Steve Albini Interview about In Utero Sessions

I listened to this great interview with Steve Albini about his work on Nirvana's IN UTERO. Albini discusses the initial letter he sent to the band, the shared band interests, and the basic environment of the recording.

Albini is very aware of how people are manipulated in interviews, and he is quick to frame everything in a black and white reality.

I would like to meet this producer this year.

Runner's Knee

Apparently, I got runner's knee. It's called "when you get old" or some shit. I couldn't do anything for three days. I had to lie in pain most of the weekend. Then I iced it and cried a lot. I didn't do this out loud, because that wouldn't be manly. I did it quietly to myself when no one was looking. Anyway, it really hurt.

Today was the first day I felt like I could do some exercise. I played the 19 year old in tennis again. He's really good. He beat me again today. I just got too tired. My arms didn't work anymore. I think I'll have to start doing some pushups to build upper body strength. Then I'll just need to run about 8 miles a week. Maybe more.

They say that runner's knee can be resolved by having better shoes or investing in special soles for your shitty shoes. I think I'll do the latter. Then maybe I can run and play tennis without crying. It's no fun to cry.

Also, I realized I have no friends other than the people I play tennis or make movies with. I don't know if this is the result of being ambition driven and living in a city or simply a byproduct of growing older and not being around anyone I grew up with or had experiences with. I suppose that's life though.

People make friends early in life and keep them because they stay in one place, or they get new friends by doing a lot of social activities or having kids and whatnot. Since I don't have any kids, and I'm not big on social activities besides playing tennis, making movies, or watching them, it leaves very little room for a huge panoply of friendships to suddenly emerge.

It's my own damn fault. I've got to take some baking classes or something. Either that, or realize I don't need friends. Or just hold my knee and cry.

I think my knee is starting to hurt a little. I better go ice it down.

Silencing Tatanka

I had a nice moment meditating this morning. No, it wasn't the meditating itself. That was horrible as usual, but I did have a funny thing happen while meditating. Usually, I've only had Meow-Meow around during sits. She walks up, says hello, and then goes and lies down to give me space. Well, now we have the kitten, Tatanka, and she doesn't understand what's happening. She walks up and sits in my lap and starts crying. I pet him a couple times and then look up at Meow-Meow who is sleeping on my desk.

"Hey, Meow-Meow," I say. "Can you do something about this?"

Then, I swear to God, Meow-Meow jumps down from the desk licks the kitten and then puts her arm over it. The kitten thinks Meow-Meow's playing, so he hisses and tries to jump away, but Meow-Meow don't play that. She just puts her full weight on him, bites his back, and then licks him.

The kitten didn't stay that way for long. It was up and running around shortly after, but Meow-Meow did solve the problem. Tatanka wasn't crying anymore.