ALOHA NEW BLOG!!!

So... yeah.

This is my new blog.

I got kind of tired of Livejournal... I mean you can't change your name. And the old happened to have to word 'slag' in the title ;)
Not that I'm trying to bemoan my old Bandslag heritage. I'd like to talk briefly about the etymology of my nicknames; this one came from the wonderful city of Edinburgh, from the nights that never ended and the lights that never went out. In slang terms the word means 'groupie,' and it was used to refer in particular to a person that my best friend Paul and I always saw at shows. Basically, we would have a legitimate radio interview, and this guy would just be seeing if he could get off with whomever we were interviewing. He was ubiquitous, from Glasgow to the Burgh, from Simple Kid to Sons and Daughters. One night we spoke about how we, as DJs, were no better than him, with our idol worship of various musicians without having bands of our own. So we called our show 'Too Many Bandslags,' (a joke on 'Too many DJS'), and went about our partying ways. The name, at the time, was funny and cute. I was 21 years old, and I had never really lived on my own before, having just come out of a two year relationship. I relished a new chance, a new time, and a place to reinvent myself. Ultimately, I think it was a fantastic experience, especially for someone who never knew she could have even a few friends, much less an entire group of awesome European indie comrades.
But the times have changed. At 25, I have moved on from this life as best I can. The fallout from those years was like ash upon my mind... but I've begun to dig my way out. As a first year at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa, I embark at last on my Phd adventure. Clinical psychology, an interst in forensics and persons with severe and persistent mental illness. Already I've begun working for an awesome program evaluation team up in Kaimuki (http://www.mhsret.org). Thus, we turn to a new name... Frontier Psychologist.
The reason I love this name so much is that encapsulates both my geek and my music loving side. The name refers to a track by the Avalanches, "Frontier Psychiatrist," a late 90s gem that samples about one billion old records. In addition, the name encapsulates my past, present, and future. I will become a clinical psychologist, so no med school for me, but in the past this song was a staple on my old radio show, even as far back as my undergrad at UC San Diego.
With a new name, let a new adventure begin. Hawai'i is a strange and wonderful place, and as Ian Curtis might put it were he not six feet under 'I've been looking for a guide to come and take me by the hand.' I've got an amazing partner in crime back home, a filmmaker by the name of Glenn Wait, but I'm seeking for other kindred souls to help me find my way through Hawai'i Nei. I've joined a noise band (www.myspace.com/nightmaredrumsong), seen bioluminesence, and danced in a lu'au all in the course of one month, so I don't think I'm doing too shabby!
In conclusion, I want to use this new blog to speak to my family, my new friends, and to the world at large, as I embark on my new adventure.
Join me on my path.
Mahalo.

xorach

ps. Science feature of the day: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080922090809.htm

xrach