I tend to get pretty personal on this blog, because I think of this as much as my own personal blog and less as an all encompassing news source. There are lots of other people out there who do music news and journalism a whole lot better than I (For instance, check out Band Bombshell. They’re pretty awesome). Plus, I am pretty cheap and use this as my substitute for therapy and just make an unsuspecting public who just want to read about Poison Control Center or something deal with my neuroses.

Since it is my style, I sort of figured I would have to write a post discussing the sudden loss our family recently suffered, just because that’s what I do. When shit sticks in my mind it helps for me to try and work it out someway. But I have been staring at a blinking cursor for a week or so, and when I do write something I select all and destroy. I think it is because I can’t wrap my brain around what happened or why. I have yet to quantify my feelings in any sort of rational or verbal manner. The fact that a person can be there and then just not be there is an altogether new experience for me, and no amount of drafts I have written have really come across the way I feel. I think mostly, because I don’t know how to feel. I am sad for the loss, I am baffled by how life and death works and I am inspired by the life she lead and my desire to live a life that would make her the most proud. But I still don’t feel like my words can honor and express my feelings. My heart is broken so much that I think it broke my brain, as well.

So, I’m instead going to talk about this large breasted woman I saw at the mall today.

She looked like Cartman’s assistant from that episode of South Park where he’s Dog The Bounty Hunter only with dark hair. And a tattoo of a dragon on her right breast. It was mesmerizing.

Anyway, there are like a billion things I have missed in the last couple of weeks, so let me try and highlight a couple of them, since I think I can still handle that.

– Former Des Moines based singer Roxi Copland is in the running for a contest to help pay for her next album, and she actually has a real shot at this. Roxi is a hell of a talent, so if you could throw a vote her way, that would be swell. Also, she said if she got to fourth she would make a video of her doing a bikini clad snow angel:

So, she’s a good sport, too. Give her a vote .

– Iowa City’s Mission Creek Festival announced their lineup and it is awesome. Grizzly Bear, Divine Fits, Deerhoof, Iris Dement, Thao and the Get Down and Jeff the Brotherhood highlight the multi-day, multi-venue fest. For more info click here.

– Several bands have released albums in the past, oh, month or so. I think the big two are MINT and John the Bastard. MINT is currently available on iTunes while you can grab John the Bastard from their Bandcamp. It is loud.

– I have a new piece up at Des Moines is Not Boring featuring Brant Williams of The Workshy. I censored myself in the final draft, but just know that where it says “Popeye Doyle” I meant to write “Johnny Wadd”. You can read that here.

-The link has a list to a bunch of cool shows, but none cooler than The Space For Ames Anniversary Party. 15 hours and 55 Iowa bands. That is pretty incredible. You should go for at least a little bit. More info right here.

-On the subject of Ames, one that I missed is the EP Release show of talented singer/songwriter Sean Huston. Tonight at DG’s Taphouse in Ames. Feel free to check out the EP here and be sure to grab a copy.

-If you are a long time follower of this blog, you know how much I love Gross Domestic Product. This year’s event will be held at Vaudeville Mews/4th St Theatre on April 13. If you’re a band and you’d like to play that event, send them some of your work. You have until February 11. More info for that right here .

-And speaking of DMMC, their annual Backstage Ball fundraiser is set for February 22 at Val Air Ballroom. The Backstage Ball helps fund all the cool shit DMMC does throughout the year, as well as gives them an opportunity to honor people who make the Iowa music scene better. This year’s honorees are Nate Logsdon and Chris Lyng from Mumford’s, Marco from Dark Mirror, volunteer and all around badass Becky Migas and two guys who are also way better at music journalism than I, Joe Lawler of Juice and Chad Taylor of Cityview. Oh, and me. They’re honoring me. That’s messed up.

I feel like I’m leaving some stuff out, but, eh, I did pretty well I think. I promise I will get my shit together soon.