Not sure if anyone else is up on this, but Eau Claire native, and UW-Eau Claire alum Justin Vernon has taken the indie/alternative music world by storm over the last 12 months culminating with a gig on the David Letterman show last week.
Vernon's band is Bon Iver (French for Good Winter) and is part of the neo-folk movement, although they do manage to rock it out at times too. Vernon had been on my radar for years, since my early days at UW-Eau Claire, well before his current band has taken off so it has been a neat thing to see this guy I used to catch at shows as a freshman on national tv, and in national magazines like Rolling Stone, and in the New York Times, and generally anywhere you look online if the site is related to music.
The basic story behind Bon Iver's rise to international prominence follows. Vernon and fellow Chippewa Valleyians who had formed an immensly popular local band, Deyarmond Edison took their show on the road, moving to Raleigh N.C. To make a long story shorter, the band broke up, Vernon broke up with his girlfriend, and decided to recess to his father's hunting cabin in northern Wisconsin (not all that far from where I'm at currently) where he self-recorded an album and generally got his head right. Late last year, I caught one of his shows, bought a copy of the self-recorded/self-released CD and then things really took off. Things caught fire in the music blogosphere, Vernon's band toured the U.S. and Europe, played on Conan O'Brien and Letterman, and had their album named the 29th best CD of 2008 in Rolling Stone magazine.
Granted, it is not music that everyone can get it into, I'll be the first to concede that. But you have to admit that the story behind it all is pretty unique. And it's been pretty damn cool to see this guy I met early in my college career, drank down the bar from later in my college career, and saw release an album that he poured his aching soul into, achieve international fame in the music field.
Let me know if you dig it.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
The Chance to Live a Second Life
Interesting essay here about one man's dream of building a cabin in the woods as his second home. It's not his venture that is anything remarkable (although anyone doing anything with real estate right now is somewhat remarkable), but rather his comments on doing so that struck me. The author writes of building a cabin by hand with his brother in the Maine wilderness and comments that, "Second homes are an American obsession, partly — maybe mainly — because of the chance they give us to live a second life, one that may be truer to our real selves than the first that we live out of necessity." Intriguing thoughts.
The landscape here is littered with second & vacation homes/cabins/palaces on the water. I had never really thought about the pysche of the second home. Obviously it is a place that we view as an escape, but I had never really thought about what people were escaping from. Well, besides society. But that one is basically a given, right?
The other thing that stood out for me was the authors harvest of the lumber that grew near a previous home. I've always enjoyed the idea of taking a piece of a property with you when you leave, something tangible in addition to the obvious memories. But harvesting the trees into lumber and then building another home from the product of that land? That is a whole new take on that concept.
Which makes me wish that I would have taken some sort of piece of furnishing from my last two residences to add to future ones. Especially now that one of them has been destined for demolition. Oh well, the memories live on forever. And always in the form of drunken bar-tales.
The landscape here is littered with second & vacation homes/cabins/palaces on the water. I had never really thought about the pysche of the second home. Obviously it is a place that we view as an escape, but I had never really thought about what people were escaping from. Well, besides society. But that one is basically a given, right?
The other thing that stood out for me was the authors harvest of the lumber that grew near a previous home. I've always enjoyed the idea of taking a piece of a property with you when you leave, something tangible in addition to the obvious memories. But harvesting the trees into lumber and then building another home from the product of that land? That is a whole new take on that concept.
Which makes me wish that I would have taken some sort of piece of furnishing from my last two residences to add to future ones. Especially now that one of them has been destined for demolition. Oh well, the memories live on forever. And always in the form of drunken bar-tales.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Gave it a whirl
Yesterday morning, bright and early, I drove down the unplowed highway for a return to the building at UW-Eau Claire where I had roughly 90% of my college classes - Richard E. Hibbard Hall.
The purpose for the pre-dawn visit to the alma mater was to take the law school admission test or LSAT for short. In brief -- that was one tough exam.
Applying for law school is an idea that has always been creeping around in my head -- way, way back there. I had never really taken the idea all that seriously though. It had always seemed like quite the application process for something I wasn't all that sure I wanted to pursue. Truth is, it is quite the application process, and I'm still not all that sure I want to puruse that field. What it comes down to though is that in order for it to even be an option I've got to at least take the test and send in a few applications. I figure that I will get the applications in and then force the decision on accepting the offer (assuming I could even get accepted) further down the road.
Back to the test though: it consists of six 35 minute sessions. Two sections titled Logical Reasoning, two labeled Analytical Reasoning (only of these counts though - the other is basically a placebo), one section on reading comprehension, and a final writing sample. When you factor in breaks and procedural business, it came out to about five hours worth of time yesterday.
I ran through several timed practice tests in preperation as well as tried to develop some strategies for each section. With 25-30 substantial questions for each 35 minute section, timing becomes a big issue. With each practice run things got a little easier so I went into things optimistic yesterday. The logical reasoning, writing sample, and reading comprehension ended up all being in line with my expectations for difficutly, but the anaylitical reasoning ended up being quite a bit to wrap my head around. In talking with others after the test though it seemed like that was the most difficult for others as well.
If you're curious on what the format of the questions are, there's a sample from each question type here.
Now it's a matter of waiting a month for the test results to come back and beginning to gather letters of reccomendation, work on application essays, etc.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
The purpose for the pre-dawn visit to the alma mater was to take the law school admission test or LSAT for short. In brief -- that was one tough exam.
Applying for law school is an idea that has always been creeping around in my head -- way, way back there. I had never really taken the idea all that seriously though. It had always seemed like quite the application process for something I wasn't all that sure I wanted to pursue. Truth is, it is quite the application process, and I'm still not all that sure I want to puruse that field. What it comes down to though is that in order for it to even be an option I've got to at least take the test and send in a few applications. I figure that I will get the applications in and then force the decision on accepting the offer (assuming I could even get accepted) further down the road.
Back to the test though: it consists of six 35 minute sessions. Two sections titled Logical Reasoning, two labeled Analytical Reasoning (only of these counts though - the other is basically a placebo), one section on reading comprehension, and a final writing sample. When you factor in breaks and procedural business, it came out to about five hours worth of time yesterday.
I ran through several timed practice tests in preperation as well as tried to develop some strategies for each section. With 25-30 substantial questions for each 35 minute section, timing becomes a big issue. With each practice run things got a little easier so I went into things optimistic yesterday. The logical reasoning, writing sample, and reading comprehension ended up all being in line with my expectations for difficutly, but the anaylitical reasoning ended up being quite a bit to wrap my head around. In talking with others after the test though it seemed like that was the most difficult for others as well.
If you're curious on what the format of the questions are, there's a sample from each question type here.
Now it's a matter of waiting a month for the test results to come back and beginning to gather letters of reccomendation, work on application essays, etc.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Closed for the next ten days
This normally sparsely populated area is full of people today. Driving throughout the forests and countryside the roads are full of trucks pulling trailers with ATV's, their drivers' heads cloaked in that ubiquitous shade of orange which can mean only one thing: deer season.
I had a work meeting at a country cafe in the tiny village of Glen Flora, population 92. We waited for a table - this has gotta be the only time of the year that ever happens.
The parking lot at the grocery store: full. I waited through a cycle of three red lights before making it through the intersection. By far the closest thing Rice Lake will ever see to a traffic jam.
It's not a bad thing in my mind though. A nice late-fall booster shot for the local economy, and it is kind of nice to live somewhere that other people want to be - even if it is just for nine days.
All the local shops, restaurants, and bars have "Widow's Weekend" specials advertised for those left at home while their spouses head to the forests. Nevermind that females are the fastest-growing part of the hunting population.
Two interesting contrasts: the sports shop, normally closed at 5, open till 9 -- and the vaccum repair shop, closed for the next ten days.
Happy Hunting!
Eve of the deer season
It is the eve of one of the highlights of life in Wisconsin - northern Wisconsin, especially: the advent of Wisconsin's tradition-steeped annual deer hunt.
For most Wisconsinites, the annual hunt is about more than just the pursuit of a trophy rack or venison for the freezer, it is about other less tangible things. Things such as re-uniting with family and friends at the trailer without plumbing on a 40-acre spread of forestland, or returning to the plot of land which an ancestor purchased for either recreation or in an attempt to make a new go of things. It's about returning to the bond with the land that is undeniably a part of our very being, however many generations we are removed from it. That bond that lets you know that although you have the opportunity to take from the land the land also has an opportunity to give. As one city-bound friend put it: "sitting in the woods during deer season is that one time each year when I have a chance to really think about things."
And that's true, the solitude and quiet of the forest is a powerful thing. So the annual hunt is about many things to many people, for some meat and the pursuit of trophy; for others an annual respite from all else, a reunion with friends and family; still for others a chance to recollect and reconvene with nature.
For me, I think it comes down to the relationship with the land and the opportunity to be reminded that although I am no longer in a position to be dependent of the land for every meal - not all that long ago, my ancestors were - and what a unique bond that is.
For most Wisconsinites, the annual hunt is about more than just the pursuit of a trophy rack or venison for the freezer, it is about other less tangible things. Things such as re-uniting with family and friends at the trailer without plumbing on a 40-acre spread of forestland, or returning to the plot of land which an ancestor purchased for either recreation or in an attempt to make a new go of things. It's about returning to the bond with the land that is undeniably a part of our very being, however many generations we are removed from it. That bond that lets you know that although you have the opportunity to take from the land the land also has an opportunity to give. As one city-bound friend put it: "sitting in the woods during deer season is that one time each year when I have a chance to really think about things."
And that's true, the solitude and quiet of the forest is a powerful thing. So the annual hunt is about many things to many people, for some meat and the pursuit of trophy; for others an annual respite from all else, a reunion with friends and family; still for others a chance to recollect and reconvene with nature.
For me, I think it comes down to the relationship with the land and the opportunity to be reminded that although I am no longer in a position to be dependent of the land for every meal - not all that long ago, my ancestors were - and what a unique bond that is.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Giga-waabamin minawaa
This phrase probably requires some explanation. Giga-waabamin minawaa is Ojibwe (Chippewa, or Anishinaabe) for "I'll see you again." Interestingly enough, there is not a word in the Ojibwe language for goodbye. Rather, the standard phrase was Giga-waabamin minawaa or I'll see you again. So it does seem fitting to end a correspondence in that way.
For those of you unaware, there is a large Ojibwe Indian reservation North of 8: Lac Courte Oreilles - or Lake Short Ears. An interesting place, I know some good people there, and some of the other variety as well. But you have that anywhere. I'll have to share the origin legend that the Ojibwe attribute to their arrival in Wisconsin; it's a good tale. But not now, some other time.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
For those of you unaware, there is a large Ojibwe Indian reservation North of 8: Lac Courte Oreilles - or Lake Short Ears. An interesting place, I know some good people there, and some of the other variety as well. But you have that anywhere. I'll have to share the origin legend that the Ojibwe attribute to their arrival in Wisconsin; it's a good tale. But not now, some other time.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
Origins
In Wisconsin lore, and most likely in fact too, U.S. Highway 8 marks a sort of demarcation point in the state. Supposedly, the road marks the line in the state where economic livlihood becomes, not impossible, but markedly more difficult. I suppose that could be the case - a disproportionate number of people are involved in practices that are tied to the land. Some in farming, most in logging. Life in such trades can at times slog along at levels just a share above subsistence - especially in a failing economy and in an environment in which building has slowed down considerably.
It is not just economics though. According to some, Highway 8, also marks a line in behavior in the state. To the southern Madison-Milwaukee belt of elites, "up-norders" have little knowledge of the finer things. I think, that rather than ignorance, it is just a choice to pursue a different set of finer things. Things like a crisp fall morning, mist rising off the water, and a sunset unspoiled by the hues caused by air pollution. Still, generalizations.
And so, this blog, in addition to a regular (semi) accounting of life, will also delve into an investigation into life "North of 8." I hope to discuss the history and lore of the area, as well as ruminations on the finer things described above.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
It is not just economics though. According to some, Highway 8, also marks a line in behavior in the state. To the southern Madison-Milwaukee belt of elites, "up-norders" have little knowledge of the finer things. I think, that rather than ignorance, it is just a choice to pursue a different set of finer things. Things like a crisp fall morning, mist rising off the water, and a sunset unspoiled by the hues caused by air pollution. Still, generalizations.
And so, this blog, in addition to a regular (semi) accounting of life, will also delve into an investigation into life "North of 8." I hope to discuss the history and lore of the area, as well as ruminations on the finer things described above.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
Monday, October 20, 2008
It took a year, but I think I am used to life up here - in a position to fully appreciate all the things that the area, and region, both offer and lack.
What you gain in natural beauty and in unspoiled hills, creeks, forests, and vistas you lose in social and cultural events and opportunities.
What you save with a relatively low cost of living (rent, groceries, etc.) you make up for with regular trips - both short and extended - for both essentials and delicacies.
The ease with which one can find solitude has another side too, the difficulty of finding that place where one can blend in completely, confident that somewhere in the same room, or in the same building, or even in the same village, town, or city lies another similar soul.
As I've always been fond of saying though, life is a game of trade-offs in every single last choice that we make. And thus, it is true once again. The scale never truly balances, some days tipping precariously toward one side, other days teetering and tottering back and forth from one side to another. But the scale is never concrete either, leaving one the wonderment, or the dread of another day.
As I said, trade-offs.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
What you gain in natural beauty and in unspoiled hills, creeks, forests, and vistas you lose in social and cultural events and opportunities.
What you save with a relatively low cost of living (rent, groceries, etc.) you make up for with regular trips - both short and extended - for both essentials and delicacies.
The ease with which one can find solitude has another side too, the difficulty of finding that place where one can blend in completely, confident that somewhere in the same room, or in the same building, or even in the same village, town, or city lies another similar soul.
As I've always been fond of saying though, life is a game of trade-offs in every single last choice that we make. And thus, it is true once again. The scale never truly balances, some days tipping precariously toward one side, other days teetering and tottering back and forth from one side to another. But the scale is never concrete either, leaving one the wonderment, or the dread of another day.
As I said, trade-offs.
Giga-waabamin minawaa.
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