via//chicago

np: "birthday" - the junior boys

In case the song isn't enough of a hint for you - today is indeed my birthday, the 29th one in fact. Last year before I should start acting like a real grown-up... nah. That's the reason you see Tug's picture up there, the best celebrity I share my birthday with. Sure, Cameron Diaz and Andy Roddick also blow out the candles today - but who wouldn't be excited to share a birthday with a man who not only went by "Tug" in his professional career, but also gave birth to the man who grew up to marry Faith Hill and duet with Nelly? Rock.
I went shopping today to pick up a present to myself, two of my most anticipated albums of the summer - Death Cab for Cutie's Plans and Kanye West's Late Registration. I've managed to avoid downloading or streaming any of these tracks, sticking with only catching the respective singles on the radio or MTV in order to keep the anticipation high. Plus there's just something about holding out until I can get actual object in my hands, flipping through the liner notes while I give the album its first spin. That, and the fact that Kanye's going to sound a hell of a lot better blasting out of my car stereo on the way home than it will on my shitty computer speakers. I'll be sure to let you know what I think of both albums once I've spent ample time with them.
In the meantime, just want to send out some hopeful thoughts to any of you down on the Gulf Coast spending the day cleaning and recovering - I hope you and yours are all safe and sound today, if a little wet and waterlogged. For those of you that aren't, maybe you can lend a hand.