What I Learned at SXSW 2011

SX this year was an epic, traffic jammed affair. We stood in lines too long, walked too far, and drank way too much beer. My hair is a tangled beehive of dried out straw and my head is still stuffed full of cotton batting, but I have survived to bring you this year's report. Let's do this. #1. Toro Y Moi is preparing to take over the world. If you don't already have the latest album, go buy it. Now. These kids are a funked up MGMT and they're good. Also, I have no idea what's in his mouth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKz5I8IsDF4&p=513BA43BFE9AC448

#2. Fader sucks balls. I will never stand in a line this long to attend a show where the bar closes before the last act takes the stage ever again. PS: that's not even half of the line.

#3. The Smith Westerns are assholes, but they're cute assholes. Most of this band isn't even old enough to drink, so I'm inclined to give them a pass... for now. Weren't you a jerk when you were 19? Aren't you lovely and refined now? Plus they have really pretty hair and they rock. This song is from their old album, but it brought down the house at the DeVille.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSKZMQSPtZA

#4. Short shorts really aren't that flattering. The glaring Texas sun is not kind to our thighs, ladies -- not even if you're lucky enough to be super skinny. I don't think we need any pictures to illustrate this point, do we? Let's just agree that we don't and move on.

#5. If you don't have these shoes, you may be the only one left in the world. They look pretty cute with dresses, actually.

#6. This is coming back. I do not approve.

#7. Avoid the big buzz shows like the plague. I'm so glad I didn't brave a crowd 25,000 people strong to see The Strokes' free show. By all accounts, it was a tramplefest of sprained ankles and bruises. Hell no, I won't go.

#8. Wanda Jackson is the Queen of Rockabilly. Most of the bands we saw were fronted by 20 year olds, but age and experience have their place, too. Her new album was produced by Jack White, and it's a bold offering from a lady with gravitas purring from every note of her gravelly voice.

I should probably come up with numbers 9 and 10, but I'm too tired and hungover. If you were there, feel free to leave a comment with your suggestions.

Sleep now, back tomorrow with some interesting new developments in the real estate saga...

House Wars

This has probably been one of the most stressful weeks of my life. I think even squeezing a watermelon through my lemon was easier -- at least we got a big fat prize at the end of that ordeal. After a week of waffling on two amazing homes that are totally within our budget to purchase AND renovate, we're passing. We think. Jesus, my internal compass is so screwed up I don't even know what my name is anymore. I feel like my arm has been amputated, and if someone asked me to wear a big black helmet and man the Death Star, I probably would. Let's review the properties, shall we?

#1 has an incredible view of Austin, all the way from downtown almost to San Marcos. It has vaulted ceilings, clerestory windows and a closet big enough to live in. It's well located within town, but it's also built at the corner of one of the worst highways in Austin. Plans to redo the highway include building a monster overpass right beneath this house that will make this quiet little neighborhood sound like it's situated near an airport runway. Honestly, the Austin transportation authority is so screwy that it may never happen. But if it does... well, it would suck. A lot. Plus the office space and yard are not very functional for us.

#2 is a sprawling 70s rancher on close to an acre that backs to a gorgeous creek. It has all the space we'll ever need, and tons of privacy. It's also quite a hike from town, and part of the drive has to be made on one of the most highly trafficked and most hated roads in south Austin. Oh yeah, and that road runs right through the neighborhood. It sucks and it pretty much ruins the peace of this very pretty rural community. And did I mention that the commute blows? 30 minutes to downtown with no traffic, probably an hour to tech jobs up north. Ugh.

So that's what we've been grappling with. Even typing this was hard, because I know some of you will tell me to buy one of them. And I'm also sure some of you are barfing at the thought of living in such humble abodes. But wouldn't it have been fun to help me redo them?

Shit I'm all confused and feeling dark side again. Just call me Darth.

Non Committal

Yesterday I may have come across as a little... wound up. Well I still am, but I'm also trying to relax so we can make a clear headed decision. This weekend it seemed we may have two houses to choose from, and then we had one. And then we flip flopped back to the other one. And now we have neither? Who knows... maybe tomorrow we'll be back to considering both. The problem is that Austin is suffering from growing pains. Excellent schools are probably being closed due to budgetary constraints. New schools may be built elsewhere.

Traffic has been rerouted to flow through neighborhoods we like, and a giant highway flyover may be constructed right behind one of the houses we fell in love with. Or maybe it won't. Should we gamble?

Thanks for listening, dudes. And for chiming in with your comments. Can I just tell you that I'm emotionally drained?

Right now this is all I dream of. Curling up in a fluffy white cloud and reading a classic novel -- perhaps some Anna Karenina -- would definitely put things into perspective for me.

At least none of the houses we're considering are near a train.

[Head Over Heels]