Not exactly 10 years ago from today

If you can't handle a 9/11 remembrance that isn't all flag-wavy and up with people, don't read this. 

  A few days after it happened, a friend who just moved to NYC from Ohio and I were walking in my neighborhood. It was another beautiful, sunny day. And so quiet in a suddenly car-less lower Manhattan. We saw the people taking advantage of this unique moment: The few restaurants that were open spread their outdoor seating from the sidewalk to the middle of West Broadway; children were released from their strollers and leashes, playing and giggling in the road; a tall, lithe gentleman in short-shorts and vintage headphones sailed down Houston on roller skates. Finally I felt something other than confusion or anger.

My hopeful, naive 24-year-old self saw all of this and thought maybe -- even while we were still inhaling the acrid dust of the violence that happened a dozen blocks below us -- something good could come of this. We could start new as a city, as a nation, even just as people. But that never happened. Things got worse than I could have imagined. And all I can think now is what a fucking shameful waste of life it all was. Tragedy with no remedy. Grief with no solace. It's not that the terrorists won, it's that humanity lost.

Hmmm.

I don't really have anything to say, but I feel strangely obligated to post something. So. Two things:

Nutmeg can kill*

and Superchunk rocks:




*BUT WHAT OF MY EGG NOG???

What I Listented To, 2010 ed.

Lou Barlow Sentridoh III “Caterpillar Girl” “Gravitate”

Sarah Harmer Oh Little Fire “Captive” “Silverado”

Superchunk Majesty Shredding “Digging for something” “Crossed wires” …and everything else they’ve ever done.

Pernice Brothers Goodbye, Killer “Newport News”

Robyn BodyTalk “Dancin’ On My Own” “Hang With Me”

Grinderman Grinderman 2 “When my baby comes”

Ted Leo Brutalist Bricks “Where was my brain” “Bottle of Cork”

Laura Veirs July Flame “When you give your heart”

Josh Ritter So Runs the World Away “Rattling locks”

Bill Fox Shelter From the Smoke/Transit Byzantium “Bird of the World” “Song of a Drunken Nightingale”

The Mice For Almost Ever Scooter “Just Like a Brick”
Ben Folds & Nick Hornby Lonely Avenue “Practical Amanda”

Field Music Field Music (Measure) “Them That Do Nothing”

Bettye LaVette Interpretations: The British Songbook “Love Reign O’er Me”

Cee-Lo Green The Lady Killer “Fuck You”

Corin Tucker Band 1,000 Years “Doubt”

Frightened Rabbit The Winter of Mixed Drinks [and my winter of pinot grigio] “Swim Until You Can’t See Land” “Yes, I Would”

Guster Easy Wonderful “Do You Love Me” “Architects & Engineers” “Jonah”

LCD Soundsystem This Is Happening “All I Want”

The National High Violet “Terrible Love” “Bloodbuzz Ohio”

New Pornographers Together “Crash Years” “My Shepherd”

Extra Lens Undercard

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings I Learned the Hard Way “Mama don’t like my man”

Mavis Staples You Are Not Alone

Sharon van Etten Epic/Because I Was In Love “One Day” “I Wish I Knew”

Surfer Blood Astro Coast

Stornoway Beachcomber’s Windowsill “Zorbing”

Yeasayer Odd Blood “Ambing Alp”

Tame Implala Innserspeaker “Solitude is Bliss”

Built To Spill There Is No Enemy “Good Ol’ Boredom”

Unrest Imperial ffrr “I Can See You Blushing”

What I have yet to hear in full…

Junip

Dangermouse & Sparklehorse

Cloud Cult

S. Carey

Thermals Personal Life