funny conversations

This evening, Zach and I discussed our favorite Spanish painters. We came across Jose de Ribera and his painting El Martirio de San Felipe, below.

We then discussed how ripped St. Phil was. I said NAY, HE IS NOT! but my attention was then refocused on his forearms. You can judge that for yourself.

Heres the good part--Zach said, "Look at the size of his ribcage, that guy could inhale a horse!" Thats physically impossible, even for a saint!!!!

after typing this, it doesn't seem as funny. in brighter news, i only have 18.75 pages left to write, and an annotated web compendium to do.

busy

Hey babies,

we have been incredibly busy for the past while. I promise a great and lovely update within 2 or 3 weeks. Next week I have a unit plan (spanning 2 weeks) due monday, a research paper due thursday, and the week after that i have a massive paper, and web compendium due. work is hiring a new coordinator, they are visiting this week, i have an art show planned for friday, and we are hiring new staffs/wrapping up the year. My stomach is in knots thinking about all this, and likely my brain will be scrambled from doing research and writing on too many different things: the agenda is world war II/cold war unit, spanish civil war/valley of the fallen and political memory in spain, and the beats as counterculture. WONDERFUL!

anyhow, stay tuned.

a quick update

No, we're not dead! sorry for the incredible lag in posts.

We just wanted to tell you that zach and our friend, aaron, are starting to write hit songs. they have two so far, and will all be about the same thing. the end of summer. You should email us if you want to here them! They are both really good! Also, if anyone knows how to put songs up on this blog...will you please tell us!?

Tomorrow is friday here. not any friday though...First Friday! i have my second art show going on, which is called a day in the life. we gave out cameras for students to photograph their life here...and there were a ton of pics of campus. This is silly. this campus is ugly. for reals. The show will be lovely though, at least its cohesive.

Love love,
Becca and Zach

Diner desserts: pile it high

I am back in Binghamton! On Wednesday night, we had a big old time. We went to the ale house for the first time (the beer joint of your dreams, no kidding. Also, they have a birthday deal where you fill out a postcard, they send it to you, and then you go in on your birthday and get 5 free beers for you and your friends. Hopefully the card will come by Saturday).

After that we went to see a movie at our new favorite theatre, the art mission, which only charges $6 for students to see movies. They show more independent pictures, we saw the darjeeling limited there, which was not playing anywhere else here, and wednesday we saw Margot at the Wedding. I do not recommend it, even if you did like the squid and the whale. they were written and directed by noah baumbach, who specializes in BIZARRE DISFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES. there was nothing redeeming about the characters in margot at the wedding though. after that we were much distressed, and headed to none other than the spot diner.

ENTER THE STRAWBERRY BANANA TART OF YOUR DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES

It just looked so beautiful in the diner dessert display case, i had to have it. However, i momentarily forgot tht i hate banana flavored things usually, aside from real bananas, which i love. well. the cream of it was a terrible yellow flavor, and it had chunks of bananas in it, which were brown because thats what happens to nanners. Anyhow, this is what it looked like the next day after I ate some of it...and took it home.

blarg!

Auguri!! Happy New Year!!! TOP TEN!!!

Hey all, welcome to 2008. sorry these are a little late, normally we have them done by mid december! Anyhow, here are our top tens:

Zach:
10. !!! - Myth Takes
9. Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir
8. Calvin Johnson and the Sons of the Soil - Self Titled
7. Dr. Dog - We All Belong
6. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
5. Peter, Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
4. Saturday Looks Good to Me - Fill Up The Room
3. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, are you the Destroyer?
2. The Teeth - You're My Lover Now
1. LCD Soundsystem - Sounds of Silver

Becca:
10. LCD Soundsystem: Sounds of Silver
What else makes you want to move quite this much.
9. Panda Bear: Person Pitch
I think he is gifted when it comes to putting sounds together, also had I listened to this more, it would be higher for reals.
8. Feist: The Reminder
There are some really beautiful songs on this album. When you listen to Feist, what does it make you want to do?????
7. Calvin Johnson and the Sons of the Soil
These songs have a great mix of humor, imagery, and deep voices.
6. Dr. Dog: We all Belong
Maybe my favorite new (to me) artists this year...We saw them live w/ the teeth in may, and it was one of my favorite shows. They are tons of fun, and normal guys. Also, one of them looks a whole lot like steve gennet. woo!
5. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Living with the Living
Regardless of the coupe really really annoying songs on here, I've got to say that la costa brava is one of my favorites of the year.
4. The Teeth: You're my Lover Now
Highest energy ever. this might be one of the more fun groups on the list! Whenever its on, we just want to jump around!
3. Saturday Looks Good to Me: Fill Up the Room
We didn't get this one until later in the year, but its beautiful. Fred always has great lines about being young and such, its great! Also, Betty only sings one track, but I really do love that one track...
2. Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
It was a real grower, and I know everyone else has said that about it. But when it comes down to it, its just great pop music. FINER FEELINGS??? DON'T YOU EVAH???? bitch please.
1. Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are you the destroyer?
OH WHERE DO I BEGIN???!!!! It was an exciting direction for them, and i think the vulnerability and candor paid off. What I like most about this is that it just kept on giving and giving, there was so much to it. Not only did it make me LOVE them so much more, for months and months, but it just made me happy. and sad. and in love. and laugh a lot. ANYHOW.

My honorable mentions/things that would have made it had I heard them:
!!! I really did love this, but I just loved everything else more. Must be the moon.
Animal Collective: strawberry jam...I heard a little of this one day, but i think i really like panda bear a ton more.
Jose Gonzalez
Fiery Furnaces
Jens Lekman-Nightfall over kortedala---Zach and I listened to this through headphones one day in the radio station at binghamton, its bitchin.
Radiohead-in rainbows. I never heard it, but everytime i see a commercial for it, i love it!!!!!

In any case, What are your top albums of the year??

love and kisses, becca and zach!

there's a noreaster coming. good thing we have a gas stove.

Dear teammates,

seasonal greetings! I hope this post finds you in good spirits, and well spirited if indeed that is your thing. we have some silly and serious updates for you:

we have a tiny christmas tree. It is fake. It is the first fake tree either of us has ever had. However, that being said, it is glorious in its mini-ness. it is bejeweled with cranberries (that are shrivelling nicely), white lights, and homemade decorations. We cut out pictures from magazines, stitched them to tissue paper, and strung them up! Also, we made some styrofoam balls. haha. spreading christmas cheer more and more each year.

Our dvd player (which is in the TV) is dead. therefore, we have been watching movies on my computer. Just thought you should know.

Today Zach dealt with the bitch of christmas retail present. People who want something for nothing and think they can get it by being mean are wrong.

I'm done with all my schooling stuff until January 28th. I took the Liberal Arts and Sciences test today...its a NYS teacher exam comprised of 80 multiple choice about everything, and a position paper. Mine was about whether or not public schools should charge their students a fee to participate in athletics. HOG WASH. I could not choose the topic. So, for reals, I am done with my first semester of graduate school. yay!

As many of you will probably experience this evening, we are about to get a noreaster leaving us with 12-18" of snow by tomorrow morning. I don't know how to feel about this. All I know is that I have snowpants, and boots, but no hat, and no "wintery" winter coat. alas, the brown sparkly hat is missing. SADNESS.


Love and kisses, stay safe and warm, hope to see you soon.

-zach and becca

FRIENDCORE!! peanutbutter!!! !!!!

Updates!!!!

A few months ago, as some of you may know, Zach asked our friends to write a friendcore song. This is a made up genre (aren't they all made up?) characterized by FRIENDSHIP!!! Have you ever gone to a show, even if you didn't like the band, only because they were your friends? YES.
Well. I'm the only one so far who has completed a song, it is called animal friends, and it is on this site. maybe. That is, you can email me and I'll send it to you! We couldn't figure out how to put songs on blogger.

Also, I'm eating a spoonful of peanut butter. TAKE THAT GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER. today we went looking for shoes for my sister's wedding next year, and instead we found the thai restaurent of (all of) our dreams. It is called thai thai, and is nestled snugly between tzers tzers tzers, and madame oars. Ifn you couldn't tell, these are strip clubs. There was also another down the street named xhibition. WHERE IS THE E? anyhow. reputably, these are owned by the same man. we want to to go thai thai because we heard it was the best thai food around. confirm/deny?

Also, how come the newest teeth album hasn't gotten much press? we need to know.
Friends. start thinking about your year end top ten album lists pleasies.


xoxo becca and zach