Before I begin my babble, I'd like to say that I don't post nearly frequently to deserve writing in stream of consciousness but I don't care. Tonight, I felt like sharing some of my thoughts with you and so here I go.  Lately, I've been very obsessed with the idea that the left and right hemispheres of my brain are battling it out for control.  Because we've been entrenched in writing mode the last month and my creative spurts are ongoing, I am constantly shifting between new creation and post analysis.  It is a jubilant and tortured existence because given any length of time with my left brain, I can talk my right brain out of any new idea I'm working on.  So my new strategy is to get the idea, document it, and leave it alone for a few days and then come back to it. It seems that locking myself up in my room with the guitar 24/7 doesn't amount to better songwriting but rather obsessive behaviour and also this rant about my two brain sides trying to have it out.  

We were determined not to fall again into the slumps of poor eating on the road on our way to LA this past Saturday so we started our short journey with breakfast at Whole Foods.  And yes there is a way to eat here, even if your broke, at this gourmet grocery joint. I've come savvy to picking lighter weighing items with some subtance for my food of choice.

One morning in Austin while we were headed to a free brunch at some fancy hotel (yay, free fancy hotel food is the best thing ever when you've subsided on burgers, mealy tomatoes and iceburg lettuce for three days straight, thanks chris!) I overheard someone say, "here in Austin, we call it South x So What" I'd be so inclined to agree from the showgoer perspective, as I'm not big on big festivals where you stand in line for what seems like forever to see bands you could see in your hometown when they come through except without the crazy drunkies and sweltering heat. But, unlike this pessimistic bystander, we were there to play shows and meet new people, and that was truly magical. SXSW was everything we weren't really expecting and then some.

Our Plush Lounge show was one of those moments where you don't really even know what's quite happening, just this huge swell of noise and everyone feels swept up in it, and the energy becomes so infectious that you aren't even quite aware of your movements. It felt good.

On Saturday, all of us were a little worried we might not make our show at the Lucky Lounge from Bourbon Rocks. But just as we were running as fast as we could possibly run with heavy gear in tow, arms slowly giving in, what should cross our paths but a little rickshaw boy? He snatched up all our gear and safely transported it to our destination! It was magical. :)

We also got to hang out with Mick Scholefield and Andddiiieeee. He has supported LLF since practically day one and this little passage doesn't do justice to express how awesome he is and how much we love him. He's flown over from the UK on three separate occasions to see us play and he was in Austin cheering us on and being the amazing person that he is. He also connected us with the Answering Machine (www.myspace.com/theansweringmachine), happily new friends of ours. They are going to do great things, no doubt in my mind.

And Chris Vinyard. I tell you, if you run into Chris on the streets of New York, give him a high five, because he is a legend.

oh and the best wurst in all of austin? LLF got the last remaining two at approximately 3 a.m. Saturday. Magical!!!!

XO Ann LLF