BATS!! eeeek eeeek!

Flying Rodents: I'm glad I've taken measures to "Bat Proof" my apartment as there was a bat in my rear stairwell. I opened my door tonight to go get my laundry and I saw it circling the top light on my landing. I immediately slammed the door shut as to avoid risking its entry. Then in an extra bought of paranoia I added to my defenses. In addition to the towels that I've been placing under my door, I put tape around the creases where I thought perhaps I was under estimating the abilities of the bat to flatten itself.

People have been working on my roof again and they must have left the door in the ceiling slightly cracked.

To get my laundry I went out the front stairwell and decided to walk around the building. Before I entered I spotted the bat lingering on the screen in the second floor window of the stairwell. I paced back and fourth for about ten minutes imagining the bat in my hair or clinging onto my shirt before I got brave and took action.

I figured the bat, knowing it was trapped, basically unable to go out the way it came in, it would be actively pursuing a exit. At first it was more of an effort based on fear than on bat removal strategy. I thought that the bat would head further downstairs towards the change in air currents and temperature. I didn't want to risk physical contact with the bat, or find myself in the laundry room afraid to head back up stairs to the ground level exit. So I decided I would open and close the door a couple of times and see if the bat made a descent towards me. I opened it then closed it. Then I backed up off the steps to observe the bat in the second floor window screen.

Indeed the bat began moving side to side, agitated and anxious. Then as if after weighing its options it left the screen to check out the circumstances on the first floor. It flew around a bit. I was hesitant (perhaps foolishly so) to open the door as it was madly circling. Once it got tired and settled on the stairs going down to the lower level, I quickly opened the door and stood behind it. The bat flew out of the building straight into the night. I quickly gathered my laundry with the irrational fear that there might be more bats (eeeek!). Luckily this went smoothly. Additionally I went back outside and around the building, partly because I was afraid of the illogical idea that there was more than one bat, and also because my defenses on my kitchen door are still in place and I did not want to disturb them.

Anyway, I had a lazy weekend, but a good one anyway. Saturday Kate and I went walking around Boston and Cambridge. We had a sophisticated meal at Chili's. My goal on choosing something to eat was to find something very Americana and simple as opposed to Asian or Mexican cuisine. Chili's fit the bill and I had a chicken finger platter with corn on the cob. Kate had grilled chicken, rice, and corn on the cob. We rounded it out with chips and salsa. Ok so there was a hint of the Mexican grub, but it was good. Besides chips and salsa are totally Americana, and increasingly so.

I watched Chinatown with Jack Nicholson which was nothing short of excellent. I am definitely going to give it another viewing before I put it back in the mail to netflix.

I went on a little shopping spree Sunday. I bought a new shirt, some household items that I needed (an assortment of light bulbs, I was living in partial darkness), and cds! Early Sunday Morning (a.k.a. Saturday Night) I was surfing on Amazon. I purchased Wolfmother, a new band that really rocks out and sounds like a cross between Zepplin and Sabbath, Bloc Party's "Silent Alarm"-(I'm accompanying Jess Wheeler to this concert at the end of the month. Wheeler is a big Secret Machines Fan and introduced me to them recently... they are opening for Bloc Party, so I figured I should educate myself on the "main act"), Mark Kozelek's "Rock & Roll Singer" (Tim Hayes gave me this one by the Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon frontman but it has always had some bad skips in it so I finally got around to purchasing it. There are a few covers on this one, 3 ACDC covers and a John Denver Cover, both turned into Kozelek's beautiful somber prog-rock that generally makes a nice summer afternoon or bedtime soundtrack), last purchase from Amazon's realm was M. Ward's "Transistor Radio".

In my searches I was bent on finding this great R&B act I've seen a couple of times on late shows. Having not written anything down, I had little to go on other than it is probably considered hip hop, although it generally borrows more from classic Motown and early 70s soul groups. I figured it must be in the billboard charts, and eventually after ignoring the titles that included references to guns and hos, or the emancipation of Mimi, I was able to click on the right mp3 sample. Gnarls Barkley "St. Elsewhere" is the CD. I listened to the 30 second samples on Amazon and it blew me away. I resolved that Sunday I would run out and purchase it immediately. Its been a while since I've been this "psyched" about "pop" music. This album which is a collaboration with Danger Mouse, the DJ that famously created the illegal "grey album" shut down by the record companies (It was the White Album mixed with Jay-Z's black album... I believe, and someone released it without permission and from all accounts I've heard it was amazing, although it will probably never see the light of day). Gnarls Barkley's single "Crazy" is meaningful and infectious. It is an instant classic, which his on par with the best of Motown and Stevie Wonder, and the rest of the album, while diverse, accompanies and compliments this hit perfectly. St. Elsewhere packs the soulful punch that R&B contemporaries over the past twenty years have been for most part, been unable to capture. This single is the type of song which will appeal to the masses, it brings hope that a lot of good things could spin out of this.

In addition to St. Elsewhere I picked up Julian Lennon's (son of one of the world's most famous tragic figures & dead-beat dads, John Lennon) "Valotte", which was only $11. It really is a lot better than people gave it credit for. There are some 80s synth on a couple of the songs, that take from their quality, but they are extremely well written, and Julian's singing range is a match of his father's if not even an improvement when it comes to his falsetto. It was an excellent addition to my collection.

I eagerly anticipate the "Amazon" arrivals but my current two acquisitions will keep me satisfied for some time. Work has taken a stressful turn recently, and the music will help me cope and give me something to look forward to each day.

Well... I hope everyone has a good start to their week!

Cheers!