The Living Room Lounge

temporary hiatus

2011-10-21T04:43:00.000-07:00

I will be taking a break from blogging to catch up and transform the blog. Please stay tuned exciting changes in the works!

If You Noticed...

2011-09-23T05:26:00.000-07:00

Apologies for my absence last week. I was bedside to someone very dear to me last week in hospice care. I love doing my radio show and playing great music of my choosing every week, but family comes first.

Last week was hard and strange. For the first time in my life I watched someone I love die. I keep replaying her last breath in my head. She went peacefully, yet the image, the moment keeps replaying in my mind. Being by someone's bedside as they past is definitely not for the weak of heart. You'll never be able to erase the sounds or the images from your mind.

But I'm back! This week I decided to play music that makes me happy and makes me want to dance despite being down. New music from St. Vincent and Twin Sister. I think I'll even remember to put up the podcast link today! You lucky kids you! The playlist:

Sea Wolf - You're A Wolf
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Twin Sister - Bad Street
Arctic Monkeys - Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
St. Vincent - Year of the Tiger
Blind Pilot - We Are the Tide
Arcade Fire - Ready To Start
Gogol Bordello - Oh No
YACHT - Psychic City (Classixx Remix)
Blood Orange - Sutphin Boulevard
Feist - Intuition
Buzzcocks - I Don't Mind
Cat Power - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
The Drums - Best Friend
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home

WHERE DID SUMMER GO!?!?!?!?

2011-09-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the summer is almost over. It feels like just the other day I was complaining about wedding season being here and now in a week and a half I'll be starting school again. And of course I didn't finish any of my summer goals.

I fretted all summer about making ends meet, by the time I felt financially secure to do something, summer is/was almost over. These next two weekends I have before school work gets piled on I will use to work on some side projects, this blog included.

As mentioned on the show I just came back home from visiting my boyfriend in NorCal. It was almost depressing to return home. LA now feels dirty and lonely to me. Everyone has moved away and I am desperate to get out and join them. I've lived in LA my whole life and I am ready to leave it and find something new.

I keep telling myself one more year...hopefully. But with the walls I've ran into just dealing with my school it may take longer. At this point I'm willing to just transfer out just to get out of LA. Enough of the whining. Here's this week's playlist:

Blood Orange - Sutphin Boulevard
M83 - Midnight City
St. Vincent - Surgeon
Miike Snow - Song For No One
Talking Heads - Uh Oh, Love Comes To Town
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Date With The Night
Hot Chip - Transmission
Charlotte Gainsbourg - Voyage
Empire of the Sun - Walking On A Dream
Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
Sia - You've Changed
The Drums - Money
Kele - On The Lam
Feist - My Moon My Man
Elliot Smith - Happiness

Dance Dance Dance!!

2011-09-02T06:26:00.000-07:00

A special dance mix dedicated to my mother.

Last year my mother was diagnose with stage 4 colon cancer. The doctors were skepitcal since it was so far advance, but with prayers and a willingness to survive my mother fought it and is now living cancer free! It's crazy to think just last year my family was facing the possibility of my mother not being here, but we were giving one more year. As with everyday I try to enjoy it. I try to take pleasure from the smallest things. So cliche I know. I hate cliches, but it's so true. Love life. Love pain. Love yourself and things are bound to turn around. And if that doesn't work then fuck it and dance!!!

Chuck Love - Seduction (Leigh Morgan Mix)
Redroche feat. Mone - All I Need
RuPaul - Call Me Starrbooty
Msms - Piagon (Original Mix)
Empire Of The Sun - Standing On the Shore
Alain Ho - Would You Be There
Hot Chip - I Feel Better
Daft Punk - Around the World
Roksopp - Poor Leno
Tiesto & Hardwell - Zero 76
Black Box - Everybody Everybody (Le Freak Mix)

Very Short

2011-08-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

Post today. The boy toy decided to surprise me with a visit and a concert at the Hollywood Bowl tonight! We're going to see Los Amigos Invisibles and Rodrigo y Gabriella. I love both bands so I'm super excited!!! With the arrival of my boyfriend, I didn't sleep too well last night. Not that we were doing anything (filthy minds you people have.) I'm accustomed to sleeping by myself and I'm a very light sleeper. I love sleeping by myself, but when I sleep next to someone I usually don't sleep until I become accustomed to doing so. Every move, snoring, and tender caress during the night causes me to wake up. It sucks. I was use to sleeping next to him, but since moving, I've once again gotten use to sleeping alone. As I type this I realize that with every visit I'm not going to get much sleep...and not even for a good reason...sigh.

Here's today's playlist:

Belle & Sebastian - I Want the World To Stop
The Bird & The Bee - Polite Dance Song
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Date With the Night
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - We Are Rockstars
Death Cab For Cutie - 405
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - I Come In Please
Dusty Springfield - The Look of Love
Gomez - Catch Me Up
Frou Frou - Breathe In
Toro y Moi - New Beat
Tv On The Radio - Will Do
The Cure - Object
Phoenix - Everything is Everything
The Horrors - Still Life

Should I Stay or Should I Go???

2011-08-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

A quick decision needs to be made on my part. My boyfriend is in Vegas for a convention for work. I'm debating on taking a shuttle from L.A. to Vegas (roundtrip only $45!!) and surprising him at his hotel room. I'm hesitant, not cause I'll think I'll see something I don't want to, but worried that maybe he just wants a Vegas trip without me.

Last time we were in Vegas together in a drunken stupor we decided to break-up. Our reasoning seems completely mute now, but at the time in made perfect sense. I can't recall his reasons because he was being so Emo bringing up all this shit that had nothing to do with me or our relationship, I remember mine. At the time I hated his friends that we were visiting (actually not all just one) and he was acting like such a douche and not pacing himself for the night. I hate that. Have some freaking self-control, we're in our thirties now!!!! Anyway I'm ranting.

My missing him is telling me to go. My self-conscience inner self is staying stay put and let the man breath without me. I think I will stay in LA, I really want to spot clean the carpet...

This week's playlist:

Little Dragon - Feather
Poets of Rhythm - Guiding Resolution
Fertile Ground - Live in the Light
Sergio Mendes Feat. Stevie Wonder & Gracinha Leporace - Berimbau/Consolacao
The Decemberists - Engine Driver
Little Dragon - Ritual Union (Tensnake Remix)
Best Coast - When the Sun Don't Shine
Erlon Chaves - Treasure (Boris Dlugosch + Michi Lange Reprise)
Miike Snow - Cult Logic
Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Brazilian Girls - Don't Stop
Sergio Mendes - E Menina (Hey Girl)
Empire of the Sun - Standing on the Shore
Beck - Missing

I'm STILL Not Use to It

2011-07-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

I can't get over the sound of my voice on the air. I guess I'm like most people, when they hear the sound of their voice, shocked that they sound that way. I've always hated my voice.

When I was in high school I was told by a P.E. teacher (a freaking ancient wrinkled and bitter woman who was a P.E. teacher for Christ Sakes!!!) that if I wanted to be taken seriously I'd need to work on my voice. If I was in my right mind I should have asked her:

"I see how far you've gotten in your life, how? Tell me how do I work on my voice? How can I make my soft feminine voice growl like your husky manly one so that I may one day to be an 80-year-old sun-withered P.E. teacher like yourself?"

But I was shy and embarrassed that she had insulted me in front of the entire class. I couldn't change the sound of my voice no more than she could change the extra folds of skin surrounding her neck and her knees. Sometimes I wish I had a time machine. I would tell bashful teenage Erica to stop being such a pussy. That high school and the narrow-mined people in it don't matter. If I had known that then I probably would have gotten into far more trouble.

All that was to say despite my best efforts somethings still bother me. My voice being one of them. It's probably why I'm so vulgar. Cute girl, cute voice throw everyone off by talking like a sailor :0)

This week's playlist:

St. Vincent - Surgeon
Alex Ebert - Truth
The Horrors - Still Life
Tv on the Radio - Will Do
Portugal. The Man - Sleep Forever
Cold Cave - Confetti
Erykah Badu - Gone Baby, Don't Be Long
Shrift - To the Floor
Kele - The Other Side
Royksopp - Poor Leno
CSS - Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above
Passion Pit - Little Secrets
K-os - Superstarr, Pt. Zero

So Sleepy, So Tired

2011-07-22T06:15:00.000-07:00

I wonder, do I always sound like a wet blanket when I talk about how tired I am by the end of the week? I don't mean to sound like a retiree, but I'm TIRED! Currently I'm on summer vacation from school, but I work full-time along with taking classes and side projects to learn the Adobe Suite, and videography. By Friday my mind is jello, I then get up at 4:30am to play music for an hour (which I enjoy) and then do one of the following options: get ready for work, go back to sleep for an hour then go to work, or clean my house. Depending on the week my boyfriend will decide we need to go out after work and on those Fridays I usually don't go to bed until 2 in the morning. When I ignore his phone calls, I go to bed by 11 the latest. Still a pretty long day after a very long week.

This weekend is bitter sweet. The boy toy is moving from Pasadena ( a mere 15 mins. from my current dwelling) to San Jose (let's add another 5 HOURS to that commute.) At first I was encouraging and happy for his move due to the job promotion that prompted the move. Now sitting among the boxes and the bare walls of his apartment, I'm doing all I can not to have a panic attack. I know once he's gone I'll be ok, it's just the count down that's killing me now...72hours, 40min, 27 secs...26...25...24...by Monday the accessibly of our relationship will be cut down to almost nil...for a year at least as I push through to finish school.

I'm going to miss him being so close, and I'm fearful that other means of communication will slowly tear us apart. I hate talking on the phone and so does he. I've never been good with Keeping in Touch. We've already worked out an almost divorce-like visitation schedule. Our relationship is pretty solid, but time and distance is a challenge that we haven't had to deal with, well time yes. We've been looking for that space and time vacuum, but have yet to find it. Oh well.

It blows to have someone always right there and then they are gone. Ok done being Debbie Downer, here's this week's playlist: I know on the show I mentioned Portugal. The Man but it didn't play and I didn't notice (still packing) So sorry will try again next week.

1. Milo Greene - 1957
2. Radiohead - Lotus Flower
3. Little Dragon - Ritual Union (Tensnake Remix)
4. The Horrors -Still Life
5. Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work
6. TV on the Radio - Will Do
7. Zero 7 - Swing
8. Mayer Hawthorne - A Long Time
9. Gomez - Catch Me Up
10. Jamiroquai - Seven Days in Sunny June
11. LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change
12. Jill Scott w/ 4Hero - Another Day (Gotta Get Up)

No One Noticed

2011-07-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

So last week I was freaking out because I played a song by Maximum Balloon that had the word "shit" in it. I've listened to the song dozen of times, but never noticed it. It's mostly likely because I cuss so much and I'm so vulgar in my everyday life, that I don't notice, rather gloss over many vulgarities in music. Anywho I swore I was going to be dismissed from this voluntary "mixologist" gig (btw who came up with the term mixologist. I feel like I should be mixing cocktails) but figured it was a good nine week run.

BUT NO ONE NOTICED!!!! I received no warnings, no looks of disappointment, no threatening emails, not even a text from my mother, who inadvertently taught me how to cuss before she became saved. NOTHING. Which made me realize that one no one listens to my show, two people didn't notice, or three people did notice and just don't care. So fuck it. I'm definitely not going to continue to monitor my language on my blog. Since no one is listening. Don't worry I'm not Debbie Downer. I get off playing decent music on the radio. I don't care if you listen or not. Just knowing I'm putting out in the universe makes me tingly.

Moving on. This week I've been syncing audio to past Oprah episodes (it's part of this freelance job I picked up.) Most of the tapes I've received have been from 1989 with commercials included! I've been zipping back and forth from the present to my childhood. One thing I've realized is that Oprah is bitchy, but in a delightfully funny way. She always has these sarcastic quips. But in the course of a week of watching 17 hours of Oprah I've gotten advice on how to spice up my married sex life from various internationals, how to apply make-up, fashion trends of 89 (I'm not even going to get into it), effects of divorce and cheating on daughters, what men really think about Oprah, and racism in America. But my fave so far has been Maya Angelou and Alice Walker for obvious reasons, phenomenal women, amazing writers.

Anywho I grow tired of this typing. I'm going back to bed. Here's the list:

Empire of the Sun - We Are the People
Aya - Looking for the Sun
Belle and Sebastian - I'm A Cuckoo
Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better
Friendly Fires - Paris (Aeroplane Remix)
Raphael Saadiq - Just Don't
Zero 7 - Swing
Ra Ra Riot - Too Too Fast
Portishead - All Mine
Nina Simone - Mr. Bojangles
Platinum Pied Pipers - No Worries
Michael Jackson - Human Nature
The Cure - Boys Don't Cry

I may be in trouble...

2011-07-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

And not of the family kind, if that's what you're thinking.

No I may have done something wrong, and I'm hoping it goes by unnoticed, because in my vulgar and corrupt mind, I never noticed it. Not until today and it was too late. OF COURSE it had to be on air!

I'll keep you posted on my demise.

Anywho, here in the states it is Independence weekend! Which means 3-days to chill and relax. I have plans for sushi tonight with friends, lobster tomorrow with another group of friends, laying out at the beach Sunday, and hanging with the family on Monday.

I'm mostly excited that I don't have to be at work for 3days!!! I work for a nonprofit that provides free activities for children year around, but during the summer we have our huge summer camp and the phones ring constantly!! I can't get any work done because parents are calling wanting to enroll their children, which is great, but I have piles of paperwork weeks late. I work part-time so at the end of my four hour shift, I've only gone through one report with literally 50 more that need to be done no later than July 15.

Looks like so overtime maybe coming into play. But 3-days not to worry about it, a much welcomed vacation!

Enough of my babbling on to the playlist!

Kings of Convenience (Erot Collaboration) - Gold For The Price Of Silver
Brazilian Girls - Don't Stop
Maximum Balloon - Apartment Wrestling
Mayer Hawthorne - Maybe So, Maybe No
Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running
Best Coast - When The Sun Don't Shine
Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love?
Cat Power - The Greatest
Flying Lotus - Tea Leaf Dancers
Friendly Fires - Show Me Lights
St. Vincent - The Same But Brand New
Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
Thom Yorke - Hearing Damage
The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Hysteric

I'll turn it around!

2011-06-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've been lazy. Summer vacation has officially started for me and I've been taking full advantage by being a bum. As a result my blog has obviously suffered. I'm getting back into the groove and will start being more productive...right after this nap...I kid, I kid.

Yesterday's show was all about cover song! (Yeah Boy! imagine, of course, in Flava Flav's voice) While researching and looking for songs within my own collection I stumbled on tons of covers. I found this amazing video of Alanis Morrisette on You tube. I've been laughing ever since! http://youtu.be/pRmYfVCH2UA

I definitely will be doing another cover show in the future.

Here is yesterday's playlist and link to the podcast http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/erica-24-june-2011/id348527752?i=95163021

Peanut Butter Wolf - Umbrellas
Smashing Pumpkins - Landslide
Bilal - High & Dry
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - Inspiration Information
The Bird and The Bee (feat Sia) - How Deep is Your Love
Seu Jorge - Rebel Rebel
Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley - Turn Your Lights Down Low
Nouvelle Vague - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone (feat Dear Nora) - Hot Boyz
Skye Edwards - Feel Good
Bill Horist - Cello Song
Hollywood Mon Amore (feat Skye Edwards) - Call Me
Always Seem To Get Things Wrong - Willie Nelson

Last weekend in Pasadena there was the annual sidewalk festival. I took photos of the best (or what I thought to be the best) chalk drawings. Enjoy! Until next week!

It Happens (shrugging)

2011-06-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

Short show today, as I was having technical difficulties, and if you were listening live I apologize for the repeated looping of Cold Cave. I guess I won't be playing that song anytime soon! Along with the short show there will be a short blog. But I will be posting again sometime soon...this weekend...stay tuned!

Abbreviated playlist. Podcast link soon to follow. http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/erica-17-june-2011/id348527752?i=94978578

Daedelus - Penny Loafers (feat. Inara George)
Toro y Moi - New Beat
Janelle Monae - Wondaland
MGMT - Electric Feel
Friendly Fires - Show Me Lights
Gorillaz - Empire Ants (feat. Little Dragon)
Quadron - Average Fruit
Bloc Party - Sunday
Passion Pit - The Reeling
Cold Cave - Confetti

Good News, bad news

2011-06-10T05:38:00.000-07:00

Good morning my eager little bunnies!!!

Last week I complained about having to go to a wedding. Although the wedding was uber fancy ( i tend to cringe when I have to rock heels esp at weddings) it was pretty fun! It was at the Four Season Hotel in Santa Barbara. I've been to many nice weddings, but not one with a four course meal and different wine selection for each course AND a "butler" for each table.

The food was exquisite, I can still taste the Chilean sea bass and wasabi potatoes. There was even a dessert bar...needless to say if I do have a wedding I'm not going to invite any of the people who went to that one. I can't afford such luxury, I had always planned a backyard BBQ since I hate planning large events lol. Who's bring the potato salad????

Goes to show, keep an open mind and there is no telling the amount of fun to be had. Lesson learned.

I know my blog is super plain and very unexciting. I apologize for my minimal effort. I feel esp bad when I check out the blogs of others that are so engaging. I'm FINALLY done with finals so after catching up with sleep this weekend I'll start to work on the blog. You lovely folks deserve it!

To all my local Los Angeles fans, the Tim Burton exhibit has opened! I can't urge you enough to take the time to go see it. It's twisted and stunning and Tim Burton is my new art hero. I've always liked him, but it's awesome to know that you can become famous off morbid thoughts. There is hope for me yet. Anywho you can RSVP on the LACMA website. I saw it opening weekend at MOMA in New York. I would definitely aim for an non busy weekend, so holiday weekends no bueno.

Here is this weeks playlist. I will post the itunes link as soon as it's available. Last week I was having technical difficulties so last weeks podcast was available kind of late in the day, but I'll get that link up as well. Remember I can always be streamed live from 8am-9am EST on www.party934.com Have a wonderful weekend! http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/erica-10-june-2011/id348527752?i=94783343

Belle & Sebastian - If She Wants Me
Bent - So Long Without You
Buzzcocks - Even Fallen In Love?
Cat Power - The Greatest
Coconut Records - Nightiming
Damien Rice - 9 Crimes
Death Cab For Cutie - We Looked Like Giants
Emiliana Torrini - Me and Armini
Gang Gang Dance - MindKilla
Gil Scott-Heron - I think I'll Call It Morning
Maximum Balloon Feat. Aku - Tiger
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - Holding Hands in the Shower
Thom Yorke - Hearing Damage
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Hysteric

Wedding Season

2011-06-03T05:22:00.000-07:00

It's that dreaded time of year again...wedding season.

Not to sound bitter or anything, but I hate weddings. I can't even really figure out why, but I really hate them. I going to one this weekend in Santa Barbara, great location and it should be fun...

I'll try to make the best of it. And before I get hate mail, I don't even want my own wedding! I hate having to sit through them so I don't want to subject anyone else to my own. I've always felt like those type of moments should be private. An expression of commitment that deep is special. It seems showy to do it in front of others, almost like you're bragging. I kind of feel the same way about funerals. Not so much the funeral it's self but the people who flop around and throw themselves upon the casket. I don't know it seems showy and over done.

Grief is powerful, at times more so than love, but at a funeral it's about the person who's going to to be buried not about the person rolling around on the ground in front of them. It's distracting.

Where was I going with that?

Oh yeah, I hate weddings. They are like funerals.

But of course I'm with a sentimentalist who wants a "small" one. Good luck! There is no such thing as a small wedding in Black and Mexican weddings (I'm black, he's Black&Mexican). We both have too many people in our families not to mention friends!!! If you fail to invite someone their will be hell to pay! And with minorities everyone shows, invited or not.

I'm getting a headache thinking of it.

Anywho, I need to pack.

Playlist for today, enjoy! http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/erica-3-june-2011/id348527752?i=94583255
F.Y.I. you have to scroll down a bit to find mine, but it's there! June 3, 2011

Toro y Moi - Still Sound
Daedelus - Penny Loafers (feat. Inara George)
Gorillaz - Empire Ants (feat. Little Dragon)
Little Dragon - My Step
MGMT - Electric Feel
Quadron - Average Fruit
Morrissey - The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get
Yeasayer - Tightrope
Bloc Party - The Prayer
Feist - Intuition
Flying Lotus - Tea Leaf Dancers
Matt & Kim - Daylight
Jack Penate - Tonight's Today
Empire of the Sun - Standing on the Shore
Sia - Electric Bird

I think she's got it!

2011-05-27T06:35:00.000-07:00

Yay we all weren't raptured!!! Or boo we all weren't raptured???

What did you do?

Short post... so sleepy so tired.

Quick note UCLA Jazz/Reggae Festival this Sunday and Monday. Sunday is the day I usually go and the talent this year includes Meshell Ndegeocello ( I may not know how to pronounce her name but I love her music) Quadron, and Little Dragon to name a few.

Also Ian Hultquist of Passion Pit will be at the Dylan Fest at The Bowery Room in NYC. The website notes it's a time to get drunk and celebrate Dylan's 70th. So you can slur your speech and mumble and everyone will think you're impersonating Dylan! Good Times! http://www.boweryballroom.com/event/6403

Oh oh oh one more thing (I know I promised a short one) Hollywood Forever another screening this Saturday, tomorrow. http://www.cinespia.org/calendar/

Also tomorrow Outdoor Cinema Food Fest starts here in L.A. and will be every Saturday until Sep. 3rd!!! http://www.outdoorcinemafoodfest.com/

On to the playlist link to podcast to follow:

The Reeling - Passion Pit
The Strangers - St. Vincent
Heart In Your Heartbreak - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
Villains of the Moon - Cold Cave
Just Don't (feat. Yukimi Nakano) - Raphael Saadiq
Hysteric - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Fire in Freetown - K' naan
When the Sun Don't Shine - Best Coast
Penny Loafers (feat. Inara George) - Daedelus
Me + Yr Daughter - Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
Why Can't I Touch It? - Buzzcocks
Still Sound - Toro y Moi
No Cars Go - Arcade Fire

If you don't like what I play then post a comment and request! If you like what I play then post comment too! If you hate me...well you can post a comment as well but it maybe deleted after I curse you then cry about it...

What a Week!

2011-05-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

Between school and work this week, I am exhausted!

But today could be my last, so I'm going to go have a drink with a couple of well wishers tonight and let come what may!

Not sure if you all were aware, but it's been predicted that tomorrow is the end of the world. I'm not sure if it's been specified if that's Eastern or Pacific standard time. So to kick off the pre-apocalypse party today I played a sampling of end-of-the-world themed songs.

If the rapture does indeed take place, you won't have to worry about your soulless, heathen pets, they will be looked after by them. For a modest fee of course:

http://eternal-earthbound-pets.com/

A group of atheist willing to watch Fido if you depart. I don't remember seeing this job offered on Craigslist. Maybe it was a temp job, oh well.

And interestingly enough Fox News posted something on their website that wasn't completely hateful, but useful!

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/18/cdc-warns-public-prepare-zombie-apocalypse/

I think I could last in my apartment unharmed for a couple of days before I had to seek supplies. But it just confirms CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!! I already have my Zombie Apocalypse plan ready! I just need to save money so I can purchase a chain mail suit. Or does anyone know how to sew chain mail? Anyone? If you have time before the horde ascends may I suggest some reading. World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide both by Max Brooks. Oddly enough WWZ gives more advice on survival than the guide, things they never really cover in the movies are addressed as "personal" accounts of survival. But the guide is sound with quick and dirty steps.

If you're in the L.A. area and you haven't been obliterated, or you've been left behind then come on down to Hollywood Forever on Santa Monica Blvd and watch the Shining!

A long summer tradition in L.A. is to sit in a rich people cemetery and watch movies projected on the wall of the mausoleum. You can bring snacks and drinks, just no tall chairs! Check it out;

http://cinespia.org/

Here is today's playlist and the link to the podcast http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/erica-20-may-2011/id348527752?i=94185489

Depeche Mode - Told You So
Massive Attack - Paradise Circus
Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
Blue Oyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll
Delays - No Ending
St. Vincent - Jesus Saves, I Spend
Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
Prince - Let's Go Crazy
Stevie Wonder - Heaven Help Us All
The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
R.E.M. - It's the End of th World

Getting Better

2011-05-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today wasn't so bad. I still need to work on counting down and fading out the music. I get so nervous and I don't want to mess up anyone else's slot. Oh well.

Short blog today. I'm going to a protest rally in Downtown Los Angeles to protest further spending cuts in education. If you don't live in California, then don't move here. Granted we have the weather, but the way things are going now we won't have much else!

Another day another day. I get so mad thinking about what our state and federal governments are doing to it's citizens.

Anywho here is the playlist for today's show and link to the podcast http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/erica-13-may-2011/id348527752?i=93976839

Is This Love (Horn Mix) - Bob Marley
I Know You Know - Esperanza Spalding
If She Wants Me - Belle & Sebastian
Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode
Me and Armini - Emiliana Torrini
Someone Great - LCD Soundsystem
Electric Bird - Sia
Too Fake - Hockey
Daylight - Matt & Kim
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) - Michael Jackson
The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get - Morrissey
The Reeling - Passion Pit
My Favourite Book - Stars
Standing On The Shore - Empire of the Sun

You've gotta start somewhere

2011-05-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

So I just finished my very first radio broadcast, the shaking has subsided and my stomach has returned to it's normal state.

What a morning!!!! At first I couldn't log in to let the DJ before me know that I was in. And the most dreaded sound in radio...nothing...dead air. Screw it, I thought, I'm just going to start my broadcast without checking in, we can't have nothing playing. I started off with Black Moth Super Rainbow. I ideally I was suppose to talk over this track introducing myself and the show, but I figured I could do that later on, something was needed now to fill the void! Music playing, check, rearranged playlist so I could talk later over an instrumental, check. What do I say???? My instrumental came far too soon and I stammered a hello. But if you were listening you might of thought I was interference, my mic was soooo low! I came out as a faint whisper over the music. Roll with the punches. I still hadn't figured out what to talk about other than the music. Thank God for music. Towards the end I was able to pull it out and managed to be audible by getting right into the mic, licking it if you will. A trip to Best Buy this weekend should fix that.

I swear right afterwards I took one of those huddled-in-the-corner-rocking-myself-slowly-showers. I couldn't wash the stench of nerdy intern off. But after it was all over, and I received tips and encouragement from my fellow DJ and freshly showered, I felt better about it. I'm still a long way off from NPR, but a baby step closer.

Was my first time stressful and traumatizing? Yes! Am I planning to do it again next week? Absolutely!

Here is a playlist of my first set and link to the show! http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/erica-6-may-2011/id348527752?i=93961418

Black Moth Super Rainbow-Smile the Day After Today
LCD Soundsystem-Someone Great
Flying Lotus-MmmmHmm (feat. Thundercat)
Flying Lotus-Tea Leaf Dancers
K'naan-Fire in Freetown
Joy Division-Love Will Tear Us Apart
Skye Edwards-Feel Good
Fujiya & Miyagi-Skinny Punk
Jazzanova-Lie (feat. Thief)
Empire of the Sun-Standing on the Shore
Best Coast-When the Sun Don't Shine
Jack Penate-Tonight's Today
Coconut Records-Nighttiming
St Vincent- We Put a Pearl in the Ground?
Michael Jackson- I Can't Help It
Feist-Intution
The Cure-Object
Tortoise-Dear Grandma and Grandpa