jennyloohoo.livejournal.com/66058.html
Fin in a Waste of Waters" (Tessa's blog)
She posted to this blog from July 2006 through October 2007. I'm starting at the beginning and (re)reading through it. Her last post was a beautiful piece which detailed her life as it would have been remembered by her grandchildren after she died. I once attempted this exercise of writing my own eulogy, but i never finished (and it sucked anyway). Hers is awesome.
http://fininawasteofwaters.blogspot.com/
Tessa's obituary in the Rockford Register Star
http://www.legacy.com/RRStar/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=131474559
Guest Book for Tessa (only online for a few more days (until 9/16/2009)).
http://www.legacy.com/gb2/default.aspx?bookid=9071102403711
Partial academic bio, posted in relation to one of her scholarships.
http://www.jkcf.org/our-scholars/current/2224-Tessa-M-Oberg
A post i found with a photo and a link to the professor's piece i linked above.
http://citiesandsigns.blogspot.com/2009/08/eulogy-for-tessa-oberg-by-one-of-our.html
Those are all of the links i had saved; i'll edit this post if i find more.
At a swing dance on Tessa's birthday, spring 2005.
If you haven't read my previous blog post already, i hope you will.
...
So for the past month (has it only been one month? has it *already* been a whole month?), i've been saving a bunch of open tabs (on multiple web browsers and multiple computers) with various blog posts and articles i found about Tessa. I knew i wanted to do something with all of the pieces; maybe one day i'll print them out and make a memory book, along with some of my emails and photos. For now i'm just going to compile them here.
This is primarily for myself; perhaps it's a step in dealing with the loss of my friend, and/or a gesture of moving on. And/or just building a reference so i'll have these links handy. Feel free to skip this post if you don't care. (But - i hope you do care.)
"Goodbye and God Bless (for Tessa)"
A wonderful piece written by one of her professors at UIUC (this is the post that many of us have been sending around). Absolutely worth reading.
http://www.open.salon.com/blog/libertarius/2009/08/16/goodbye_and_god_bless
"Taken"
A short piece by another professor at UIUC.
http://dhawhee.blogs.com/d_hawhee/2009/08/taken.html
"RIP Tessa Oberg"
Jen's blog post; another nice piece which i think is worth reading (make sure to also read Rasheed's response at the bottom).
http://jennyloohoo.livejournal.com/66058.html
Fin in a Waste of Waters" (Tessa's blog)
She posted to this blog from July 2006 through October 2007. I'm starting at the beginning and (re)reading through it. Her last post was a beautiful piece which detailed her life as it would have been remembered by her grandchildren after she died. I once attempted this exercise of writing my own eulogy, but i never finished (and it sucked anyway). Hers is awesome.
http://fininawasteofwaters.blogspot.com/
Tessa's obituary in the Rockford Register Star
http://www.legacy.com/RRStar/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=131474559
Guest Book for Tessa (only online for a few more days (until 9/16/2009)).
http://www.legacy.com/gb2/default.aspx?bookid=9071102403711
Partial academic bio, posted in relation to one of her scholarships.
http://www.jkcf.org/our-scholars/current/2224-Tessa-M-Oberg
A post i found with a photo and a link to the professor's piece i linked above.
http://citiesandsigns.blogspot.com/2009/08/eulogy-for-tessa-oberg-by-one-of-our.html
Those are all of the links i had saved; i'll edit this post if i find more.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Tessa Oberg - In loving memory of my friend
A dear friend of mine died this past weekend after a long battle with cancer. I'm overwhelmed with emotion right now; the pain of losing a friend, anger at such a bright, shining life cut so short, but also amazement at what a *life* she lived.
How can i even begin to describe her? Tessa was incredible beyond words. She was deeply caring, sincere, driven and accomplished, a wonderful friend and powerful inspiration to me.
Tessa will always be an inspiration to me. Just watching her take on life full force, every day, never accepting anything as "good enough", and doing it all with passion and grace and love. It shows what's possible when you put all of yourself into everything you do.
I'd like to share a few of my favorite memories and stories, because that's the best way i can think of to celebrate her life and our friendship.
...
The first time i met Tessa was (of course) at a Thursday night swing dance in Champaign-Urbana back in 2004. It was a snowball/mixer song and i ended up dancing with her for the last two breaks (yes, we cheated). As the next song came on i started to go into wallflower mode, but she grabbed me again and said "C'mon. I don't sit out dances."
Indeed, i was to find out that she never sat out anything, least of all dances. She was never shy when it came to the dance floor. If she wanted to dance with you, she'd come and get you. Sometimes she'd catch me right as i was about to leave, and get me to stay for one more song. One time i'd already changed out of my dance shoes, but she made me put them back on and dance with her.
I also remember, early on, she used to good-naturedly demand "Hey, where's my dip?" at the end of songs.
...
I saw her around the swing scene during that school year, but summer of 2005 was when we really became friends. She was taking the summer session of the lindy class i was TA'ing, so i saw her in class and at the weekly dances.
One evening after class, she said to me "I'm hungry; want to go to Burger King?" (This was back when there was one on Green Street). I actually did *not* want to go to Burger King, but i went along anyway, and i'm glad i did.
As i nibbled at a piece of apple pie and watched her tear through a burger, the conversation went from casual to meaningful, and the food run extended into a wonderful evening of hanging out, reading poetry, trading ideas, discussing one issue after another.
From my journal:
"And all the while we continued talking, really *talking*. Everything from casual topics (movies, dancing) to serious areas of a personal nature. Our respective passions for literature and music. Family. Friends. Childhood experiences, college roommates, work issues, our respective struggles on the social front. Through it all i realized that she was slowly opening up to me, sharing deep personal feelings and experiences, and listening (really *listening*) as i went into some of my own thoughts. It was the last thing i'd been expecting - having this turn into "the" talk; that first deep and meaningful conversation you have with someone, the one that diverges completely from previous interactions and marks the transition from casual acquaintance to a real friendship."
She'd mentioned before that she'd had cancer and had made a full recovery (in half of the expected time, by the way), but this night she explained about the surgery and recovery, and the resulting impact on her life and work. She even showed me part of her (award-winning) short story which was fueled by the experience. It really hit me - finding out not just about everything she'd gone through, but the way she *powered* her way through with her unique strength and determination and got back to where she wanted to be.
She also showed me her portfolio which detailed her art sculpture project. She started by explaining that after conquering the English department at UIUC, she'd decided to conquer the art department next. (She said this matter-of-factly, with no ego in sight).
Her sculpture was a huge arch, very carefully designed and built with levels of meaning which escape my memory now. She displayed it on the quad for a day - spanning the sidewalks which crisscross the green. The display also included accepting quotes from passers by on slips of paper. At the end of the day she went up to the Foellinger patio and shouted each of the quotes across the quad.
I'm not doing justice to her project; if anyone can describe it better, please feel free. (Also, if anyone has a copy of the article in the News Gazette covering her project, please let me know; i couldn't find it online). I was pretty much floored by the idea and implementation. This in concert with all i'd learned about her in those hours added a level of amazement to my respect and admiration.
...
So the friendship grew over the summer with dance nights, a few dinners, a few movies (including "The Hours" and "Sylvia"; she filled me in with fascinating background information and some of her own insights).
One day she really surprised me. I was telling some story or another, and mentioned my mom. She asked "Why don't you ever talk about your dad?"
That simple question (along with the tone of her voice, the knowing look in her eyes) made me realize something: Tessa *listens* and *understands*. She picks up on subtle clues and figures things out. She already *knew* why i don't speak of my father, even though i'd never mentioned anything about it. And she cared enough to ask. Tessa is one of the few friends i have who can not only read me like a book, but respond with empathy and understanding.
...
I won't even try to do justice to her stunning academic accomplishments; instead i ask that you take a few minutes to read this piece by one of her professors. It's long, but absolutely worth reading (even/especially if you've never met her or didn't know her well):
http://www.open.salon.com/blog/libertarius/2009/08/16/goodbye_and_god_bless/
...
The last time i saw Tessa in person was, appropriately, on the dance floor. She was back from England, having completed her Masters program as a Fulbright Scholar (along with many incredible adventures around Europe; she sent out mass emails along the way with awesome stories & photos). She made a trip down to Champaign-Urbana shortly before moving out to California to start her PhD program at U-C Irvine. This was actually right before i moved out to Cali myself to start a new job in the bay area.
We danced, we wished each other luck, we promised to keep in touch.
And keep in touch we did; exchanging emails, trading stories, making plans to go dancing "when i make it down to LA" or "when i visit San Francisco", respectively. Then suddenly she want off radar for a long time; at first i assumed she was just overbusy with school, but then i started to worry. Finally i received an email from her via her mom letting me know that the cancer had returned and that Tessa had moved back home for treatment.
The treatment and recovery were very difficult, of course, and it was quite a while before she was able to get online herself. But we eventually did get back to exchanging the occasional email, which was very nice. Her messages were always positive and focused, laced with her lovely wit and sense of humor. She'd ask me to tell her about what i'd been up to, and she'd describe her workout routine, her goals, the progress she was making. I told her that it was good to see that the Tessa Determination was still as strong as i remembered; she thanked me for reminding her.
The thought didn't really cross my mind that she wouldn't just recover again, setbacks or otherwise. Or maybe it did and i just couldn't accept the possibility, because in my heart...Tessa is one of the strongest people i've ever met; nothing could stop her.
...
My life is better for having known Tessa. I miss her very much, but i continue to find inspiration from her example, and encouragement from memories and things she said to me. For example, i'd mentioned my fledgeling music project, and shared my first cover recording with her. The last message she sent me was this heartwarming response:
"Dear Neilam,
Big smile on my face . . . I like it
guitar rocked, your singing rocked and it was so good to hear your
voice, keep on rockin' in California
send more music--have you ever thought about doing an open mic?
lots of love,
Tessa
ps
if you come to visit please bring your guitar!"
I have more songs for you now, Tessa. I miss you, but i know you're in a better place now, and i hope you'll check on me from time to time.
In Loving Memory
Tessa Oberg
1983 - 2009
How can i even begin to describe her? Tessa was incredible beyond words. She was deeply caring, sincere, driven and accomplished, a wonderful friend and powerful inspiration to me.
Tessa will always be an inspiration to me. Just watching her take on life full force, every day, never accepting anything as "good enough", and doing it all with passion and grace and love. It shows what's possible when you put all of yourself into everything you do.
I'd like to share a few of my favorite memories and stories, because that's the best way i can think of to celebrate her life and our friendship.
...
The first time i met Tessa was (of course) at a Thursday night swing dance in Champaign-Urbana back in 2004. It was a snowball/mixer song and i ended up dancing with her for the last two breaks (yes, we cheated). As the next song came on i started to go into wallflower mode, but she grabbed me again and said "C'mon. I don't sit out dances."
Indeed, i was to find out that she never sat out anything, least of all dances. She was never shy when it came to the dance floor. If she wanted to dance with you, she'd come and get you. Sometimes she'd catch me right as i was about to leave, and get me to stay for one more song. One time i'd already changed out of my dance shoes, but she made me put them back on and dance with her.
I also remember, early on, she used to good-naturedly demand "Hey, where's my dip?" at the end of songs.
...
I saw her around the swing scene during that school year, but summer of 2005 was when we really became friends. She was taking the summer session of the lindy class i was TA'ing, so i saw her in class and at the weekly dances.
One evening after class, she said to me "I'm hungry; want to go to Burger King?" (This was back when there was one on Green Street). I actually did *not* want to go to Burger King, but i went along anyway, and i'm glad i did.
As i nibbled at a piece of apple pie and watched her tear through a burger, the conversation went from casual to meaningful, and the food run extended into a wonderful evening of hanging out, reading poetry, trading ideas, discussing one issue after another.
From my journal:
"And all the while we continued talking, really *talking*. Everything from casual topics (movies, dancing) to serious areas of a personal nature. Our respective passions for literature and music. Family. Friends. Childhood experiences, college roommates, work issues, our respective struggles on the social front. Through it all i realized that she was slowly opening up to me, sharing deep personal feelings and experiences, and listening (really *listening*) as i went into some of my own thoughts. It was the last thing i'd been expecting - having this turn into "the" talk; that first deep and meaningful conversation you have with someone, the one that diverges completely from previous interactions and marks the transition from casual acquaintance to a real friendship."
She'd mentioned before that she'd had cancer and had made a full recovery (in half of the expected time, by the way), but this night she explained about the surgery and recovery, and the resulting impact on her life and work. She even showed me part of her (award-winning) short story which was fueled by the experience. It really hit me - finding out not just about everything she'd gone through, but the way she *powered* her way through with her unique strength and determination and got back to where she wanted to be.
She also showed me her portfolio which detailed her art sculpture project. She started by explaining that after conquering the English department at UIUC, she'd decided to conquer the art department next. (She said this matter-of-factly, with no ego in sight).
Her sculpture was a huge arch, very carefully designed and built with levels of meaning which escape my memory now. She displayed it on the quad for a day - spanning the sidewalks which crisscross the green. The display also included accepting quotes from passers by on slips of paper. At the end of the day she went up to the Foellinger patio and shouted each of the quotes across the quad.
I'm not doing justice to her project; if anyone can describe it better, please feel free. (Also, if anyone has a copy of the article in the News Gazette covering her project, please let me know; i couldn't find it online). I was pretty much floored by the idea and implementation. This in concert with all i'd learned about her in those hours added a level of amazement to my respect and admiration.
...
So the friendship grew over the summer with dance nights, a few dinners, a few movies (including "The Hours" and "Sylvia"; she filled me in with fascinating background information and some of her own insights).
One day she really surprised me. I was telling some story or another, and mentioned my mom. She asked "Why don't you ever talk about your dad?"
That simple question (along with the tone of her voice, the knowing look in her eyes) made me realize something: Tessa *listens* and *understands*. She picks up on subtle clues and figures things out. She already *knew* why i don't speak of my father, even though i'd never mentioned anything about it. And she cared enough to ask. Tessa is one of the few friends i have who can not only read me like a book, but respond with empathy and understanding.
...
I won't even try to do justice to her stunning academic accomplishments; instead i ask that you take a few minutes to read this piece by one of her professors. It's long, but absolutely worth reading (even/especially if you've never met her or didn't know her well):
http://www.open.salon.com/blog/libertarius/2009/08/16/goodbye_and_god_bless/
...
The last time i saw Tessa in person was, appropriately, on the dance floor. She was back from England, having completed her Masters program as a Fulbright Scholar (along with many incredible adventures around Europe; she sent out mass emails along the way with awesome stories & photos). She made a trip down to Champaign-Urbana shortly before moving out to California to start her PhD program at U-C Irvine. This was actually right before i moved out to Cali myself to start a new job in the bay area.
We danced, we wished each other luck, we promised to keep in touch.
And keep in touch we did; exchanging emails, trading stories, making plans to go dancing "when i make it down to LA" or "when i visit San Francisco", respectively. Then suddenly she want off radar for a long time; at first i assumed she was just overbusy with school, but then i started to worry. Finally i received an email from her via her mom letting me know that the cancer had returned and that Tessa had moved back home for treatment.
The treatment and recovery were very difficult, of course, and it was quite a while before she was able to get online herself. But we eventually did get back to exchanging the occasional email, which was very nice. Her messages were always positive and focused, laced with her lovely wit and sense of humor. She'd ask me to tell her about what i'd been up to, and she'd describe her workout routine, her goals, the progress she was making. I told her that it was good to see that the Tessa Determination was still as strong as i remembered; she thanked me for reminding her.
The thought didn't really cross my mind that she wouldn't just recover again, setbacks or otherwise. Or maybe it did and i just couldn't accept the possibility, because in my heart...Tessa is one of the strongest people i've ever met; nothing could stop her.
...
My life is better for having known Tessa. I miss her very much, but i continue to find inspiration from her example, and encouragement from memories and things she said to me. For example, i'd mentioned my fledgeling music project, and shared my first cover recording with her. The last message she sent me was this heartwarming response:
"Dear Neilam,
Big smile on my face . . . I like it
guitar rocked, your singing rocked and it was so good to hear your
voice, keep on rockin' in California
send more music--have you ever thought about doing an open mic?
lots of love,
Tessa
ps
if you come to visit please bring your guitar!"
I have more songs for you now, Tessa. I miss you, but i know you're in a better place now, and i hope you'll check on me from time to time.
In Loving Memory
Tessa Oberg
1983 - 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
A tribute to Michael Jackson
There's nothing i can say about Michael Jackson's amazing music and dance and immense impact on pop culture that hasn't already been said. But i would like to speak a little about his influence on my own dancing, and then share a silly video clip.
Like many others, i've spent plenty of time trying to learn some of his moves and choreography (most notably, "Beat It" and (of course) "Thriller"). I also spent years teaching myself how to moonwalk, and i daresay i can hold my own.
In the swing scene back in Champaign-Urbana (where i first learned to dance and came into my own), we were always encouraged to put ourselves into our dance; to make it our own. Intermediate (and even beginning) lindy always included a strong emphasis on musicality; working with different types of music, figuring out what works (upbeat & energetic, slow & swanky, etc). But it didn't stop there. One of my instructors played "Bad" in class one day and made us figure out how to lindy to it - that really opened up my mind to the possibilities. He and several others would also include some non-swing stuff in their DJ sets. Completely shattered the idea that swing dancing requires swing *music*. Chumbawamba, Moby, KMFDM, Green Day - it all works, if you free your mind.
Of course, Michael Jackson tunes would periodically come through at the Thursday dances (usually later at night, when people were feeling saucy). Many of us would dance lindies ranging from comically fun to smooth criminal awesome. Or sometimes we'd hang out and trade moonwalk tips or show off bits of choreo.
Like many fledgeling dancers, i used to spend time watching others on the dance floor and borrow moves & ideas - in addition to exploring what came to me naturally. I slowly built up a variety of styles (to go with different styles of music), but found my favorite to be a smooth, slippery style; lots of sweeps and spins, sliding around the floor. Lots of MJ-esque breaks. It was like "Wow, i can actually *use* all of this stuff i've been screwing around with!" I remember once, after my turn in a friend's blusey birthday dance, another friend said to me "Dude, your swingouts are so cool; you look like you're on ice." Yeah, i was practically glowing from the compliment.
And of course i'm sure you back home remember my song of choice for my own birthday and farewell dances ("It's close to miiiid-night...").
...
Anyway, i recorded this video back in February of 2005. I was just messing around at home in Champaign (i loved my wood floors) and suddenly wondered what my moonwalk actually looked like. Busted out my digital camera & spent the night recording bunches of short clips of myself being a dork. This was the best one from the lot; nothing overly impressive, but just an example of MJ-inspired fun.
I would now like to share it as a tribute to Michael Jackson.
(sorry for the lack of editing, by the way; the action runs from ~0:12-0:30)
(Facebookers, please click here for the video)
Michael Jackson
August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009
Rest in peace. Your songs will always be remembered, and your dance moves will always be emulated (especially by dorks like me).
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