tigerbeatpoet, xo

what i listen to on the way there and in between

Friday, May 16, 2008



I need one of these. I've needed it for YEARS. Literally. I went in to the car-fixing shop today and the Saturn got the all systems go on making the trip up north next weekend for my baby sister's graduation. I can't believe that this is actually happening. She is still just a kid to me. Well... eighteen is pretty much still kid territory, isn't it.

Anyways, bear with me, I am forcing myself to blog because it has been soooo long. A Jen update, if you don't mind.

I am getting laid off from my grown-up job on May 30th

I have already interviewed for the job I really want, and I'm just waiting for them to call me back... pleasepleaseplease

I've been writing... A LOT... I love it. Even though it has left me exhausted. I am really happy with how my writing "career" is going right now. Thank you, Minneapolis.

... and I am already bored with my blogpost.

Friday, April 25, 2008



I'm still trying to work out the bugs so I can have it right on my blog, but I guess the demand for crossword puzzle blogs just isn't there... but for now you can check your answers HERE...

Tuesday, April 01, 2008



Minneapolis was encased in a snow globe today, giant flakes fell in confusing patterns while the wind couldn't decide which way to blow. That is sort-of how I felt all day. I had plans to go out and wasn't feeling it at all - I was tired, yet euphoric over the lovely weekend - buying records and eating food all over town with my sweetheart, watching the gayest musical ever made with my Wondertwin in the time in between, and all the other nonsense that goes on during my weekends.

As much as I bitch and whine about winter, and how I've been feeling so overwhelmingly low during this last blast of it, I am ready to get sunnier. Even if global warming made the earth go super-crazy due to some evil villain's scheme - and it was winter forever from now on. I can handle it.

Truly - I had a moment of clarity tonight. This can be referenced by a Twitter post that I sent while I watched a group of musicians together onstage, catching one singer making "i'm in love with you" eyes at Dan Wilson.

"Fuck you, Winter. I'm back."

Tonight, I begrudgingly dragged my ass out of the house, while exhausting every possible excuse I could. For example: I fell on slush after work and hurt my tailbone again (it really doesn't hurt that bad, even though it should,)or - I don't want to go outside again, or my personal favorite - I have really bad gas pains. I didn't get anywhere with those reasons... so I found myself braving the snowman snow, bribing myself with a sub-par mocha from Caribou while walking to the bus stop with my Wondertwin.

So - how about I explain the photo above. I bet you can pick me out, at sixteen, in my Church Lady t-shirt and cardigan. I can almost guarantee that I was also wearing and incredibly dowdy skirt as well. Who I was at sixteen is not a whole lot different than what I am like at 28. That same dowdy girl, voted "Most Mysterious" by her graduating class, once went to Moondance Jam to see Steve Miller and followed a floppy haired boy who looked like Dan Wilson around... ok, follow means stalked in this circumstance. But I was so obsessed with early Semisonic at this time that I had myself convinced that it was him.

Fast forward to ten years later, I've lived in Minneapolis for eight years and I saw the REAL Dan Wilson for the first time tonight. It was a nice night. Even with the trudging through the snow, the clausterphobia of the Fine Line when it is sold out, I got to sing along to DND, got to hear one of my themes, Free Life. Oh gosh - and that always punches me in the gut, Breathless. I got to stand with my closest friends while being forced into a photograph with Mr. Wilson with my hand on his back. (i'mnotcreepyi'mnotcreepyiswear)

I feel like it's time to put Jen the hermit away. That girl in the photo above, who so desperately could not wait to be "grown-up" a.k.a. out of that house of strangers, would be really bummed out to know that I've been holing up in front of a computer screen chain smoking when I could be out enjoying live music and causing trouble.

I wish I still had that t-shirt.

Monday, March 24, 2008

ALGEBRA!

funny pictures
moar funny pictures

Friday, March 14, 2008

Ok - I am not going to blog until I see Springsteen so no more posts about songs so good they make me cry.


NOW LAUGH!!!!!







Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

I skipped the Bruce Springsteen Hoot last night and that probably wasn't the best choice, but I had some serious bad attitude mojo so I stayed in and got some work done, and that was pretty nice.

Back to Bruce week... last week I put down the songs I want to hear. And while Candy's Room is at the absolute top of my list, I really don't think I'm gonna hear it live. But if I do - you better believe that you'll hear the whole overwhelmed, teary-eyed story - having my first crying at a Springsteen show experience - it was one of those moments (that I have only felt a couple of times) where I've wept because I was HAPPY.

Lately, I can't listen to Darkness on the Edge of Town without getting teary eyed, as the track goes from 6 to 7 and I know I'm going to hear The Promised Land playing next. Then the drums kick in and the harmonica and I'm just goo in some cube somewhere... The first time I saw Bruce, I wasn't all that familiar with the song, in fact I remember someone behind me ask "Is this 'Long Walk Home'?" And now that I think about it, that song itself will definitely be a highlight Sunday and/or Monday.

YouTube won't let me embed... but I really love this video for Long Walk Home... it's my personal favorite off of Magic.

Anyways - I can't help myself, I'm including two versions of The Promised Land today... the first is a better version of him in Paris in '85 (God, wouldn't that have been an amazing show to be at? In Paris. Outside... The second is a newer one captured on someone's phone, probably - in Milan. I couldn't leave that one out because the crowd starts humming and/or whoa-oh-ing the minute it starts and it's just plain glorious.

Paris:



Milan



-and here I am again, all weepy-eyed. Is this crying from Springsteen songs getting too repetative on my blog? Meh. Isn't that what blogs are for?


p.s. Brooke is my favorite on American Idol already.
p.p.s. Chikezie totally killed it last night.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

BRUCE WEEK STARTS RIGHT NOW

One week. Only one week til I am back on the floor at the Xcel enjoying my second Bruce Springsteen show. I will have a fit of joyous insanity if he plays this -

CANDY'S ROOM! (i get chills just hearing the whole crowd sing along...)



On Candy's Room: I have interpretive danced to this song in my apartment a bunch of times and let me tell you it is thrilling!

This one doesn't require me telling you what it is...



I blogged about the effect that this song has on me. Instant weeping upon hearing it live, chills everytime I hear it. There is something so kinetic, so special about hearing his crowds sing in unison, especially in that moment where they join in

Show a little faith, there's magic in the night, you ain't a beauty but hey you're alright...

chillschillschills


And this made me laugh really hard... even if it is Ben Stiller




This is wrong on soooooooooo many levels... Martika? WHAT THE FUCK?



-And I think that is Fergie on the far left. I would stab myself in the ears right now if my second and third Bruce shows weren't coming up.