Thu, May 3 '07
...Like Water
Listening to: Amy Winehouse (along with everyone else)

Water boggles my mind. It's fluid, powerful, life-giving, mind-bogglingly vast, and can even be dangerous.

When I was probably 4, we went to a very busy public pool where I dove off the board into the deep end and sunk to the bottom, not quite yet well-versed in swimming. I sucked in a fat lungful and freaked a bit in the short time it took my Dad to jump in and save me.

When I was 21, I suffered a severe bladder infection (eeew, painful), which I got because I either 1) didn't drink enough water or 2) swam in contaminated Great Lakes water.

For me there is nothing more peaceful than water, whether that be in the form of bath or rain.

So much of what we are revolves around water. I try to never take it for granted. The movies "Tank Girl" and "Dune" seriously contributed to my awe of water.

Can you say "water" 5X really fast and not sound like Elmer Fudd?

Fri, Apr 20 '07
Ode to Boobie
Listening to: Jon Stewart jabbing/jawing on the Daily Show

Boobs are both so hot and so cool. Not only are they aesthetically (and otherwise) pleasing, they are functional too! Yeah, yeah, I won't get into the gory details, but search www.youtube.com with the phrase "yoga, breastfeed", and you will see the fervent lure of the boobie firsthand. So ladies, give those lasses love, and, boys, worship those girls (even if you're gay--you can appreciate them from a distance).

I haven’t written in a long time, but see what happens when I save it up?! It’s charming and plump with juicy thought. Hope you are now happily daydreaming of warm, soft scents and sweet, sinister sights. Good night.

Tue, Feb 7 '06
Dancing is where it's at...
Me and mine have started a new ritual: Family Dance Time. For like 30 minutes almost every night, we come together and energetically shake this, jut that, shadow box, etc., all powered by rump bumpin' tracks from artists like Fat Boy Slim and Prodigy. I highly recommend this incredibly fun form of exercise that allows you to spend quality time with your fam/special friend/cat/self.

Z.O.N.K.'s about to bust at the seams. We have shows lined up, we're writing new tunes, and foaming at the mouth to make shit happen. Ooh, that sounds gross [I like it].

Sat, Jan 14 '06
Bzzzz....
It is apropos that my first diary entry after quite some time (spent lapping up those life changes you wish for your entire existence) is on Friday the 13th. I've always found 13 to be lucky (if there is such a thing), if not that number I want to take care of and defend like the underdog queen that I am.

Everybody say, "yeaa-ah!"

Last month kicks off my & Uncle Bergie's 7th year of making music together. Pretty amazing considering he's a commitment phobe and I can be a holy terror. No seven year itch on this end: I feel like I'm just getting into my groove and each member of Z.O.N.K.'s future is bright -- like a bug zapper that makes music.

Fri, Jan 13 '06
Back like a mad attack
Life in all its minute moments is one big inspiration. I bask in the shine of the Sun. My dear friend, Brenda (who is also ZONK's live show photog), and I had coffee at Canvas today and caught up on much that fuels us: Rob Brezsney's ever genius writing (freewillastrology.com), Johnette Napolitano's powerful career, and other monumental joys (many related to our beloved San Francisco) like the Martin Luther King Jr. fountain in Buena Vista Gardens.

We are blessed with health, family, and doing all we love. I really need to write a song to the affect of "do what and who you love and you'll always be happy." But with cool, not cliche, lyrics. Must write as it's like releasing steam from a pressure cooker. Gagga goo goo. I digress.

Words swirl, tongues wag, we find ourselves perfectly glad.

Wed, Sep 7 '05
Chicken joke
LISTENING TO: the History Channel account of prisons, very interesting stuff

Thanks to my friend, Kelly for this one:
POSSIBLY THE VERY BEST CHICKEN JOKE EVER
A chicken and an egg are lying in bed. The chicken is leaning against the headboard smoking a cigarette with a satisfied smile on its face. The egg, looking a bit pissed off, grabs the sheet, rolls over, and says, "Well, I guess we finally answered THAT question."

Tue, Sep 6 '05
Words of Wisdom from a Bodacious Woman
I have to share this personal exchange I had today with a dear friend of mine:
"I have no regrets. I would have done things differently with the knowledge I have now, but the only way to obtain that knowledge was through the paths that I have taken. And if _everything_ were up to me I would definitely change things, but the only world I own is the one in my eyes. If life is divine, then naturally so are we. Because of it all I am the person sitting all here right next to you (not just one side of a picture). I thank every diety, molecule, and moment that have conspired to lead me to here and now."

If words were a flower, these form an orchid--complex, beyond beautiful, and rare. Not to mention they back up the common reference of a woman's genitalia to flowers!

Tue, Aug 23 '05
Only Two More ZONK Shows 'Til End of the Year
Listening to: Uncle Bergie tap away on the Mac and DL and Walt imitating Beck's version of "It's Gettin' Hot in Here."

I get all knotted up inside when ZONK takes breaks from playing out live. Call it missing entertaining with my family. We're gonna have lots to keep us busy: writing new music, working the business end, and growing the ZONK family. It's been a heavenly year so far...

Mon, Aug 22 '05
Ah, to be clever AND wise...
"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions." -Naguib Mahfouz, writer (1911- )

You know who's downright smart? Well, most of my friends are philosophizers, but at this moment I'm thinking about my friend Ms. Napolitano. That woman makes me think! I love her goal of searching out the truth by comparing numerous religions. That is exactly how I intend to introduce spirituality to our son. Oh yes, and Johnette also has a sense of humor (anyone who makes a longtime career as a working musician has to). Bless her heart and her really good mind too.

Tue, Aug 9 '05
Bergen's a Reverend and Robot Guitar Player
Bergen will be the best minister of Universal Life Church ever! Read more in his diary.

And in other news, there is a robot guitar player out there that's pretty wicked. My friend, McKenna, tracks down some interesting shat on the net.

Tue, Aug 2 '05
massage promotes good health
Thanks to a gift certificate from my friend and music cohort, Kat, I enjoyed an amazing massage today from Tasha Berg (voted by Best of the Bay as the best massage therapist. She said something that made a lot of sense to me -- that massage promotes good health and should be considered preventative health care, considering that the root of all illness is stress, which massage alleviates like nothing else. M'm, my muscles agree. She specializes in pregnancy and infant massage and is training to be a doula. And here's the cherry on top: she's super cool and relaxing to be around, has full sleeves of body art and long dread locks, and is not your typical "nurse-like" masseuse. Ah, I feel rejuvenated (even if I am super full of baby). I am two months from my due date and getting more excited every day for the little guy (or "little Zonker," as Johnette Napolitano calls him) to join us.

Wed, Jul 27 '05
More cowbell!
I couldn't believe it when Fred of the B-52's donned a t-shirt stating "More Cowbell!" as I will _never_ tire of the SNL skit, "Behind the Music: Blue Oyster Cult," starring Will Ferrell, Christopher Walken, etc. Classic! "I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell..." Between this and the flick, Zoolander, my gut hurts from laughing. Ah, the good hurt.

Mon, Jul 25 '05
Andy Dick and back from the northwest
This is one funny mutha freakin' bit, thanks to the comedic genius of Andy Dick: The President's Speechologist. Many thanks to my pal, McKenna, for always keeping me on top of s'up out there.

Man alive, what a trip the last couple weeks have been! Two shows w/ the B-52's (who are as cool as you might expect), performances up and down the west coast, speeding tickets for both cars in the ZONK caravan within four hours of each other, our hosts' twin babies and young daughter who refer to Walt and Uncle Bergie as "Water and Burger", catching a Beck show in Portland, and lots of new friends. To sum up: wait 'til you see the photos!

Wed, Jul 6 '05
Response to my May 2nd entry:
From: L J
Date: July 4, 2005
To: info@zonkaholics.com

"The reason there are 284 bathrooms in the Pentagon is that when it was constructed in the early forties it had to follow the Jim Crow laws of Virginia at the time that required separate but equal numbers of bathrooms in a building for whites and colored. No, not a waste of money just a different time in our country."

NM: Yes a "different" time [read: RACIST], indeed -- AND a waste of money. Thanks for clarifying.

Wed, Jul 6 '05
Inspiration from Apple's Steve Jobs
Excerpts from Steve Jobs' June 2005 talk at Stanford's commencements:

"I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.

Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.

Everything else is secondary.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."

Thu, Jun 30 '05
It's tough to narrow down the highlights of this last tour to SoCal, but I'll try:
- 5 shows in 3 days - crazy is an understatement. It was great to see the friendly faces and support of Dan and Rich (Monster Cable) at the first four performances. My long-time friend, Sabo, also made L.A. a loving experience. I wish she and I still lived only a city away from each other.
- Santa Barbara people are nice. While our show was not packed, it was most definitely quality. Our pals, Nancy and Holly, have that special passion that encourage us. We're definitely going back there before too long.
- One of ZONK's band members blowing up the bathrooms along the way. The boy is no better a drinker than I am. The running joke is his exclamation of, "Sorry dude," when he exploded in some rest area stall on the road. I can't name names, but Dave can't tell the story w/o cracking up and letting loose a little fart of his own.
- Our showcase at Swinghouse Studios and time spent w/ the owner/sound genius, Phil, all very good. Nothing puts a musician in a better mood than dope sound.
- that same night, 6/25/05, we played the Mint in Hollywood. The staff was uber cool, the green room top notch, and we'd love to play there again.
- Ah, Sunday, our trek to Joshua Tree. Our friend, Johnette, told us it was like visiting the moon and she wasn't kidding. The trip and show there at the Beatnik Cafe are the brightest moments in my memory. I know we grabbed a few pics of the funky Integratron (which we visited Monday), and thanks to Johnette and Jim, I hope we can visit again soon. I can see how the desert inspires a lot of art. I could definitely enjoy disappearing there for a while.

I didn't want to come home yet. We like touring. We're one of those odd bands that really enjoys each other's company and spend time getting closer, giggling, and picking each other's brains (but never butts).

On another note, I'm getting mighty round and the little guy inside is making his presence known quite often. I am so in love with him already and can hardly wait for the three months to pass until he's here. If he's a fraction as wonderful as his daddy, I am the luckiest lady in the world.

Mon, Jun 20 '05
Bookmark The Devil's Dictionary
If you dare to envelop yourself in satirical definitions, do visit The Devil's Dictionary.

A snappy example of the content: KILL, v.t. To create a vacancy without nominating a successor.

Mon, May 30 '05
Gorillaz, White Stripes, and a Human state of mind
Must get Gorillaz and White Stripes new albums. Tracks from both have me drooling. If this keeps up, I shall dehydrate.

So this is it: tonight we finalize all art work and masters for our new baby, Half Human -- for tomorrow, we hand it over to The Maker. It's really something to get this far and feel this good about it. Our last EP was a real turning point -- in that Dave produced it and, for the first time, we all were involved in writing the majority of the material -- but this one, well, like music, not easy to describe such inspiration with words. I am a proud parent.

Speaking of, stay tuned to hear about the ZONK family expansion/escapades: one of us is going to give birth to a full-on human in the fall, and another of us did the impregnating. It's never boring in ZONKland. Shhh, now lay back, Diary, and let me give you creepy tickles 'til you fall asleep...

Fri, May 13 '05
Lyrics Born and Dave L's Birthday Today
Last night, Dave (ZONK's extraordinary producer/musician/leader), our dear pal, Morris (sometimes ZONK roadie, sometimes merch guy, always good guy), and I went to see Lyrics Born as part of Dave's birthday (lucky Dave is celebrating his special day on Friday the 13th this year). I cannot stress enough what a talented rhymer Lyrics Born is -- truly gifted. The band was tight, he was gracious, and I can honestly say his unique, throaty style is at the top of my list. AND HE'S FROM THE BAY AREA -- REPRESENT! I love being this high on art. One of his song's subjects is 'Stop Complaining'. He talks about getting off the couch, getting out of the negative space that's too easy to fall in, and doing something that makes yourself and others feel good. Not your typical rapper going on about bitches, bling bling, and bullets. Do yourself a favor and listen to him. I dream of us collaborating with him and his crew someday...

Thu, May 5 '05
AWAD and Smells
Listening to: my cat, Lucy, whining for food. She is quite the demanding beggar.

"Life is short. Be swift to love! Make haste to be kind!" -Henri Frederic Amiel, philosopher and writer (1821-1881)
This moment of zen brought to you by A Word A Day (known as AWAD).

Is it possible that, much like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, smell is in the nose of the sniffer? I find my man's feet, cigarette smoke, and skunk to be some of the sweetest scents in the world; thus, I gotta believe there are other freaks out there who find, say, the smell of doo-doo brown to be intoxicating and perfectly suited to their particular senses. Maybe that's just me justifying my strange likes? Funny, though, I smell manufactured perfume, and it is as though someone has just stuck a Ginsu knife through my head.

Mon, May 2 '05
Our Wasteful Government
Today's my brother's birthday! May is a good time to be born (at least from my January birthday perspective). In honor of my bro, I'd like to share the following... according to one of my favorite resources, The Bathroom Reader (which my brother gifted me), there are 284 bathrooms in the Pentagon. Such shitty extravagance is hardly shocking, is it? Just as the fact that the largest private landowner in NYC is the Catholic Church. Pretty soon, we'll look less like the land of the free and more like the purtanical places our forefathers escaped.

But on a lighter note, both Darwin and Einstein were married to their first cousins, and Willie Nelson's first gig was with a polka band. I don't know why, but facts like these distract me from the sad truths that bog down each day (such as, we are still at war! People are still dying for it every day! Our goverment holds rallies in churches now! And so on, and so on).

Tue, Apr 26 '05
Beck, books, bad but yummy things
LISTENING TO: GUERO, BECK'S LATEST ALBUM (I guess I would call myself a huge fan)

I suck. Although I write every day, I gotta get in the habit of writing here! Btwn working on our new album, Half Human, crazy personal changes, trying to get my shit together on Harmony Machine, and the ever-existing search for work (ah, the life of a freelance artist) -- it's all I can do to find a bit of time for "One Hundred Years of Solitude", a (Nobel prize winning) novel I started weeks ago!

It's been really weird not seeing [our bandmates] Uncle Bergie & Walt Dizzle numerous times each week. I keep hoping we'll hear from Berg; I worry about him running out of moolah to pay off border guards in Nepal. Dave L says I worry too much. He may be right. The only bit of writing I've done for my own enjoyment recently goes like this:

used to love to sleep
now you lie awake and think
maybe getting older means
thinking it all over
opening a gate
to all your past mistakes
questioning who you are
and where you're going
love leaves you wide-eyed
sleepless, yet smiling

See? I'm sucking! Need a vacation so I can find my smarmy voice again!
Quitting smoking sucks too. WHY GOD, WHY, do you make it so delicious if it's so bad?!?

Wed, Mar 30 '05
An excellent quote
A kiss can be a comma, a question mark or an exclamation point.
-Mistinguett, singer (1875-1956)

Thu, Mar 17 '05
Hi, my name is Nic, and I'm a Craigslist addict.
Although I've always been a fan and used the service somewhat in the past, my guy Dave (of ZONK) encouraged me to subscribe to craigslist.org, since, besides being a songwriter, I'm also a freelance writer always on the look out for more work. So I start by signing up for writing and creative gigs in the Bay area, and next thing you know, I can't stop checking to see what fascinating, sometimes ridiculous posting is coming through.

I also have high hopes that I'll make a few dope contacts/friends and maybe even score some interesting assignments out of it.

Bergen's girlfriend, Nica (who he met on craigslist, as a matter of fact), says she's going to write a book about the many craigslist connections, and now I can say I thoroughly understand. Good shit.

Wed, Feb 9 '05
did you know...?
The "Uncle John Bathroom Reader" (given to me by my brother) is indeed a perfect pot companion.
For instance, just learned this minutes ago during a coffee pee: "Impotence is grounds for divorce in 24 U.S. States."

Thu, Feb 3 '05
Diet Pills, Eating Disorders, Colonics
Ok, since I suggested to Uncle Bergie that he should include what he's listening to while writing his journal, I'll take my own advice...
LISTENING TO: Massive Attack's "Danny the Dog" soundtrack. Here goes...
I am appalled when I actually pay attention to mainstream media.
I'm flipping through the boob tube, and I land on VH1. Turns out, like MTV, there aren't music videos to be found there--instead it's a program called "How Thin Is Too Thin?" In the 120 seconds I can stomach, they proceed to delve in to the many obsessions and techniques celebrities have regarding staying skinny.
About this time, I'm thinking, "Are you shitting me?!?" What does Anna Nicole's Trim Spa addiction have to do with music? Does anyone care about the Olsen twin's taste for gakking? Why isn't media paying attention to anything critical? Isn't music supposed to be the bridge to understanding other people and cultures? Why not address what artists in Iraq are doing? Do stations just broadcast what people truly want, or does media dictate what the average person will find interesting? Is reality TV what this decade will be remembered for? Can you believe the next show to air on VH-1 was called "Celebrity Breakups 2"?! This bad, sad joke writes itself.

Tue, Jan 4 '05
Life's Strife
Life can be a bummer some days. Whether it's health problems, family/friend drama, an impersonator's actions, lack of money (a biggie), shortage of time, or the knowledge that there are [too] many people around the world dealing with disaster of some sort -- it hits me hard when I'm jacked up on coffee and sleeplessness. So I listened to some Bob Marley, and somehow I am temporarily soothed. I encourage you to find and know what comforts you and indulge. That's my new year's advice. Not like you asked, but words are all I got.

Wed, Dec 1 '04
Take Heart, Artists
Between the state of our country and the music industry's "evolution," an artist could get pretty down... So I've been listening to gems from Beastie Boys, Concrete Blonde, Psykick Girl, KUMA, Gram Rabbit, and--tee hee hee--Gwar (thanks, KUSF) to get outta that mind space.

There are ridiculous amounts of quality music out there that's not and will never be mainstream (excluding the Beasties).

We realized yesterday that we need to order more EPs. This will be our second re-order this year, which says to me, people still want and are willing to pay for (thus support) music.

I've been writing (for money, honey) pop artist bios--everything from Celine Dion to Ozzy to Tim McGraw--and I gotta say: I feel sorry for celebrities. In my humble opinion, I'd rather be the unknown artist who makes a living and commands their career.

Wed, Nov 24 '04
I miss you
Dearest Journal,
I have not abandoned you. We have been busy organizing a sooper-dooper tasty show (Dec 3 "Electric Lady 2004") with our pals Artemis and Psykick Girl, and, well, you are feeling the affects.
Just know I think of you all the time and I'm saving up some good shat for you.
To tie you over, here's an entry from my hand-written journal:

the lines on my palms
they've always been there
the palms around the world
they've always been there
the world outside of here
it's always been there

Dusk dawns everywhere
Nature never makes deals

my mind might explode
I know I've been there
Can taste the change
'Cause I've been there
Waxing Plath poetic
As I go there

Dusk dawns everywhere
Nature never makes deals

Mon, Nov 8 '04
Dang I'm in a Good Mood
It should be illegal to be this happy. But after this past weekend of hanging with Medeski, Martin, and Wood (note: John M is my favorite -- a totally cool mellow fellow, especially for being, as musicians say, a heavy cat), playing with and falling in love with our Seattle friends, Kuma, and being in touch with Concrete Blonde (it's no secret that I admire Johnette) with whom we intend to play with again in December -- I am blooming with musical joy.

Now if I could just get Bergen to update some site shit and get myself enough money together to buy some really hot, really expensive Fluevog boots...

Wed, Nov 3 '04
Another four years of Bush
This politically charged time has had the nation (and families even) split. I wonder: do I really want to live in a country where our leader believes he knows God's will and must convert the rest of the world to his beliefs? Isn't that exactly the ticket the terrorists are running on?

I consider today one of mourning. I have that same gross feeling in the pit of my stomach, as when our government announced we were going to war. I guess in my little universe, we _are at war_--and not with just with so-called evildoers, but to prove to the rest of the world that not all Americans are so All American as to support this regime and their war.

And the same sex marriage grudge: wasn't Jesus known for preaching love and tolerance? Will we ever live in a world where people embrace spirituality instead of human-defined beliefs?

I ask these questions because I just don't understand. I envision God as being a lot smarter than me (us) and probably scratching Her head in heavenly bewilderment.

Wed, Oct 27 '04
Remix Hotel this week
Oh dear journal, I've neglected you for too long...

Never ones to turn down free music-related events, we're heading to the Remix Hotel festivities this week (Th-Sa 4-9PM at SF's W Hotel). Details at http://remixhotel.com/sf/about/.

I look forward to stalking -- oops I mean, connecting with -- the Remix folks 'cause I know they'd be keen on ZONK if they only knew what they were missing. Is that ego or confidence talking?

And always one to share my favorite quotes/words (thanks Wordsmith.org):

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."
--Aldous Huxley, novelist (1894-1963)

Tue, Oct 19 '04
Girls, Girlz, Grrrls!
Tonight, it's all about the ladies...
I hope our friends will fight the Friday night fatigue and temperature drop and come celebrate at Broadway Studios. This event has been in the works for months and I jes know it's gonna be good. Music, films, and tuxedo shirts are the themes.
This week, I discovered my new favorite quote. From the guy we called The Great Communicator. Ha!
"Facts are stupid things."
-- Ronald Reagan

Wed, Oct 13 '04
What up chuck
ZONK joins 4 other female-fronted bands and several female filmmakers for a fantastic night of music and films! See Tour page for more info.

Thu, Oct 7 '04
Just a peaceful reality
Last night at our writing group, we spoke of the potential of a peaceful paradigm as the next reality. My friend Sharon--who believes that love can replace the ignorance and fear of this time--says we all need to see the new film "What the Bleep Do We Know?". I hardly ever shell out $10 to go to the movies, unless it's a big-screen must see, but I dunno if I can wait for this one to come out on DVD...