Sigur Ros played at the Orpheum last night. Once again, storms and tornados hit Omaha. Cody and I drove downtown to the wonderful soundtrack of tornado sirens. Then we proceeded to get out of the car when the torrential downpour was in full effect. We were armed with an umbrella, but it didn’t help much. The wind was too much for its brittle bones and it broke.

There were a lot of people down in the basement of the Orpheum, where apparently the band came through playing. That would’ve been pretty awesome to see. Instead we hung out in a parking garage for a little while and then under a building’s overhang. But it was cool to watch the storm from outside. We were pretty much soaked by the time we were actually let into the delayed show.

Despite sitting in wet jeans and having soggy, freezing feet, the show was pretty amazing. My favorite part was in about the third song (?), when the horn section made their entrance from offstage in a serpentine march across the stage. That was really cool. It’s so impressive when a band like that, that has such a specific sound – layered, ethereal and almost other-worldly – can sound as good, if not better, live as they can on record.

That’s Cody throwing his socks out.

The end.

It’s been rainy, overcast and stormy (or at least one of those) the past couple of days. I actually love this kind of weather. I even get kind of excited about tornado sirens and such. I feel bad saying that because of the devastation that they cause (and have caused recently), so I mean no disrespect and realize that they are scary, deadly forces of nature but they are still pretty exciting. I also like anything that breaks up the usual, the routine, and the mundane. I also like excuses to stay inside and read and watch movies. It’s kind of like when you get sick when you’re younger. It’s sort of disappointing but also kind of thrilling since it lets you get out of your routine of going to school and you can watch daytime TV. The sky also looks really cool and I like the wind in the trees and the sound of wind, rain, and thunder. And I love lightning, especially the crazy kind you see out here in Nebraska.

What I don’t like about the weather is that it deterred my plan of seeing Loves of a Blonde at Film Streams tonight, something I was really excited about. I’ve wanted to see this movie for so long and I was thrilled at the chance to see it projected on the big screen. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to wait longer. And I don’t know if this is to be blamed entirely or even partly on the weather, but I have been feeling chronically tired the last few days. I don’t really know what it is, but I am so sleepy about 80% of the day.

Just saw on the news that a tornado touched down in Kearney this evening, which isn’t too far from here. The storm isn’t that crazy here right now.

I have not really followed through on some of my intended posts and promises. I saw The Flight of the Red Balloon yesterday. I wanted to write a post about it today, but I am feeling some pressure to get my real writing work done before I go into it. But I will say that I really, really liked the movie. Juliette Binoche was amazing, as usual. I will really, really try to write a bit more about it tomorrow. And post some photos. I apologize in advance if I don’t (I don’t think this is how blogs really work — promises and apologies), I’m pretty busy this weekend catching up on some articles that are due. It was really nice to have a fun vacation in Chicago, and now I’m realizing that I have a lot to catch up on.

What else? Cody and I improved our pub quiz score on Tuesday. First time: 13. Second time: 18 (right?). At this rate, we’ll get a perfect score in a month and a half. Little Couch (our team name) will win. We are determined.

Pistons play tomorrow night. They have to win, and they will.

I have a new overall idea/concept for my short film. Sort of. Just an idea, but not for a plot or anything. It’s not like a breakthrough or anything, but I’m looking for something to really get me going with this thing and I’m hoping maybe this new sort-of idea will be it. We’ll see…

I want to get back into watching The Wire, and I’ve had Fat Girl rented for so long and have still not watched it. I’m also trying to see more films that I think will inspire me for my own film. Not that they have to be at all related in terms of content or style, but just inspiring film-wise. The Flight of the Red Balloon was one of those films. There are certain films that just make me want to make a movie. And that was one of them.

Oh, and we got Date with the Night and Call Me on Rock Band. Very exciting. Snuggle Bees had a serious reunion session tonight. It was pretty awesome. We haven’t lost our chops, and our band chemistry is still palpable. We filmed a few of our songs as we played musical instruments. It was pretty funny to watch.

Lastly, I had a really bizarre dream last night. It is too strange and complicated to try to describe/explain, but I will say that it involved a movie within a dream starring Jena Malone, Ellen Page and myself and had to do with academia, relationships and their boundaries, and rain. I was acting in it and knew that Jena Malone would eventually be killed by her abusive ex-boyfriend in the movie and while my character (who was her professor) was trying to help and protect her, I also thought (as myself) that I wasn’t such a big Jena Malone fan and I wouldn’t be too sad if she wasn’t in the second half of the film. The dream also featured Usher, who performed onstage while riding motocross and performing stunts inside of a giant rubber tire. And that’s like only the basics of half of the dream. Crazy.

This is the fun of living in Nebraska. You get to hang out in the basement (where I am currently writing, from supposed safety), and listen to blaring tornado sirens while watching brown/green swirling skies with ominous clouds, heaps of rain and 80 mph winds. Weather.com claims, “A tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar in your area – seek shelter immediately!” Fun! Excitement! Brings back all those memories of Midwestern tornado drills in school.