Here's an interesting article about a USC prof whose nudie photos on Flickr created a stir. There's a line in there that really resonated with me: "Attempting to be taken seriously while also publicly claiming one's sexuality means we walk a tricky line," wrote Rachel Kramer Bussel. Sing it, sister.

Like a fool, I went into work yesterday at 11 a.m. after working until close the night before, and spent most of the day berating myself for coming in, since at 4:30 p.m. I think I'd made about $11. Thankfully the day turned around pretty quickly after that; I sold a dance, got a $20 tip, and then a customer kept me busy dancing solidly until nearly 7 and I actually ended up doing better than the night before. Freaking unpredicatable business, I tell you.

Then, of course, I went out to a rock show, since that's why I'd made myself work during the day in the first place. The Country Teasers were in town last night (despite having recorded their newest album here, the clerk at the local record store said they'd mistaken it for spoken word due to the cover art) at Berbati's Pan. I was talking to a band member who's a friend of mine, and he introduced me to the studio owner's "old lady." I went back to talk to her, thinking, "Susan, you know no one in this city and she seems cool. Go talk to her. Pretend like you're friendly and not entirely antisocial."

So we're chatting, she's telling me about Portland real estate, how they loved moving up here from California, about how the studio has room to house the bands, which she's glad to be able to do since so many people helped her out back when she was on the road.

"What band were you in?" I ask, wondering if I'd heard them.
"The Thinking Fellers Union Local 282," she says, and my jaw hits the floor, opening to allow the beginnings of a "Oh, my god, I loveyouguysyouwerethebestbandofthe90sblahdeblah" gush. I actually said, "I am going to email one of my friends who will be sooooo jealous I met you." It was so awesome. And I immediately was totally self-conscious and in geek band-adoring mode. They released some of the best albums in the 90s and were a frequently amazing live act. My more musically adventurous readers--well, those people are probably the friends of mine who read this blog and therefore are already intimately familiar with them--but the rest of you should absolutely check them out. I recommend starting with Mother of All Saints.

Also the Country Teasers rocked and the sound was excellent. Well worth the exhaustion.