So I went to see the live version of A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater, and it. was. amazing! I loved it. It scared me from the get-go with ghosts popping up from the floor and smoke billowing through the theater. But what really got me was the ghost of Christmas future…. which is TOTALLY the angel of death! Ohhhhh, that thing came down from the ceiling with it’s faceless body, black draping cloak, and badass 20-ft-spanning–slowly-flapping-gray-bone wings……… ohmygod it was amazing. It was so big and frightening. By far, it was the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while. By God, it scared the Dickens out of me!
Thanksgiving
Ok, so I just ate some great homemade pizza for Thanksgiving dinner. Soooo much better than turkey. I love the low key version so much better. I also cannot stop watching “Kitchen Nightmares”. Gordon Ramsay is my. God. Damn. Hero. I cannot wait for the moment where I get to call someone a muppet or a wombat. Anyways, Happy Thanksgiving……. ya wombat.
AMA shout out
I just watched some of the AMA performances, and I’ve got to give it up to my hero, my inspiration… Christina Aguilera. Not only did she look amazing, she did something that I have rarely seen her do. She showed remarkable restraint. It was a no-muss-no-fuss performance filled with simple emotion, and it was beautiful. Nice job, and welcome back girl.
Hymns
I just recorded this after doing some other recording. I threw down a simple drum beat and made up the rest. I think it sounds cool, and it was one of my favorite hymns to sing as a kid.
Vodka
I just put up a demo for a song titled “Vodka”. This song was written on a walk home from a bar, by myself in the rain. I’ve never been so clear about a moment as I was then, completely trashed, and alone. All of my problems were being caused by me. I was to blame. It was as though I was carrying around a giant ball and chain of self-destruction. Looking out the window of my downtown apartment, Wells Fargo lit up and glowing through the rain, eyes trying to focus through the glaze, piano riff written through the drunken haze. The clearest moments of reflection come at the most surprising times.
Kitchen Heaven!
So I have been on a binder with “Kitchen Nightmares”. Oh Gordon Ramsay, I’m adding you to my odd crush list. Never has the phrase, “this is disgusting, plastic cheese” been so endearing. You’ve made me laugh, cry, and clean out my fridge. I went over to Lund’s and there were samples of this line Man Cave, and they were serving bratwursts. Okay, this was made fresh on the grill and it was a bacon-cheeseburger-stuffed brat…. oh. my. GOD! I blurted out in a British accent, “absolutely delicious”… These guys are from the U of M, so they’re representing the state of Minnesota well. I’m giving them my Chef Ramsay seal of approval.
For the Love of Rice!
So, yesterday I kicked over a gallon of water on my computer and watched the liquid sneak, slip, and slither under the keys and into the mother board. Oh. My. God! As my computer slipped into a drunken coma I quickly Googled, “Help, spilled water on computer” and had to quickly read how to save my baby’s life. I tipped it over and let it drain, removed all chords and unscrewed all that I could. Then, from my previous knowledge of how to save a cell phone after dropping it in the toilet, I figured I’d remove the battery and store it in rice over night. Wishing, hoping, thinking, and praying that my computer would come back to life. Success! I managed to save Dr. Dre from drowning. This is the one and only time I can I love rice.
For the Love of Jaws
So I’ve been doing research on the making of the movie Jaws for a school project and I am in heaven. It’s supposed to be a 7 minute speech, and my first go about was almost 15 minutes long. Whoops. It’s not my fault that the movie is so damn fascinating. The movie is so amazing for it’s visual effects and use of use of “negative space”, if there is such a thing in story telling. It’s how the shark wasn’t seen sometimes that made it so scary. The shark was such an awesome, albeit problematic, animatronic. “Bruce” was it’s name, and this hunk of plastic stole my heart as a child and never gave it back. I think, though, that I can add Steven Spielberg to my strange crush list along-side Steve Martin. I love a creative mind.
A Leap of Faith…..
So, today I had an epiphany of sorts. I decided that I am going to post my music. It’s the one thing that I’m so self-conscious about. But, my heart will never be satisfied if I don’t, and I’m just waiting for it to be “perfect”. It might never get there in my eyes so I’m uploading demos that I’ve done. I’m closing my eyes, letting go, and taking a leap of faith.
Sci Fi Clan
I just watched the documentary Sci Fi Boys and have concluded…. I am a sci fi boy (well, girl). These amazing pioneers of special effects and makeup were talking about the amazing magazine Famous Movie Monsters and I somehow had never heard of this vintage gem. Oh, how I would have loved to read those growing up. The way that these folks talked about their draws to old, ridiculous movie monsters and how they would watch it because the creatures were the “stupidest looking things ever”, made me realize that I am not alone in my intrigue. There was a part where an announcer was describing how to make a monster: masking tape, ketchup, wadded-up gum. I died, and somehow came more to life. Here’s to the nerds, monster lovers, and creative minds of the world. I salute thee.
ASHLEY L WIERMAA 