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Tablescapes come in all shapes and sizes. And for our first ever Wedding Issue, we met up with the ladies of A Stylish Soiree, a wedding planner service and florist right here in DFW, to catch them as they prepare for a wedding at the Hickory Street Annex. The wedding had a buffet style set up for the grub, and ethereal lights were strung along the rafters for a whimsical setting. We took a few snapshots just before the guests arrived, and got the lowdown on where the menus, linens, floral arrangements came from.



Styled by: Kerrie Smith of A Stylish Soiree
Flowers: potted primrose, ivy, curry, basil and allysum, along with fresh cut hydrangeas, garden roses, tuips and dusty millers | A Stylish Soiree | astylishsoiree.com
Candles with cylinders: Jamali Garden | $10 per cylinder/candle | jamaligarden.com
Porcelain birds: A Stylish Soiree
Menu and seating tag design: Kerrie Smith of A Stylish Soiree, flowers on menus by Suzanne Web
Chairs/Seating: Hickory Street Annex | hickorystreetannex.com
Linens: Stone Shantung and Ivory Bedford Lace with white hemstitch napkins, BBJ Linens | $31.50 per linen for rent | bbjlinen.com
Written by: Michelle Parsons

At last! The wedding day is here. Here are Olivia Guerra Long's final thoughts on the matter:


Day 1:
We are married. And it only took the world to make it happen. Terry and I can never repay everyone for their kindness and contributions; we can only say mahalo, gracias, thank you, shukran, dank u, grazie, danyavad, and we appreciate you a million times and more.

Terry and I got engaged with the help of Matt Lee in Hawaii and then Matt surprised me with the most fragrant gorgeous ginger lei at the rehearsal. Mrs. Jeanette Allender, part Cuban and familiar with Catholic/Hispanic traditions, stepped in as a surrogate mom when mine couldn't be here in Dallas. The wording for our invitation was shared by the Colorado Longs as was the shared experience of having met as AmeriCorps VISTAs and eventually marrying. My mother's glass bouquet came from Monterrey Mexico years ago and she refurbished it with new components sent from the daughter of the woman who created the original. The gown was tailored by Nagwa of Legacy Tailor who is from Egypt. The bride had a lace handkerchief from Belgium, rosary from Rome, and hair most likely from a temple in India -- yes, you read that right, I had clip in hair added to my already long tresses for fullness. I'm not one who will to lie about it. If you want some, go see Holly West at Pura Vida Salon. Holly handcrafts individualized pieces that are reusable! The parents Hicks from Kansas made a Fed Ex Office run the morning of the wedding to ensure programs were ready for the ceremony and a hand spun cashmere wedding shawl crafted by travel buddy Kenda from Iowa kept me warm in the holding chapel. I am currently convinced my MOH and BFF Kelly Smith pulled miracles out of another realm of reality in order to keep me contented. These are only a few of the examples of the numerous talents and people it took to make this day possible. Thank you.
Written by: Michelle Parsons

More from our bridal maven, Olivia Guerra Long, on her journey to her wedding day. Almost there!

Day 5:
In order to get more comfy with our foxy steps, my future hubby gifted me a couple's lesson at Arthur Murray. I wish we had done this much earlier! Guess what I have on my wish list for future date nights. I wanna boogie baby!

Day 4:
Some people still have not sent in their RSVP. The logical side of me is fully aware people are living their lives and our wedding is not at the top of their priority list like it is mine. I know they are not doing this to me on purpose. However, the emotional side of this bride is almost beyond rational thought and wants to scream, "JUST TELL ME SO I CAN MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SEAT!!"

Day 3:
My parents live in South Texas, my future in-laws live in St. Louis, our siblings live out of town, and all but one of my maids reside out of state. I sat down to dinner with the chickadees at my hen party. As I gazed around the table and looked into their eyes, I exhaled a bit realizing the cavalry had arrived.

Day 2:
Tomorrow, I'm going to the chapel and I'm gonna get married, which means tonight was the dress rehearsal. In one hour I felt elated, flummoxed, nervous, serene, overheated, frozen, silly, serious, and I cried. I cried like a baby (or a bride) when Terry looked into my eyes and practiced saying his vows. Not the pretty cry - the ugly cry - like Julia Roberts in "Steel Magnolias."
Written by: Michelle Parsons

Olivia Guerra Long explains, in her soon to be marital bliss, just how emotional wedding week really is:

Day 7:
I feel a bit odd admitting I couldn't tell you one thing that has happened outside my bridal bunker in the last week. Really, Texas could have finally, actually seceded from the Union and I would be clueless. Now, if you were on "Cash Cab" and needed to know who was sitting where at my reception, which tables to place high chairs at, or what type of cookies I asked to be delivered to the groom's suiteI'd be a great bet for your mobile shout out.


Day 6:
Back in June I sent my father a list of links with options for our father/daughter dance. He emailed me today with his decision, "I Loved Her First" by Heartland. I didn't even make it through the first measure of the song before I was a blubbering mess of a bride to be. Way back when, I decided I wanted to share my F/D dance with the other fathers and daughters in attendance by asking them to join us on the floor. To make sure this happened, I emailed the link to my maids whose dads would be there with a request to share the plan. Within an hour, I had responses from all the girls indicating they too had been moved to tears and one's father, upon being informed he would be dancing with her to the song, also apparently wept. Good choice dad -- now, I need to find out if makeup, other than mascara, comes in waterproof.
Written by: Michelle Parsons

As written by newly-wed Olivia Guerra Long, her 10 day trip down bridal memory lane continues:

Day 9:
The Beatles say "All You Need is Love." It is clear to me when John penned these lyrics he had never been through the process of bridal portraits with either Cynthia or Yoko, not that either actually took formal bridal portraits. If he had, he would have had to change the song to something along the lines of "All you need is a button down shirt, large java, and a gown." Ok, ok, and in my case you also need a hairstylist, a make-up artist who can work with an un-enhanced face, and a kick ass photographer (George Fiala) capable of making munchkins look like statuesque supermodels.

Through the whirlwind I learned: I can carry a cathedral length gown and veil on my own by wrapping them around me like a cocoon; bridal portraits can be taken barefoot; little boys and girls alike will stop and stare at you and ask if you are a real princess; a dame can make it from dawn to dusk on a large coffee and two bottles of water; and when in need those around you become friends indeed -- my makeup artist Penny Sadler was a doll about going above and beyond the call of duty.


Day 8:
I've been so busy trying to meet deadlines, follow up on details, and make sure everyone has everything they need; I was honestly a bit surprised when New Years Eve approached. How had I lost track of time to the point that New Years had snuck up on me? For goodness sake, this wasn't me! I sparkle and shine on New Years. I wear tiaras, beads, and glitter eye shadow -- not yoga pants and a T-shirt. Yet last night as the last seconds of 2010 were being counted down and I heard my soon to be hubby calling me to "hurry it is almost time," I realized this was the warmest New Years Eve I have celebrated in my adult memory -- curled up with fiance and our two beagles. Welcome 2011.
Written by: Michelle Parsons

It's been a while since I've blogged, and my sincerest apologies. Much has happened in the life of Nine Four Four, and all of the fine editors of this establishment spent many recent hours perfecting our February's Wedding Issue. We've never published an issue like this before, but all of us, including me, are now attuned to all things betrothed. With that said, the Dallas edition included a journey of sorts, of a local bride ten days leading up to her finest hour -- her wedding day. We asked her to keep a diary and share her innermost bridal thoughts -- good and bad -- with all of you. And for the next week or so, I will be publishing her daily bridal journal (the almost unedited version) through my blog. If anyone ever wanted to know what it feels like for a bride to be -- then read on, dear reader.


As written by newly wed Olivia Guerra Long

Day 10:
I am convinced I was born without the bride gene. This suspicion surfaced when I came home from Hawaii and announced "I'm engaged!" Women would squeal as they grabbed for my left hand and the questions would start. "When's the date?" "What are your colors?" "How many bridesmaids will you have?" "Where will you honeymoon?" I did not have answers. All I knew was at some point in the future the people my fianc and I love and care about would gather to witness and celebrate our legal commitment to one another. People were stunned when I did not have immediate responses. Apparently, every woman is expected to have been born with the wedding gene, which prods her into planning her entire wedding from start to finish prior to ever getting engaged. I had barely become betrothed and was already behind.

Fortunately, I have an immense network of friends who were willing to step in and help me get moving in the right direction. My BFF since the first day of kindergarten, Kelly, took it upon herself to ship me a "Bridal Planning Bible" from a few states away. Then my friend Renee dragged me to my first bridal show where I became overwhelmed with all the offerings. How was I ever going to pull this off?

I chatted with my future husband to be about our budget. It was agreed we would search for a planner to help me with my bridal gene deficiency and help us both not put ourselves in the poor house. No, we didn't hire David Tutera. Instead, we got Stephanie Watkins of One Event Design, a gregarious gal who immediately honed in on my tastes and has been helping me navigate the tulled, taffetaed, topsy-turvy, and oft-tumultuous terrain of getting married.
Written by: Michelle Parsons

It's been a while since Portland natives Al James and his band, more aptly known as Dolorean, unearthed their sinewy and sparing 70s-reminiscent folk. But now, four years after their last release, Dolorean bequeaths to 2011 a collection of new tunes called "The Unfazed," due out January 18th on Partisan Records (Brooklyn, NY). The second song on the record, "Country Clutter," features Dallas' own Mara Lee Miller (who plays under the moniker Bosque Brown) and her breathy vocal ease. Other songs of note are "Fools Gold Ring" and "These Slopes," which capture a thoughtful elegance to the album's somber undertones and dreamy folk renderings. "The Unfazed" was engineered by Rob Oberdorfer and mixed by Tony Lash (The Dandy Warhols, Death Cab for Cutie, Elliott Smith).

Take a sneak peek listen to the slow-moving, heart-wrenching song, "Fools Gold Ring." For more information about the band, visit doloreanmusic.com.
Written by: Michelle Parsons

San Francisco band Young Prisms have a debut LP coming out January 18, called "Friends For Now." But what's more for this shoegaze meets warbled psychedelia band is they've just announced a winter tour with fellow nonchalant lo-fi's Surfer Blood, Radio Dept., No Joy and Melted Toys. The bands will kick off their 21 city U.S. tour January 19 in San Fran, stop in a few 944 hotspots like San Diego, Los Angeles and Dallas, before ending in Los Angeles on February 16.

Young Prisms, comprised of Jason Hendardy, Jordan Silbert, Matt Allen, Stef Hodapp and Gio Betteo, will also hit a few places in the U.K. in lieu of their official first studio album on Kanine Records (having released a few split 7 and an EP on Mexican Summer, Small Black, Mathamagic and Transparent).

US DATES
01.19 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill (record release show)
01.20 Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite *
01.21 San Diego, CA @ Tin Can Alehouse *
01.22 Tucson, AZ @ Solar Culture Gallery *
01.24 Austin, TX @ Emo's Jr. *
01.25 Dallas, TX @ City Tavern *
01.26 Norman, OK @ The Opolis *
01.27 Fayetteville, AR @ JR's Lightbulb Club *
01.28 St. Louis, MO @ Firebird *
01.29 Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub *
01.31 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie *
02.01 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel ^
02.02 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ^
02.03 New York, NY @ Webster Hall ^
02.04 Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East ^
02.05 Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus ^
02.07 Toronto, ON @ Lee's Place ^
02.08 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle ^
02.09 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry ^
02.12 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Caf ^
02.13 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge ^
02.15 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent ^
02.16 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre ^

UK DATES
03.02 Manchester, UK @ Academy 3 +
03.04 Birmingham, UK @ Academt 2 +
03.05 Glasgow, UK @ King Tuts +
03.06 Newcastle, UK @ Academy 2 +
03.08 Brighton, UK @ Digital +
03.08 London, UK @ Scala +

* w/ Melted Toys
^ w/ Radio Dept.
+ w/ Surfer Blood, No Joy


Written by: Michelle Parsons

Sofia Coppola releases an exclusive video diary of the making of "Somewhere"

We love Sofia Coppola. More specifically, I love Sofia Coppola. I caught the Coppola bug after seeing "The Virgin Suicides," and became even more enthralled after the visual orgasm of a film about the infamous cake eater, "Marie Antoinette." So when this press release was so lovingly dropped in my inbox, I felt compelled to share it immediately.

In anticipation of the limited release of her new movie "Somewhere," Coppola created an exclusive video diary with behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with the cast directed by her mother, Eleanor, and more. Due in theaters December 22, "Somewhere" chronicles the bitter sweet life and times of worn out actor Johnny Marco (played so ironically by Stephen Dorff). The playboy seemingly drifts through a semi-charmed life of girls, cars and fancy hotels, until he suddenly is forced to care for his disenchanted daughter Cleo, cleverly played by Dakota Fanning's little sister Elle.

We're pretty sure this drama is set to be another win for Coppola. Below are clips from her special video diary and featurette of more behind-the-scenes footage. Enjoy.











The featurette:





For more behind-the-scenes videos, go to scsomewhere.com.
Written by: Michelle Parsons

A lot happened in October. And it wasn't just the fall harvest drinking festivals, the fashion events, the art openings, the charity walkathons, the tiring inundation of political attack ads or even the three-day debaucherous Halloween extravaganza that was completely exhausting.

It was work.

For me, the month of October seemed to trudge on into an abyss of long-hours, hurling curse words at my laptop and dreams of marketing strategies and editorial features. I'd also like to think the universe aligned itself with a very creepy and very malignant stress demon -- a little gremlin of a monster who stomped over all my well-made plans and turned me into a bit of a scheming work devil myself. It was rough waters I was sailing over. But now that a new, perhaps more forgiving 30 days is upon us, I've had time to reflect. And much like the rest of my fellow workaholics, the stress I found myself in was ultimately of my own doing. Wrenches are thrown into everyday life all the time, but it's how we deal with those little devils that puts us in either a Matthew McConaughey-L-I-V-I-N state of mind, or the loony bin, alongside pageant show moms and Justin Beiber fans.

We all know good and well sometimes a few extra hours in the ol' cubie is necessary, but we must not devolve into a memo-crazed, Post-It note eating, 3 a.m.-emailing zombie. It ain't right, and it ain't healthy. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, about half of Americans feel their stress has increased over the past five years and three quarters of Americans experience stress related symptoms every month.

So, in lieu of my previous month-long stressathon, below I have bestowed upon you, dear reader, some tips for staying sane and staying focused in the workplace.

From Oprah.com:

Simplify your environment
Humans are biologically programmed to pay attention to new stimuli, says Maggie Jackson, author of "Distracted." At your computer, close superfluous windows, turn off Twitter, and disable automatic e-mail notification. Put unnecessary papers out of sight, and turn off your cell phone's ringer.

Build up your focus
Chronic multitaskers may have weakened their ability to focus, says Christine Hohlbaum, author of "The Power of Slow." Set aside a block of time -- even if it's just five minutes -- to deal with a mentally challenging task; once you accomplish that, extend the time further.

Embrace discomfort
People often give up on difficult tasks in order to escape to something easier. "Any project that takes mental effort, or involves critical thinking and creativity, is going to be a little painful sometimes," says Jackson. When you hit a wall, don't point-and-click -- push past it.

Take breaks
Humans work in cycles; we can concentrate for a period of time but then need time to rest. Every hour or so, take a quick walk around the block, or just step away from your desk for a few minutes.


Here are a few more from Caroline Dowd-Higgins of Huffington Post:

Sleep is non-negotiable
I prefer a full 8 hours of sleep whenever possible but a minimum of 7 is my deal breaker non-negotiable time to recharge and keep my body healthy and ready for the day ahead. If you ignore your body and do not give it time to rest you will end up unhealthy and unable to work. I once heard Arianna Huffington speak at a conference about a time when she was so exhausted that she fell over on her desk in the middle of the workday which resulted in multiple stitches on her chin. This was her literal wake-up call and helped her re-evaluate and prioritize the necessity of sleep in her daily routine. Honor your inner time clock and get the sleep your body needs to be healthy and productive.

Eat well and take breaks
It's so tempting to eat at your computer and work through a meal but this lack of focus as you eat may cause you to over consume. Plan your meals and take short breaks to give your body a chance to breathe and your mind a chance to clear. Hunger is often caused by dehydration so keep the liquids flowing and get up and stretch or take a walk to help your body avoid bad computer posture and neck pain. A massage every now and then doesn't hurt either!

Know when it's time to stop working
As ambitious as you may be, there comes a time when you should stop working because you can't remain focused or productive. Figure out what your best hours are and schedule your high productivity needs during that time. Are you a morning person or a midnight owl? Set your schedule accordingly so you can capitalize on your peak hours and let your family and friends know these are your "office hours" so they too will honor your work time.

Reward yourself and schedule fun time
Your time is precious so when you successfully accomplish your goals be sure to reward yourself for a job well done. Don't forget to schedule in fun things during your day. Whether it is a time out for a lunch with friends or quality time with loved ones, make these important priorities part of your actual schedule so they are not compromised when other things come up. Non work tasks are just as important when you are booked from the crack of dawn till bedtime so honor your private life, even when you are busy.

Have a sense of humor
In reality sometimes the best-laid plans crash and burn because life happens as do things beyond your control. Realizing that you can't do it all, at least not all of the time, will liberate you to admit that you are not super human. You may have a messy house or an overgrown yard in exchange for accomplishing a work deadline and that's ok. Allowing for this will relieve stress and give you an appreciation for reality. Give yourself permission to laugh, especially at yourself, and know that tomorrow always brings a new day and a new beginning for the tasks ahead.


For even more quick tips, go here: http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-100-things-to-do-when-you-feel-like-youre-losing-it/

Written by: Michelle Parsons

Just like throwing 90's parties are the cool thing to do now, so are music labels making cassette tapes, apparently. In a recent article on NPR.org, at least 25 small labels are starting to produce cassette tapes rather than the regular CDR format.

They interviewed 23-year-old label manager of Patient Sounds, Matthew Sage, who says, "The work involved in dubbing the tapes, cutting the inserts, and making the tapes is half of the process for me." He goes on to say, "The tape is more an art object that also plays music (similar to vinyl) where the CDR is more a vessel for a piece of music."

NPR points out that while this guy and a few others see this as a kitschy art form, most labels and artists won't be wasting their time. And time, as it seems, is not in the efficiency category for making these nostalgic vessels. It takes three months to make 300 tapes, says article writer Megan Arellano.

Sage also says it's neither efficient nor profitable to make these cassette tapes, but he's doing it anyway. "They [tapes] are technologically regressive, less portable than an iPod and don't sound like digital music files ... But I think, generally speaking, the kitsch appeal of the tape, when matched with their affordability to produce, make them a perfect medium for artists struggling to happily release their art in an economy that is totally in shambles."

Well, he's got the shambles part right. So, let me get this straight -- in the cut-throat, endless struggle that is the music industry, where processed, auto-tune puppets are up to their ears in green and honest to goodness songwriters are endlessly working for peanuts and in most cases for free -- some 'indie' labels decide it's in the best interest for the band to spend their hard earned cash on a batch of 300 tapes most likely no one will buy? Because it's arty?

The last bit of info writer Megan Arellano shimmies into the end of the article is that 2009 was the worst year for cassettes sales since Nielson started measuring them.

While it's great a lot of bands have embraced an analog/lo-fi sound, that shouldn't mean the resurrection of impractical mediums. But then again, saying I haven't bought any vinyl in the past six months would be a total lie.

My suggestion for use of cassette tapes? Leave them on the intramural benches with the laser disk and 8-trak. Either that or what these people are doing with them: http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/cassettes.html



Now here's a solid band who's been making waves lately. I wonder if they make cassette tapes?









Written by: Michelle Parsons

I'm not really one for video games. I've played Rock Band exactly once, the last console I actually owned was the original Nintendo, and I'm about as ambidextrous on a Wii motion-censored remote as Stephen Hawking is at tennis. But, I received a press release in my Inbox the other day that had me schoolgirl giddy for some reason (and no, it wasn't the Britney Spears Glee episode, although it was pretty awesome). The epic hip hop label Def Jam has moved into video games -- well, one in particular called Rapstar, to be released on virtually every game console on October 5th. It features over 40 of the greatest hip hop and rap songs to date, including Busta Rhymes' "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See," DMX's "Ruff Ryder's Anthem," Lil' Jon's "Get Low" and Ice Cube's "Today Was A Good Day." It works similar to the Rock Band games, but it includes an option to record your rap skills with the console camera and upload the video to a fully integrated Def Jam Rapstar community website. Let me reiterate -- you rap, you upload, we watch, we are filled with pure joy and giggledom. Now that's entertainment gold.

Deep down in my fumbling, stuttering soul, watching wannabe Lil' Rappers on the interweb is just too good of an idea to pass up. Will it be ugly? Will it be a train wreck? Will it be the most grotesque sight since the ass to mouth scenes in The Human Centipede? You bet. But will it be glorious? Oh yeah. The prospect of watching balding, pot-bellied suburban dads rapping "To the window! To the wall!" or bratty tweens throwing down to "What's a goon to a goblin? I'm muthaf**kin' ill!" -- it's almost too much funny to bear. So, with everyone's giggle factor in mind, I encourage you to make your own video and send it my way...and I may or may not post your video on this very blog. Just a suggestion.



See below for greatness:





For more information on the game including pricing, visit defjamrapstar.com.




Can't stop the bum rush,

Michelle Parsons
Dallas Managing Editor



Written by: Michelle Parsons

A few days ago I was at Kroger to pick up some ground beef for a spaghetti dinner later that night. I was pumped - my dad's delicious recipe is the best around, and in addition to the vermicelli noodles and secret sauce, the meat was crucial for said perfection. As I was perusing the frozen meat section (for all you vegans and vegetarians, you may want to skip this sentence), there was an magnanimous array of meat molds in tubes, in cubes, in skins, in sacks and in ripples that looked like crimped hair from an 80s brat pack flick. And to be honest, even as a meatatarian in this carnivore's smorgasbord, for some reason I was kind of grossed out.

But alas, I found my ground beef, threw it in my handy-basket and continued on my Kroger quest. And as I was contemplating the difference between Gillette Venus and Schick Quattro razor blades (besides the four extra chances I have at nicking the ever-loving bejesus out of my leg skin), a sudden question popped in my head about those meat molds. What else does the all-encompassing they do with left over meat products? What else is meat used for, or stuffed in? What inanimate objects we use every day consist of animal? I know these questions have been brought up lots of times, especially in the last decade, in documentaries, tell-all books, investigative reports, vegetarian sermons. But to be completely honest, I hadn't given it that much thought, and moreover a myriad of personal reasons and opinions too lengthy for this blog, it has been ultimately because I'm just not ready for the lifestyle change.

But for some reason in my spaghetti quest (one I've embarked many a time), the question went from a head-scratching afterthought to a burning, aching, itching, skin rash kind of query. I needed relief, and I needed it fast.

So, wanna know what I found that will invariably illicit oohs, aahs and no-ways! from the peanut gallery, and that fits easily in an online blog in eight itty-bitty minutes? Welp, see below for results even you tree-huggin' grass eaters will be flabbergasted by.





Told ya,

Michelle Parsons
944 Dallas Managing Editor

Written by: Michelle Parsons

With the Colorado fires, another BP oil spill, asteroids missing Earth by only 154,000 miles (that's closer than the moon), xenophobes in Florida burning Qurans, and Sarah Palin being, well, Sarah Palin it's hard not to let the weight of the world swallow you whole.

While I was watching a reporter on MSNBC interview preacher Terry Jones down in Gainesville about his little book burning ceremony in all its intolerant glory, I thought about coping mechanisms. Not the kind of coping mechanisms that tear cultures apart, but the ones that bring people together. I realized everyone has their own way of coping with the world's wonders and blunders, and most people share similarities in the way they let go of that stress. One of them is laughter. In times like these, if you don't laugh just a little at the Terry Jones' of the world, you will surely cry. Finding the humor in human behavior is certainly not to be confused with being ignorant to current events, sticking your head in the sand quite the contrary. Having a good chuckle about life's idiotic moments is an honest recognition of it, and being able to find the funny in our understanding of the basic human condition, whether it's good or bad or grotesque. And in this laughter brings a certain unspoken unity between the people it touches, and really, isn't that what peace is all about?

I think this is also why people get a kick out of observational humor and comedians like George Carlin and Bill Cosby, with more recent comedic geniuses like Seth MacFarlane, Chelsea Lately, Jon Stewart, Zach Galifianakis and Louis C.K.

So, by now at this point in your day I'm sure you've browsed the depressing headlines on CNN.com, and what better way to lighten the load on your psyche than a little shot of funny from me to you:


Tosh.0Weds 10:30pm / 9:30cTwisperswww.comedycentral.comTosh.0 VideosDaniel ToshWeb Redemption

Daniel Tosh is on tour now, with a stop in Dallas on September 30th at the Majestic.



And laughter isn't the only coping mechanism we share. For almost every single person living that has the ability to hear uses music as an auditory drug. Most people are painfully particular about what they like (by the way, just who, exactly, asked for the Creed/Disturbed reunion tour? It sure as hell wasn't me.) So with that said, here is a little post-punk band out of Brooklyn, New York that has recently captured my heart.



For all my fellow Dallasites, The Drums will be at The Loft September 24th.







Until an asteroid blasts our tiny planet to bits,

Michelle Parsons
944 Dallas Managing Editor






Written by: Michelle Parsons

Welcome, blog readers!

To be perfectly honest, as blogging goes, I'm a bit of a rookie. Facebook rants and MySpace (may ye rest in peace) posts aside, I've never had the privilege of airing my thoughts to the masses in this form (only tactile impediments on a glossy-page, of course). It's not that I don't read blogs I'm a big fan of Dallas Observer's Jim Schutze in all his passionate cleverly-worded discontent with city council. I am also a frequent peruser of more nationally relevant fare like Daily Candy and the music blog DayBowBow.

So, since I've decided to associate myself with the huddled blog masses, I first must figure out, to what subjects will I embark? Whom and what will I gush over? Whom will I declare online fisticuffs with? Because I'm just that cool, what music will you read about me listening to and who's bargain basement designer will I be wearing? And do you, my dear reader, even give two shakes of a lamb's tail what I'm doing?

Right now your answer is probably, "Meh." And to which my reply is ... fair enough. I must prove myself to you. So in the interest of gaining your loyalty with laughter, please watch some really cute Persian kittens below, then read on for information and a video for a band I think you (yes, YOU!) would be smitten over.




If you haven't heard of Menkena, now's the time to get educated. Video editor Steve Gaddis used vintage NASA footage to illustrate Menkena's dreamy, bombastic sound. During their live shows, the videos are projected on a screen behind them. Pay attention around the 4:26 mark you're heart will sink into your chest.







Until I find further inspiration,

Michelle Parsons
944 Dallas Managing Editor

Written by: Michelle Parsons