Dear Readers!

I am leaving for the airport in forty-five minutes, so I think.

While I am gone I will be updating this. But, I thought I would let you know I am to fly to San Francisco, via Atlanta, on this fine morning, at break of day.

There will be some changes made around here while I am gone. I am to keep this place spit-spot, ship-shape, a little less mess.

That is all for now.

Love, Yoko.

P.S., Nice work, John. Nice website²⁷, too. Oh, and while I'm at it why don't I post this dirty aerial view of Beverly Common? Did you people ever notice? Courtesy: Google Maps²⁸.

P.P.S., Down with Footlinks! The new site will contain no such thing.

Footlinks: 27 gambino john 28 google maps

Public notice:

I will not be updating this site for the next five days.

This is because of an impending project²⁶. You can read what I am doing over at that site. It's a bit of an experiment, and it isn't fully formed yet.

Also, note that I will not be checking email as often as I normally do. You will have to communicate with me via the message board on the site. If you have something secret to say, you can mark it private, or, if you must, send email. But I'm warning you.

Love, Yoko.

Footlinks: 26 stay at home yoko

Who did you get for Mail Club²⁵?

I got __a__, who lives in Beverly, MA.

__d__, who lives in Brooklyn, NY, got __b__, who __c__ might have dated right before/after he/she dated __a__.

Are you __c__onfused?

Footlinks: 25 mail club

Happy Anniversary, to Lisa and Josh! I met them both at Sonic Youth nine years ago. I say this every year. It's true!

I was on the phone with Lisa, telling her so, when Josh called me on the other line. And he didn't even know!

I'm going to go outside. It's too sunny to waste it in here. Jordan's having a show tonight at 11 at Sidewalk, you should come.

I got my tax returns! Now I can pay rent, two heating bills, one phone bill, most of my credit card bill. And still have money to invest in my experiment next week. I got the idea when Meaghan and I were "sleeping" in the Dream Bed (Marina Abramovic) at the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis²⁴. The exhibit's not up anymore, we went on Thursday and yesterday was the last day. We called ahead to make a reservation to sleep in the bed for one hour (having signed a contract) and write down our dreams. We wore Dream Clothes. I'll show you soon.

I'm listening to the Blake Babies. It is getting dark in my room. I have broccoli and eggplant (cooked here!) in me, and a beer right here. It doesn't get much better than this!

Footlinks: 24 the rose art museum

Instructions: Do a Google Image search for Margot Tenenbaum. What do you see?

Well, we had a good show last night. I think it was our best ever. I just mean as far as being able to hear each other well and ourselves in the monitor and interacting with the audience. Before the show I felt like I might throw up, but as soon as we started playing I was in a better mood. Who knew that Bar 169 would have such a good sound system? The Leader, Pantsuit, and Major Matt all blew me away. Fun times! I feel lucky to know so many awesome musicians who are also amazingly supportive. Especially Miss Chicken Sandwich.

I can't check gmail from where I am now, in this undisclosed location. Me and my anonymous hostess are going to meet our friend at so-and-so bar at ten. I will be accepting text messages, yahoo mail, and voicemail.

Sincerely, Y Kikuchi.

Well, hello.

Everyone looks extra nice because it's spring, maybe. It was 75 degrees again. Today I cancelled my eye doctor appointment and stayed downtown working on crap at Alt and waiting for Ann to get out of work. We learned a song in the park and took a break for tacos and pizza and ices. And went back to the park! Passersby: Lach, Tina and Rachel Trachtenburg (on bikes with their dog in the basket!), and Dan, who came and sat with us for a bit. All in all a rockandroll day. And all before our rehearsal with the band at Tu Casa.

I'm very proud of Ann. She excitedly suggested going back to rehearse in the park the second time, since she spent all day listening to the song we're doing (on borrowed discman!), and came up with great harmonies. Not only that, she actually suggested that we do the open mic after rehearsal (she works at 5 AM and is usually too tired to stay out longer than necessary), and then when we were rehearsing downstairs at Sidewalk she played guitar for a good five minutes. We broke out some old Black Molly jamz for a second there. Uh huh! Oh! And she's going to be a "guest Sara" in Cheese On Bread²² on Friday too. What? Awesome, you say?

Might I plug Dan's new website²³ now? He looks so cute. And fuck, if you know anybody we know, check out the links section because it's a stroke, a poke, a yolk of genius. I've never met another person who could pick three phrases to describe anyone in the universe with such accuracy!

Tomorrow (really TODAY, the 19th) is Major Matt's birthday show at Bar 169. We're playing at 7:30. F train to East Broadway, and you're there. Fo shizzle!

Footlinks: 22 cheese on bread 23 dan's new website

Happy Birthday, Genani. And for two days ago, happy birthday Allie. And the day before that, happy birthday Shaun. All three have turned 24. How did I get three friends in high school born in the same week?

Speaking of birthdays, Josh Gura¹⁹ and I were at Kate's Joint the other day. I was on my second no-ice wicked strong Absolut bloody mary, and had just been rattling about going on bus trips and coincidences, when we realized we have the same birthday. He's the one who recorded our songs last month (one of which is currently up at the dream bitches site²⁰). Last person I met with my birthday was Karyn, who I've lost touch with (I saw her last in the summer of 2003 in Chicago - we originally met in Tucson, summer 2001).

And speaking of Genan, she had a fun get-together at Sophie's last night. And she came into my store today! So did my mom and Charles. And Miss Tina Pantsuit Harris - I mentioned that there was a girl who looked just like her in earlier, and it turned out it was her sister! We didn't get to close the store till 45 minutes past closing. Fifteen minutes later, Ann and I played a show at Saturday Night Rewritten²¹. It was fun, but our mics weren't on. We sold a cd anyway. Oh, and I gave the guy a copy of Dibs' cd - if he gets booked we will have to have his computer costume ready.

Footlinks: 19 josh gura 20 dream bitches 21 SNR

Seeking: One mentor.

Apparently I need someone to give me some direction, and/or pep. I've just realized that my last two dreams have both pointed out my lack of one. In the first dream, from two nights ago, I was upset that everyone in the high school had a mentor but me. In the second dream, last night, I finally had a mentor (a friend of my mom's), and she dropped dead.

Is anyone seeking a disciple? { Requirements: 1. you must not be my friend already, 2. you should probably be older/wiser than me, and i'm 23/enlightened, 3. just kidding. }

Dear Diary,

Today was lovely. Me and Phoebe walked around the East Village in the sunshine, doing errands. We started off going to breakfast with Chris at the Atlas Cafe. I had never been there. I had the most amazing omelet. It was swiss cheese, goat cheese and spinach. Chris and Phoebe thought I was nutty for getting two kinds of cheeses and using a fair amount of hot sauce, but oh, they don't know what they were missin'.

Then Chris left and we went to get my paycheck and the cash I had stashed in the safe at work. Deposited at various banks, dropped off Phoebe's bike at George's, got her tax forms at the library, went to visit her friend Lily at the Life Cafe (incidentally, had bloody marys - daytime drinking is a peculiar thing indeed), got her a chicken guaco taco at San Loco, sat in el parko. She went to work and I came home.

Not long after I got home (buying broccoli and olive oil on the way, for a future feast), having made a few phone calls (one for work, and one each to Meaghan and Lisa) I got in bed (it was getting dark), and promptly fell asleep. A nap, you say? Yoko, you have not taken an evening nap since, like, high school. Or at least since you still lived at home. During the nap I got two phone calls - one from Julie (we are coordinating a rehearsal for the show on the 19th), and one from Lexa, because she and I were possibly supposed to hang out today. She was at a karaoke bar on West Broadway, with who? Ry Russo-Young. Ry was one of my best friends in nursery school, and she and Lexa went to Oberlin together. I didn't know they were friends though. She got on the phone and maybe we'll all hang out soon, who knows?

I decided to wake up then. That was an hour ago. I've been sorting through stacks of email and making a to-do list. But now the internet has stopped working, so this will have to be posted at a later time. I've been feeling pretty low and lonely, maybe that's natural to waking up at 10:30 pm in an empty, dark and quiet house. But when the internet stops working, that's when you know.

The last three dreams¹⁷ have involved food.

We officially have a kitchen now. Ann and I had instant oatmeal for breakfast this morning. And then I instantly did the dishes. Thrilling!

On one of my many work-breaks I ran into Jessie, of Jessie Diamond and the Thousand¹⁸. I was on my way back to the Bagel Zone to get some tabasco sauce for my un-chicken salad. We chatted a bit. She is a really nice girl. They have a Saturday residency at that Williamsburg bar, Trash, with the free tater tots. We should go see them. I've been once already.

April is Dream Bitches month. We just got our sixth April gig. Not to mention that I also already had a show with Jordan (as our side project, Sally) and I'm playing solo at Sidewalk this Wednesday at midnight. It's a crazy incestuous bunch (to quote the Baby Skins on their words on one of their shows). Me, Phoebe, Chris, Casey, Dibs, Toby and Angela, Mike Boner, and this guy Dante, a friend of Toby's, who's also the son of Mr Mazzetti, mine and Chris' high school songwriting teacher! And Mr Mazzetti's wife is Marcy, my first grade teacher. Nuts.

Footlinks: 17 dreams 18 jd&the1000

Pictures schmicktures.

My other computer had me thinking it was an hour earlier. Unlike my laptop and my cell phone, it does not know how to change by itself. It still needs me, its mother, to wipe its dirty little ass.

So, it's actually the middle of the afternoon.

Judging by this, I'd say it's probably time to get out of bed.

Wasn't today another perfect today? Oh, I meant day.

Wow, I was so sad when I read Nicole¹⁶'s journal yesterday. But today, oh, today! She found her car (!!!!!) and she found March! God bless my internet gumshoe skills. I tiny-url'ed her its location, but it was Google, not I, who held it ransom.

Today Ann and I went down to the Pussycat Lounge to hang up flyers for our show on Saturday. What a bizarre place. It's down in the Financial District and yes, we will be performing in the rock club, above a strip bar (which is also part of the Pussycat Lounge). Ten dollars will get you admission to both! I entered the bar to ask the bartender lady, who was fully clothed, where we could hang flyers. There were some old guys having drinks (this is at 3 PM, mind you) and I thought, oh, it's a normal bar. And then I saw the stripper. No lights on her, just the dim bar light, directly behind where all the bottles were. Just sitting there, sprawled out naked. So nonchalant!

Later, Casey and Dan and I went to Amy Hills' open mic. That was fun! I am glad we caught it because I am told she may be ending it soon, and I would not have been able to make it any other Wednesday this month. Next week we have a show at Sidewalk and the next two weeks after that I'll be away. Good riddance, New York and strippers! Anyone want to hit up Massachusetts and/or San Francisco with me? You?

I had an egg salad sandwich for $1.99 on St Mark's. Did you know about those? It was the most brilliant thing in the world. Do you know why? I think somebody once told me that it's because eggs are the best. Although when told that, tuna fish begs to differ.

Footlinks: 16 Nicoley-cole

It's very summery out today. I'm happy. Aren't you?

It's still sunny outside and it's half past six.

I was playing my guitar in Tompkins Square when Lexa and Andrew biked up to me. They sat on the bench next to me and ate meat sandwiches (he burger, she salami). He went to go do something and she and I got to hang out for a few minutes. She works at De Roberti's now, and lives with her friends Sarah and Robin, on Havemeyer & S 2nd St. I'm going to go visit them on Tuesday. Their apartment is painted aqua and lipstick red. I'm excited that we can visit each other at work now. We didn't fall far from the tree, after all. Or perhaps, we both fell off the tree in the same location.

It's officially Alt Coffee season, not Coffee Pot season anymore. I am sitting here at the red table facing the door, which looks out on the park. Casey is coming by and we're going to go hang out with Phoebe (who is home sick from work). And then we have Bitches practice at Tu Casa at 9. Yay!

I forgot about summer. I am glad it remembers to show up each year, even if its train gets stuck between stations and its alarm clock forgot to go off.

Yoko: "How do they choose a new pope when the pope dies?"

Josh: "I don't know. I guess they do 'eeny, meeny, miney, pope ', or something."

I've had a bit of a productive day. Dropped some CDs at Olive Juice at 9 AM, plotted some things with Matt (compilations! samplers!), deposited OJ check and Define Tease check, went home, got to Chris' house at 1 (we ate at Burritoville) and cut some cd covers and plotted more things (split 7"?). Now I'm at my mom's and waiting for Ann to get out of work so we can go over some harmonies to put down on one of Casey's songs at the studio tonight.

I'm happy Nicole is starting up Mail Club¹⁵ again. Check the website, it is beautiful. And please join!!! I shiver in anticipation.

Footlinks: 15 mail clubby

Nan-Ling Turner, the chickennest of the sandwiches, and her trusty companions Major Matt and Kimya Dawson, are back from their endless world tour!!! She called me tonight while I was babysitting not three blocks from the Olive Juice homestead. We are going to get together possibly tomorrow. I miss them so much! I feel like it's been forever since they left (the day after our CD party, years ago).

I've got a long to-do list. But I think I'm getting my life together.

The Whitest Kids U Know¹⁴ have a website, and the videos on it are hilarious. I'm at work so I have only watched one new one ("The New Thing"). But, if you are having some free time, you ought to watch them all.

Yesterday, at my mom's work, she gave me an chocolate Easter egg with a marshmallow peep inside. Dibs and I ate it on the subway. It is the cutest thing we have done.

Footlinks: 14 whitest kids site

Five days of no updates. Things have been happening. I almost went to Beverly yesterday but I think I will wait until I have more time (I would have had to come back today). Nell is there now. She came to our Lit show the other night, which was really fun. I can't believe how hot our backing band are. And did you see those Cheese On Bread boys in their little outfits?

Thanks to Chris for adding us on to the RIYL distro page¹¹. We spent part of a day over there making promo cds for the radio. Whee! And while I'm talking about it, maybe you can see our new site¹² too. It's a work in progress.

I bought a new wallet last night at that store, Love Shine¹³. Angela got me a gift certificate to the place over six months ago, for my birthday. And I needed it! My wallet was so busted. Doesn't September seem like a year ago? And last March seems like two years ago. I'm not sure what's happening with time. I'm not too disturbed, I feel better when things seem forever ago than when they seem like last week and were actually years past.

Some guy just made a huge prolonged loogie noise behind me. They have to stop letting the crazies hang out and sleep here. Five people just left because of it.

Footlinks: 11 riyl distro 12 new dream bitches site 13 love shine

At my mom and Charles' house. My mom's back from her EF world tour. She brought me chocolate from Belgium and a bracelet from Hong Kong. We ate dinner and talked health insurance and taxes. Oh, what fun it is to be a not so independent 23-year-old.

Jordan sent me this mp3 he wants me to post, it's something he made out of something I said into a microphone, who knows how long ago: thatsoundsgreat.mp3

Went to see Xiu Xiu⁸ tonight. It was sold out but Genan got me on the guest list with a plus one. Casey and I had a fun time observing the mix of people at the Knitting Factory (there were three shows happening - one punk/hardcore show, a bad yuppie rock show, and the oh-so-hip Xiu Xiu show) and waiting in line for the unisex bathroom (formerly the men's room). And did you know it was a year after the date that Josh⁹ and I opened¹⁰ for Xiu Xiu at Cornell? Crazy!

Footlinks: 8 xiu xiu 9 josh 10 josh and yoko

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I've always enjoyed wearing green for a holiday that has nothing to do with my heritage. I would have a lot more embarrassment if I were actually from a big Irish family. Or pride? In any case. If you want to see Ann, Casey and I covering two Sinead O'Connor songs at the Boog City tribute night⁷, it's at Galapagos from 7 till about 9. Click that footlink and scroll down to read about it, and see a picture of us! They love that picture!

Otherwise, you can hear an example: stretchedongrave.mp3

Footlink: 7 galapagos

Hey, I finally made a pictures section. Please click the link in the above menu if you want to see.

So Ann and I recorded two songs yesterday with Josh Gura⁶, who recorded Toby's album Come Correct. We're excited to hear what he makes them into. This is no ordinary recording. In exchange we will be writing a song about squirrels for his movie about squirrels.

Footlink: 6 josh gura

Today is the one-year anniversary of While you were dreaming⁵. There are, count them, 364 dreams currently logged.

Will somebody please enter the 365th dream today?
Will it be you?

Walking down West 21st Street, I passed a man in shadows, sitting on a loading dock stoop. The man uttered something under his breath in a long, drawn out catcall. It sounded very much like "China." Or, perhaps, what was actually said was "Vagina." Now, while the former is more likely, I have been trying to decide which is in fact more unacceptable. I have come to the conclusion that I would much rather be catcalled by the latter, "Vagina." It would be a refreshing change of pace, and slightly more accurate.

I've just finished taking a short nap with the cat. I don't think I actually slept, but it was nice just the same.

I opted not to go to the Coffee Pot today, as I've spent a few days in a row there, and I'm going to be back in that neighborhood tomorrow. I'm making today a South Bronx day. I still do need to work on the Heather site a bit (you can see a work-in-progress in the directory /new⁴).

Sorry about the "fascist air", Joshee, I am just being particular. Rhea, your signing of the Guestbook made me remember a dream I posted yesterday. By the way, I've been reminded by multiple sources that the one-year anniversary of the dream site⁵ is this coming Monday.

Footlinks: 4 new heather 5 dreams

Oh, how bizarre. In the last entry I sleepily stated something about today's date being a month and a year after the archaic 5.0 layout was created. But as Josh reminded me over in the Guestbook, today is the seven year anniversary of this website. Feel free to click "4.0" in the menu above and go peruse the archives for the original Yerka Manor journal entry. The color is eerily similar to the color of this page. (Okay, it's much brighter. I just went and looked.)

Additionally, feel free to enter the original URL of this site, "www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/8014" in the Wayback machine over at archive.org¹.

I've spent my last couple of morning-afternoons here at the Coffee Pot, my on-and-off favorite work spot in the city. They have H&H bagels and tofutti and decent smoked salmon. The same CDs rotate over and over when the people-who-don't-care-about-music are working, which is pretty much everyone except one emo-looking-guy. The CDs are all bad, except for Elliott Smith's either/or, which is what's on now.

Yesterday I spent a decent amount of time here, working on the Define Tease² website, and today I'm going to try and get some updates done on Heather Guidero³'s jewelry site (it isn't uploaded yet, but if you are curious you can go there now and then check it again in a day or two). I've been tracking my hours well.

Footlinks: 1 archive.org 2 define tease 3 heather guidero

Well, this is quite the endeavor. I started it this afternoon. Please excuse the use of every font possible, it does please me to look at it, even if you, the common designer, might not quite agree. Now, you see I redid the site, except I have left a few recent entries up for you to read. Please do not be confused upon visiting the old site (v5.0), as there is some overlap. I did not want you to think I was new at this.

Today is the monthiversary of the yeariversary of the aforementioned most recent "old version" of the site. None of this matters now.

It feels weird to talk in such a crisp font. I hope I do not sound too harsh.

Love, Yoko.

Blah blah blah blah nice weather blah. Jordan and I had a good Sally show last night. By the way, the dream-o-meter is already on 352.

Whoever enters a dream next will have entered the 350th dream.
For now, check out #349.

Me: "Did you cut your hair?"
Casey: "No. Why, does it look funny?"
Me: "No. It looks shorter."
We saw Palomar at Mercury Lounge. And talked to them after. They are the best band in the world.