last flickr update :: adieu, 2011!

I was just uploading some shots and realized I hadn't cleared the flickr cache in quite some time -- so, let's get these last stragglers out of the way:

Marketa Irglova played at the Triple Door, and while she was quite lovely, I was too busy (a) being slayed by opener Sean Rowe and (b) stage-left going "OMG, a Frame. He's in the Frames. Holy shit, a Frame." Result? Rad time, mediocre photos... flickr set here.

It was a very thrifty Christmas season, with most gifts being love notes made out of repurposed postcards (some of which were close to a hundred years old), tiny bars of fancy soap, and handmade crochet cowls -- all stacked with care next to a kitten-sized Christmas tree. A few odds and ends on flickr here.

It bears repeating, even though I internetted about them for a week straight, that these were my two favorites of 2011: Cristina Bautista serving as bass player extraordinaire for Visqueen -slash- the entirety of Visqueen's final show, and the night I got to spend with Andrea Gibson at the Fremont Abbey. Show photos here and here respectively, and best-ofs on 3IG here and here {along with festival best-ofs here and here}.

The Imaginary Holiday Spectacular went off without a hitch, and we spent a weekend basking in the glow that only Eef can give -- both this set and the night following at the Madrona Ale House managed to not only rip us all to shreds but stitch us back together again too. Show photos here, phone recording of "Don't Stop Believin'" on the tumblrs here.

And, the holidays proper. It was a lovely long weekend at home, full of love and fireplace and home-cooking and perfect hugs. (It sounds square, but really, it was tremendous.) We spent most of the 25th messing around with the land camera, and most of the day after New Year's scanning in old shots. More on those in a bit, in the meantime, here's a half-dozen pictures of the cat.

The year really did end on the most beautiful of notes. I feel grateful and lucky to live with the people I share this house with, under our solid roof, tucked in adjacent to a studio, an arm's length away from everything I need -- both literally and metaphorically. I know there's been a bit of emo-post binge of late as I get to processing through the grey winter days, and I appreciate everyone just kind of standing by as I walk through whatever this is... I've upped my vitamin D and made a lot of buddy hang plans for January, so things should slowly step up.

We'll be back to bright photos and blistering sunshine before you know it. Until then -- stay warm, and be good to each other. XO