What I listen to when I want to fall asleep: Pink Floyd: Division Bell, Buddha Machine
I discovered years ago that this one particular Pink Floyd cod just makes me fall asleep. I love it. And the Buddha Machine is this weird arty project that I think was kind of intended to be used for meditational sound scapes. I never did get my hands on an actual machine but I have the sounds from it. And there is also an app for that (go figure). It’s a little droney, a little incessant and really, really soothing for me.
What I listen to when I want to relax: Rancid: And Out Come the Wolves, Ramones: Pretty much any Ramones but most likely the Greatest Hits
I know it seems counter intuitive but punky loud music kind of wears me out. I like to listen to it when I just want to get home, kick off my shoes and watch crappy tv. It kind of keeps me in overdrive until I can get into my pj and start dozing.
What I listen to when I want to work; Opera, Thom Yorke: The Eraser
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. I am not that well versed (ha! Get it?) in opera. It’s kind of pretty noise to me. I have read up on a lot of the operas that I listen to and I have some favorite singers (Franco Corelli), and preferred operas (NOT La Boheme) but it’s really just nice in the background. I have seen operas, some I have enjoyed more than others and I would like to see more. But when I am working, it’s nice to not know the words and get distracted. It’s pure feeling, I don’t know the story, but I can certainly get the emotions behind it. And as for Thom Yorke…I am oddly obsessed with his solo album and wish he would do another. I listen to it a lot. A lot a lot. I mean it’s kind of silly.
What I listen to when I want to feel like someone is whispering in my ear: John Doe: The Wilderness, David Gray: White Ladder, Gary Louris:Vegabonds
You know what I mean, right? That soft voice in your ear that may or may not give you shivers. Or maybe just makes you feel not quite alone, not that you were feeling lonely but just that little…you know what I mean, right? I have long loved John Doe, in X, as an actor and then I bought this album and I kind of feel like I found him all over again. Not as punky as X, just mellow and kind of sad, but in a good way. Kind of all golden light in the late afternoon, if you know what I mean. Now, David Gray, I have a few of his albums and he’s just a fine, fine musician, but I CAN NOT WATCH HIM SING. Well, not if he’s playing the guitar because he does this odd head nodding thing and I swear it looks like it’s gonna fall right off. But I don’t care because White Ladder is such a good, good album that I listen to it over and over. And of course, Gary Louris is part of my beloved Jayhawks, which doesn’t hurt, not at all.
What I listen to when I am cooking; my ipod mix
It’s a weird little mix, this one. A little Joan Jett, a little Nerfherder, The Cramps, Robbie Williams, Gnarls Barkely, Hoodoo Gurus, Joni Mitchell, Blur, Pet Shop Boys, Peter Murphy, Elvis Costello, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Julian Lennon, Nina Simone. It’s a lot of …stuff. And it just doesn’t get boring at all.
What I listen to when I when I need cheering up: T. Rex.
Never fails.
What I listen to when I want a place to feel like home; The Cure, Radiohead: Pablo Honey, The Jayhawks
What I listen to when I want to revisit my youth: Adam and the Ants: Kings of the Wild Frontier and Prince Charming
My brother introduced me and my mother to Adam and the Ants and we fell in love. My mom loves the drums. I loved Adam. It’s good stuff to bounce around to. Mom even took me to see him in concert when I was in…probably just in high school. It was when he was solo on the “Stripped” Tour. Mom dressed up as a pirate and danced the whole time.
What I listen to when I want to sing loud: the soundtrack to Josie and the Pussycats
I know, I know. Bad, bad movie. I totally agree. Excellent soundtrack that was created by a bunch of cool people. Anna Waronker, Adam Duritz, the girl from…um…I don’t know, people you kind of vagely know from other bands. Some dude from Fountains of Wayne and the girl from…The band had an album called “Wholesale Meats and Fish”…Oh…Letters to Cleo. Right. Oh and Matthew Sweet. Anyway…good soundtrack and I like to sing it. It’s almost in a key I can sort of keep in tune and it’s very girl power-y.
What I listen to while driving: Pretty much anything, but often times it’s Django Reinhardt
I have a nice box set and I can listen to it for weeks at a stretch and never get bored. Mostly it’s instrumental but there are plenty of songs with singers and so it kind of covers all the bases.
What I listen to when I wasn to sing softly: Tom Waits, Everything but the Girl
I never feel bad when I sing to Tom Waits songs. I mean, I feel BAD because so many of them are so mournful, but I don’t feel bad because, let’s be honest here, the dude has a strange way of singing…and that makes my strange way of singing seem less strange. As for Everything but the Girl, it’s weird, Tracy Thorne has a beeeeyoootiful voice, oddly deep but just lovely, and I can almost, not quite keep up with it. So, I can handle most of the notes. Not as nicely as she does, but it’s not like trying to sing along with…I don’t know, Christina Aguilaria, or anyone who uses an autotuner.
What I listen to when I feel all girl-powery: Loretta Lynn, Spice Girls (no,seriously)
Aw, hells yeah! I loves me some Lo-retta Lynn. Always have. Well, always probably since I first saw Coal Miner’s DAugher, which is one of my all time favorite movies and I think I know all the words. (An' stoppa that growlin'. You sound like a big ol' bar.) But she is really one of those songwriters that people tend to dismiss, oh, it’s just tears in your beer country music, but dude, Loretta is the queen of girl power. Songs about birthcontrol and beating up women who cheat. Squaws on warpaths and all that. Just awesome stuff.
Of course then there is the Spice Girls. But c’mon, I’m not saying they were brilliant, just brilliant at what they did. I don’t much care for their ballads, but the dance stuff is great fun and you get to actually yell GIRL POWER during it. Hence the girl-powery vibe.
What I listen to when I need to feel a little bit badass: AC/DC, Green Day
Oh yes I do. Loudly.
What I am listening to now: Pomplamoose
Have you seen these two? Cute stuff. Partially, I really like watching the videos because that Nataly Dawn is so cute, but the music works so well in that lo-fi way. It’s just sweet and charming and not at all AC/DC.
What I LITERALLY was just listening to:
Radiohead: Pablo Honey. Got the urge. But I am thinking this world could use a little hmmmm….How about some Cake?
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Listen.
So, the Snarkydork recently posted on music and as she and I have some crossover in our listening, I was very interested. Then Russell of EBCB has been doing this thing about music too, and again I was interested.
I can’t promise to be interesting but here (shoves this at you)…
What I’ve been listening to lately: Well, I am a radio listener, for the most part, in my car. Not entirely by choice. But I don’t have a mp3 jack in my car, and I get tired of my cds from time to time, so it’s a blend of news, rock and the sort of indie station here in L.A. Kind of radio ready indie, as it were. But it’s what there is. There is a pretty good stretch of my drive where the news station isn’t available and I switch between the two music stations looking for something I like. And what I like is pretty whimsical. 70’s rock, 80’s “alternative”, the occasional pop tune. I hop between stations with…um…I can’t think of a good word here…oh! abandon, that will work. Once I get the main bits of news traffic and weather, it’s music, until there are commercials, then it’s cds.
The Cds: In my car at any given time are probably about…let’s be conservative and say 50 cds. It’s terrible. They get everywhere, under the seats, in every nook and cranny and none of them are ever in the proper case or carrier. It’s annoying, but it’s also a necessity. It’s a long drive. What’s a girl to do?
Some of the cds are just regular ol’ cds, I can tell you from memory that at this moment, in the pocket of the door on the driver’s side is…well…let’s see, I know there is a Cyndi Lauper cd, her last one, the dancey one, and I know there is a Britney Spears cd…Circus, I think it’s called. Gary Louris, lest you think all I listen to is disco dance pop, and I think a Gary Louris/Mark Oleson duet as well, Andrew Bird, and I know there WAS a Bibio cod, but that might be elsewhere by now (apologies, Word is once again insisting that I listen to cods in my car and well…yeah). Oh, Spoon, is there, and at least one Gorillaz and I know by David Gray’s “White Ladders” is in there because I was just listening to it.
Then there are the mixes. Or, more specifically, the throw-togethers. Cds that I just throw songs I am interested in on. No rhyme or reason, and usually things I have come across on music blogs, free from amazon or at places like 3hive. They all get chucked on so I can see what I like. And that’s how I end up finding a lot of new music.
Then there are the sing-along cds….I don’t really have to go into this, do I? I know I am not the only person who sings in my car…loudly. Lots of Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Holly Cole and…the occasional big musical dance number.
At the moment I am seeking out music for a friend who is a belly dancer and wants something new to make her shake. I’ve been pulling together a lot of trip-hop and bluesy feeling stuff so…um…when you pass me on the four oh five and I look like I am having a seizure, it’s seated belly dancing. Seriously. I can’t expect her to dance to it if can’t, right?
I can’t promise to be interesting but here (shoves this at you)…
What I’ve been listening to lately: Well, I am a radio listener, for the most part, in my car. Not entirely by choice. But I don’t have a mp3 jack in my car, and I get tired of my cds from time to time, so it’s a blend of news, rock and the sort of indie station here in L.A. Kind of radio ready indie, as it were. But it’s what there is. There is a pretty good stretch of my drive where the news station isn’t available and I switch between the two music stations looking for something I like. And what I like is pretty whimsical. 70’s rock, 80’s “alternative”, the occasional pop tune. I hop between stations with…um…I can’t think of a good word here…oh! abandon, that will work. Once I get the main bits of news traffic and weather, it’s music, until there are commercials, then it’s cds.
The Cds: In my car at any given time are probably about…let’s be conservative and say 50 cds. It’s terrible. They get everywhere, under the seats, in every nook and cranny and none of them are ever in the proper case or carrier. It’s annoying, but it’s also a necessity. It’s a long drive. What’s a girl to do?
Some of the cds are just regular ol’ cds, I can tell you from memory that at this moment, in the pocket of the door on the driver’s side is…well…let’s see, I know there is a Cyndi Lauper cd, her last one, the dancey one, and I know there is a Britney Spears cd…Circus, I think it’s called. Gary Louris, lest you think all I listen to is disco dance pop, and I think a Gary Louris/Mark Oleson duet as well, Andrew Bird, and I know there WAS a Bibio cod, but that might be elsewhere by now (apologies, Word is once again insisting that I listen to cods in my car and well…yeah). Oh, Spoon, is there, and at least one Gorillaz and I know by David Gray’s “White Ladders” is in there because I was just listening to it.
Then there are the mixes. Or, more specifically, the throw-togethers. Cds that I just throw songs I am interested in on. No rhyme or reason, and usually things I have come across on music blogs, free from amazon or at places like 3hive. They all get chucked on so I can see what I like. And that’s how I end up finding a lot of new music.
Then there are the sing-along cds….I don’t really have to go into this, do I? I know I am not the only person who sings in my car…loudly. Lots of Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Holly Cole and…the occasional big musical dance number.
At the moment I am seeking out music for a friend who is a belly dancer and wants something new to make her shake. I’ve been pulling together a lot of trip-hop and bluesy feeling stuff so…um…when you pass me on the four oh five and I look like I am having a seizure, it’s seated belly dancing. Seriously. I can’t expect her to dance to it if can’t, right?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Smug.
So tell the truth. Do you read certain blogs or websites because you hate them? Hate the recipes, hate the designs, hate the suggestions for improving your life, the sanctimonious tone or the trite ideas? Do you?
I subscribe to a newsletter that I detest. It’s written by a “person of note” and it’s ridiculious. It tells me all the wonderful things I can do in cities I can’t afford to visit and places to stay that will cost more than I make in a week. It gives me recipes that make me shudder and tells me that I should exercise more, eat more fish, and only use organic toilet paper. It tells me why my friends don’t like me, who my friends should be, what my friends should be wearing and where to meet my friends to tell them I no longer want to be friends with them. It’s amazing and spectacular and hateful and horrible. And every time I read it I think, “Man, this is awful, I should cancel it.”
But I don’t.
Because then how could I possible feel so smug about being better than all this? Being better than a newsletter? How could I make fun of it if I didn’t read it every damn time it appears in my inbox?
It’s petty and it’s childish and I am pretty sure we all do it. I am pretty sure that someone is doing it right here, right now. It’s all right. We don’t all have to like the same things. Heck, I rarely like the stuff other people like, but I’m just contrary like that. But yeah…’fess up. You do it too, don’t you?
Soooo…here’s what I am doing for and you can now dislike and make fun of in your spare time…
Soulless by Gail Carriger- my dad says that the Kindle, which he loves, is problematic in one way, he can’t browse the aisles of the book store the way he used to and he has a hard time finding new books. Um…I have the opposite problem. I browse online (he doesn’t really like being online) and I follow links and the next thing I know I’ve got a list of new books and not enough time. I think that’s how I came across this one. And I was given a few gift certificates and I thought, oh what the heck? And I am glad I did. Very entertaining, light but not fluffy. Good understanding of the Victorian age and clothing of, and sexy in a way that worked without being embarrassing. Oh and it has vampires and werewolves. Can’t really go wrong can you? But then I finished that. So right now it’s:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Yeah, I know, I know, you read it ages ago. Whatever. It’s taken me while to get into it but at about 23% in (hello kindle!) and I am starting to get into the groove and I’m enjoying it a bit more (NO! Wait! I finished I enjoyed it but…well…that’s for another day). After this…well, I have quite a lot of free books I have picked up for the kindle, a few cozy mysteries, a romance (of all things!) and what appears to be a parody of a Victorian mystery. So I have choices to make, but I also just ordered the first book of the Red Riding series by David Peace. After reading about the tv series based on these books which were themselves inspired by a series of murders and…well, I haven’t read it yet, but it looks good. I’ll let you know.
What I’ve been listening to:
I think I have a new desert island disc. I’ve been listening to Pablo Honey on repeat for a while now. I think I kind of dismissed the whole Radiohead thing early on. Well, not true, I liked Creep, from this album and of course Fake Plastic Trees, but then I kind of wandered away from them, as I tend to do, until much later. And then I started kind of obsessively listening to Thom Yorke’s solo album, which I really, really love and that brought me back to Pablo Honey. So, the current list of desert island discs kind of reads like this:
Pablo Honey- Radiohead
The Eraser-Thom Yorke
Fashion Nugget -Cake (I know, what?)
All Over the Place-The Bangles (DO NOT JUDGE ME! It's a very listenable album!)
Django Reinhardt Box Set (sorry, I’ve not yet decided which single disc, I’ll try not to get stranded until then)
Elvis Costello-Mix cod (spell check insists that I mean COD here, and who am I to argue?) that I will have to prepare before being deserted
And I am starting to think that Massive Attack may have to appear here, possibly with Blue Lines (or maybe Protection) and some Rolling Stones...and...and...
Hmm. I think I need think on this. I did spend some time over the weekend tracking down some cds. Don’t you hate when you grab a cod (*ahem, thank you spellcheck) case take it to your car and then go to pop it in and…what? Am I the only person who doesn’t have an mp3 player in their car? Anyway, lots of empty cod (knock it off!) cases later I tracked down my copy of Fashion Nugget and listened to it on the way to work. It remains awesome.
Also, I’Ve been baking cookies. It’s experimental as I don’t really care for the act of making cookies as much as I like the act of eating cookies, but…it’s been slightly enlightening. Which is mostly just a phrase I wanted to use because I like the way it sounds. I’ll get back to you on this cookie experiment later…
I subscribe to a newsletter that I detest. It’s written by a “person of note” and it’s ridiculious. It tells me all the wonderful things I can do in cities I can’t afford to visit and places to stay that will cost more than I make in a week. It gives me recipes that make me shudder and tells me that I should exercise more, eat more fish, and only use organic toilet paper. It tells me why my friends don’t like me, who my friends should be, what my friends should be wearing and where to meet my friends to tell them I no longer want to be friends with them. It’s amazing and spectacular and hateful and horrible. And every time I read it I think, “Man, this is awful, I should cancel it.”
But I don’t.
Because then how could I possible feel so smug about being better than all this? Being better than a newsletter? How could I make fun of it if I didn’t read it every damn time it appears in my inbox?
It’s petty and it’s childish and I am pretty sure we all do it. I am pretty sure that someone is doing it right here, right now. It’s all right. We don’t all have to like the same things. Heck, I rarely like the stuff other people like, but I’m just contrary like that. But yeah…’fess up. You do it too, don’t you?
Soooo…here’s what I am doing for and you can now dislike and make fun of in your spare time…
Soulless by Gail Carriger- my dad says that the Kindle, which he loves, is problematic in one way, he can’t browse the aisles of the book store the way he used to and he has a hard time finding new books. Um…I have the opposite problem. I browse online (he doesn’t really like being online) and I follow links and the next thing I know I’ve got a list of new books and not enough time. I think that’s how I came across this one. And I was given a few gift certificates and I thought, oh what the heck? And I am glad I did. Very entertaining, light but not fluffy. Good understanding of the Victorian age and clothing of, and sexy in a way that worked without being embarrassing. Oh and it has vampires and werewolves. Can’t really go wrong can you? But then I finished that. So right now it’s:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Yeah, I know, I know, you read it ages ago. Whatever. It’s taken me while to get into it but at about 23% in (hello kindle!) and I am starting to get into the groove and I’m enjoying it a bit more (NO! Wait! I finished I enjoyed it but…well…that’s for another day). After this…well, I have quite a lot of free books I have picked up for the kindle, a few cozy mysteries, a romance (of all things!) and what appears to be a parody of a Victorian mystery. So I have choices to make, but I also just ordered the first book of the Red Riding series by David Peace. After reading about the tv series based on these books which were themselves inspired by a series of murders and…well, I haven’t read it yet, but it looks good. I’ll let you know.
What I’ve been listening to:
I think I have a new desert island disc. I’ve been listening to Pablo Honey on repeat for a while now. I think I kind of dismissed the whole Radiohead thing early on. Well, not true, I liked Creep, from this album and of course Fake Plastic Trees, but then I kind of wandered away from them, as I tend to do, until much later. And then I started kind of obsessively listening to Thom Yorke’s solo album, which I really, really love and that brought me back to Pablo Honey. So, the current list of desert island discs kind of reads like this:
Pablo Honey- Radiohead
The Eraser-Thom Yorke
Fashion Nugget -Cake (I know, what?)
All Over the Place-The Bangles (DO NOT JUDGE ME! It's a very listenable album!)
Django Reinhardt Box Set (sorry, I’ve not yet decided which single disc, I’ll try not to get stranded until then)
Elvis Costello-Mix cod (spell check insists that I mean COD here, and who am I to argue?) that I will have to prepare before being deserted
And I am starting to think that Massive Attack may have to appear here, possibly with Blue Lines (or maybe Protection) and some Rolling Stones...and...and...
Hmm. I think I need think on this. I did spend some time over the weekend tracking down some cds. Don’t you hate when you grab a cod (*ahem, thank you spellcheck) case take it to your car and then go to pop it in and…what? Am I the only person who doesn’t have an mp3 player in their car? Anyway, lots of empty cod (knock it off!) cases later I tracked down my copy of Fashion Nugget and listened to it on the way to work. It remains awesome.
Also, I’Ve been baking cookies. It’s experimental as I don’t really care for the act of making cookies as much as I like the act of eating cookies, but…it’s been slightly enlightening. Which is mostly just a phrase I wanted to use because I like the way it sounds. I’ll get back to you on this cookie experiment later…
Monday, October 05, 2009
Music.
Sometimes I just don’t know what I want to listen to. It’s like being musically restless, I think I need some…rolling Stones, but that doesn’t do the trick, so it’s on to…the bangles…cake…underworld…pucinni…and it goes on and on. Today I posted on Facebook of my restlessness:
A friend responded that I should listen to some Bob Mould, so I did. Still not right. He came back and suggested The Pixies and here’s where it gets complicated.
I like all kinds of music. Seriously, even country and opera, which is where most people say “I like everything but…” I listen to some rap. Not a lot, but I think I am pretty open-minded when it comes to music…except for The Pixies…oh and Sonic Youth…and most Nirvana.
And that’s the thing. If you like indie, alternative or rock, you probably like all three of those bands. And honestly, I can’t say I hate every song by them, but…I will never choose to listen to them.
But, in order to do my due diligence, I went to Pandora and typed in The Pixies. It played “Hey” and I listened. I resisted the urge to shut it off. But I didn’t really enjoy it. And then, as Pandora does, it started to play music that is similar to The Pixies. First Weezer…ok, I am ok with Weezer in small doses. Then The Smiths and you know, I can listen to The Smiths, even though I still think that Morrissey sounds like Kermit the Frog, but you know… I can do that. Oh hey, what’s next? Radiohead, “Creep” groovy, love this song. And then…what is this crap? Oh, it’s The Pixies again.
I’m sorry, I can’t put my finger on it. I think it’s partially the jangly, feedbacky guitars, partially the voices. Just not for me, I guess. But I tried. And now it’s playing Smashing Pumpkins…what am I missing? This is nothing like The Pixies! *Sigh*…I guess I’ll just never be cool….oh well.
For the record, I have several “channels” on Pandora that have come up when I JUST HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS BAND NOW…see if these make me sound any cooler, even though I still don’t like Sonic Youth...
X Radio
The Runaways Radio
Frankie Goes to Hollywood Radio
Streetlight Manifesto Radio
Social Distortion Radio
Ben Lee Radio
The Veils Radio
Robbie Williams Radio (one of these things is not like the other….)
Ted Leo Radio
Genesis Radio
Underworld Radio
Peter Gabriel Radio
Yeah...not really cooler, I guess.
Hmmm…Pandora is now playing Sonic Youth. I think it’s trying to tell me something.
“can't decide what to listen to...first the runaways, then there was some x, which spawned some john doe and then exene, which morphed into streelight manifesto but that wasn't doing it...thirty seconds of "la giocanda" went to jace everett and now it's band of horses...still doesn't feel right.”
A friend responded that I should listen to some Bob Mould, so I did. Still not right. He came back and suggested The Pixies and here’s where it gets complicated.
I like all kinds of music. Seriously, even country and opera, which is where most people say “I like everything but…” I listen to some rap. Not a lot, but I think I am pretty open-minded when it comes to music…except for The Pixies…oh and Sonic Youth…and most Nirvana.
And that’s the thing. If you like indie, alternative or rock, you probably like all three of those bands. And honestly, I can’t say I hate every song by them, but…I will never choose to listen to them.
But, in order to do my due diligence, I went to Pandora and typed in The Pixies. It played “Hey” and I listened. I resisted the urge to shut it off. But I didn’t really enjoy it. And then, as Pandora does, it started to play music that is similar to The Pixies. First Weezer…ok, I am ok with Weezer in small doses. Then The Smiths and you know, I can listen to The Smiths, even though I still think that Morrissey sounds like Kermit the Frog, but you know… I can do that. Oh hey, what’s next? Radiohead, “Creep” groovy, love this song. And then…what is this crap? Oh, it’s The Pixies again.
I’m sorry, I can’t put my finger on it. I think it’s partially the jangly, feedbacky guitars, partially the voices. Just not for me, I guess. But I tried. And now it’s playing Smashing Pumpkins…what am I missing? This is nothing like The Pixies! *Sigh*…I guess I’ll just never be cool….oh well.
For the record, I have several “channels” on Pandora that have come up when I JUST HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS BAND NOW…see if these make me sound any cooler, even though I still don’t like Sonic Youth...
X Radio
The Runaways Radio
Frankie Goes to Hollywood Radio
Streetlight Manifesto Radio
Social Distortion Radio
Ben Lee Radio
The Veils Radio
Robbie Williams Radio (one of these things is not like the other….)
Ted Leo Radio
Genesis Radio
Underworld Radio
Peter Gabriel Radio
Yeah...not really cooler, I guess.
Hmmm…Pandora is now playing Sonic Youth. I think it’s trying to tell me something.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Management.
*Ahem*…Hi. This is what I wrote when it happened…
Oh dear, the LA Times caused a bit of a stir with a stupid (and kind of sexist) little article/slideshow called something like “A Girl’s Guide to Comic-Con.” It features (if you don’t feel like clicking over) some speculation on what cute boys will be appearing at Comic-Con to pimp their movies. Some people are bothered that it seems to assume that women only go to Comic-Con for the cute boys. As a woman who rather likes cute boys (OK, well…men, I am the anti-cougar and have no interest in anyone under the age of 39), I am a little more bothered by the fact that NO COMIC BOOK GUYS are featured in the story. Not a damn one.
Yes, yes, Comic-Con is now considered a “pop-culture” convention and believe you me, I have no problem with that. There was a time when (in my opinion) the movie and tv presence at the convention may well have saved the bacon of many a comic book company by generating a buzz that seemed to have dissipated around comic books. By bringing in the stars of movies based on comics, I think some new readers were led to our booths and tables and hopefully a new wave of fandom was born. So yeah, I’m ok with that pop-culture thing, as long as the comics are still important. And they are. And I love them, and I love the people who make them. And guess what…some of those people happen to be cute boys. I just wish the L.A. Times had mentioned that.
That was…a while ago. In the meanwhile the world has lost…a lot of people and think what you will of any of them, they all made some sort of significant contribution to this world and will be missed.
And other things have happened.
But blogging clearly has not.
This was written a while back too:
About a year ago I was traveling to the east coast by plane (I say by plane, because, as you may know, I am stupid enough to occasionally do it by car…but not this time). I was getting on the plane, waiting on the…what do you call that thing? The corridor leading to the plane? The gangplank? Well, I was waiting there as the inevitable backup had occurred. Someone was probably trying to put a child in the overhead compartment or something. How many times do you people have to be told that children should be checked? Aaaaaanyway, two girls, in their 20s standing in front of me having a conversation….
I’ve been listenting to this great band called MANAGEMENT.
Oh yeah?
Yeah, they are awesome.
Hunh. Haven’t heard of them.
The conversation carries on for a bit when the second girl, who has clearly been trying to figure out how to do this without making her friend look like a complete ass says:
Have you heard MGMT?
Um….that’s what I said earlier. MANAGEMENT.
Oh, I…I think they are called MGMT.
Yeah, that’s what I said. MANAGEMENT. That’s what MGMT stands for.
I…uh…I think they are just MGMT. Like the abbreviation.
Right. The abbreviation for MANAGEMENT. That’s what they are called MANAGEMENT.
It was the modern day “Who’s on first?” with the added twist of abbreviations.
I really wanted to let her know that the band does, indeed, go by the name MGMT and not MANGEMENT. But I was enjoying the conversation too much.
(I don’t really mean to make fun of this girl, I am pretty sure that almost every conversation I have sounds a lot like this.)
And it only serves to remind me that we are all someplace else sometimes when we should be right where we are….get it?
I’m not here. I’ll be back.
In the meanwhile. New cards in the shop.
Oh dear, the LA Times caused a bit of a stir with a stupid (and kind of sexist) little article/slideshow called something like “A Girl’s Guide to Comic-Con.” It features (if you don’t feel like clicking over) some speculation on what cute boys will be appearing at Comic-Con to pimp their movies. Some people are bothered that it seems to assume that women only go to Comic-Con for the cute boys. As a woman who rather likes cute boys (OK, well…men, I am the anti-cougar and have no interest in anyone under the age of 39), I am a little more bothered by the fact that NO COMIC BOOK GUYS are featured in the story. Not a damn one.
Yes, yes, Comic-Con is now considered a “pop-culture” convention and believe you me, I have no problem with that. There was a time when (in my opinion) the movie and tv presence at the convention may well have saved the bacon of many a comic book company by generating a buzz that seemed to have dissipated around comic books. By bringing in the stars of movies based on comics, I think some new readers were led to our booths and tables and hopefully a new wave of fandom was born. So yeah, I’m ok with that pop-culture thing, as long as the comics are still important. And they are. And I love them, and I love the people who make them. And guess what…some of those people happen to be cute boys. I just wish the L.A. Times had mentioned that.
That was…a while ago. In the meanwhile the world has lost…a lot of people and think what you will of any of them, they all made some sort of significant contribution to this world and will be missed.
And other things have happened.
But blogging clearly has not.
This was written a while back too:
About a year ago I was traveling to the east coast by plane (I say by plane, because, as you may know, I am stupid enough to occasionally do it by car…but not this time). I was getting on the plane, waiting on the…what do you call that thing? The corridor leading to the plane? The gangplank? Well, I was waiting there as the inevitable backup had occurred. Someone was probably trying to put a child in the overhead compartment or something. How many times do you people have to be told that children should be checked? Aaaaaanyway, two girls, in their 20s standing in front of me having a conversation….
I’ve been listenting to this great band called MANAGEMENT.
Oh yeah?
Yeah, they are awesome.
Hunh. Haven’t heard of them.
The conversation carries on for a bit when the second girl, who has clearly been trying to figure out how to do this without making her friend look like a complete ass says:
Have you heard MGMT?
Um….that’s what I said earlier. MANAGEMENT.
Oh, I…I think they are called MGMT.
Yeah, that’s what I said. MANAGEMENT. That’s what MGMT stands for.
I…uh…I think they are just MGMT. Like the abbreviation.
Right. The abbreviation for MANAGEMENT. That’s what they are called MANAGEMENT.
It was the modern day “Who’s on first?” with the added twist of abbreviations.
I really wanted to let her know that the band does, indeed, go by the name MGMT and not MANGEMENT. But I was enjoying the conversation too much.
(I don’t really mean to make fun of this girl, I am pretty sure that almost every conversation I have sounds a lot like this.)
And it only serves to remind me that we are all someplace else sometimes when we should be right where we are….get it?
I’m not here. I’ll be back.
In the meanwhile. New cards in the shop.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Shaped.
Ok, let’s be honest. Were you listening to Jimi Hendrix out of the womb? Did you start your musical appreciation with The Velvet Underground? Were your first words, “Turn that easy listening crap off. Mommy!”? Because for me, it’s No, no, and no. I didn’t start out this cool…cool being a relative term and all. I grew up listening to what my mom put on the stereo or what my best friend’s mom played on the kitchen radio.
Despite the face that almost everyone in my family (well…not my dad) is musical to some extent, we really didn’t obsess over music during my childhood. Granted, my oldest brother is enough older than I am for me not to really have been exposed to his music during my most formative periods but later he would introduce me to some good stuff. But the only thing I really remember him listening to when I was little was Olivia Newton John. Not that Grease stuff either, the Please Mr. Please stuff. And my mom was all about Jim Croce and Paul Simon.
I didn’t grow up on the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, although someone in my house had a copy of Let it Bleed because I remember being amazed by the cover…still am. I suspect my mother still wouldn’t be able to name all the members of either band. My dad listens to Wagnerian opera, John Philip Sousa, Beethoven and Japanese drummers. I did hear a lot of marching band music…a lot. But that was pretty much it. So when Facebook added this “Five Albums that shaped you” thing…well…you want to see what really shaped me? Because now I listen to music, all kinds of music but then…
Yeah, that’s right, you see what I am talking about…you recognize some of those, don’t you? And if you are that much cooler than me, well let me illuminate you as to what the hip kids of the early 70’s were listening to. From left to right you have: The Muppet Movie Soundtrack, The Monkees, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band MOVIE SOUNDTRACK (i.e. NOT THE BEATLES), Andy Gibb’s Shadow Dancing, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Theme and Variations, The Purple Puzzle Tree, Supertramp-Breakfast in America, McCartney II, K-Tel’s Songbird collection, Donny Osmond’s Singles and Shaun Cassidy.
You heard me. That’s what I listened to. And I am only slightly ashamed. Not really ashamed, just…well…honest. I was shaped by easy listening, kids Christian education albums, and bad movie soundtracks (The Muppet Movie was not bad, Sgt. Pepper was…not good…oh, and I forgot the soundtrack to the Raggedy Ann and Andy movie!) not the White Album. Don’t get me wrong, I love the White Album but I am guessing I never heard the whole thing until I was…in college maybe?
I remember listening to the radio. I remember Terry Gibbs, Eddie Rabbitt, and Crystal Gayle. I can probably sing you all the words of the “Piña Colada Song” or any number of Barry Manilow tunes. I listened to Super Chicken on the radio and I listened to the Kingston Trio at Christmas time. I LIKED ABBA IN AN UNIRONIC WAY. I STILL DO!
As a pre-teen and teenager, I was exposed to a lot more music. I played in the jazz band, the marching band and the concert band. I danced to disco, classical and showtunes. I watched the Muppet Show and learned about Alice Cooper (whom I later met). My friends and I bought Queen albums and I won an 8-track player in a contest and got Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac and the REAL Sgt. Pepper for Christmas that year…on 8-track, yes.
I get the idea behind that little Facebook app and I tried to turn it into “5 albums that mean a lot to me” or “5 albums that I could listen to right now” but it didn’t feel right. It felt…dishonest. It felt like a betrayal of all that was good and pure and Osmond in the world.
And as for those albums in the picture, I own three of them on cd. But there are a few more I will get eventually…I’ll leave it to your imagination as to which ones.
For the record, the K-tel Songbird album playlist is as follows:
Every Woman in the World-Air Supply
How ‘Bout Us?-Champaign
Crazy Love-Poco
Games-Phoebe Snow
Together-(I think it’s by a band called Tierra but I can’t read the printing)
Biggest Part of Me-Ambrosia
Crying-Don McClain
SIDE 2 (THERE WERE TWO SIDES!)
More Than I Can Say-Leo Sayer (I still love this song)
Looking For Love-Johnny Lee
The Winner Takes it All-ABBA
Fool In Love with You-Jim Photoglo (Can that be right? Photoglo?)
Killing Time-Susan Anton and Fred Knoblock
Her Town Too-James Taylor and JD Souther
Somebody’s Knockin’-Terri Gibbs
Despite the face that almost everyone in my family (well…not my dad) is musical to some extent, we really didn’t obsess over music during my childhood. Granted, my oldest brother is enough older than I am for me not to really have been exposed to his music during my most formative periods but later he would introduce me to some good stuff. But the only thing I really remember him listening to when I was little was Olivia Newton John. Not that Grease stuff either, the Please Mr. Please stuff. And my mom was all about Jim Croce and Paul Simon.
I didn’t grow up on the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, although someone in my house had a copy of Let it Bleed because I remember being amazed by the cover…still am. I suspect my mother still wouldn’t be able to name all the members of either band. My dad listens to Wagnerian opera, John Philip Sousa, Beethoven and Japanese drummers. I did hear a lot of marching band music…a lot. But that was pretty much it. So when Facebook added this “Five Albums that shaped you” thing…well…you want to see what really shaped me? Because now I listen to music, all kinds of music but then…
Yeah, that’s right, you see what I am talking about…you recognize some of those, don’t you? And if you are that much cooler than me, well let me illuminate you as to what the hip kids of the early 70’s were listening to. From left to right you have: The Muppet Movie Soundtrack, The Monkees, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band MOVIE SOUNDTRACK (i.e. NOT THE BEATLES), Andy Gibb’s Shadow Dancing, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Theme and Variations, The Purple Puzzle Tree, Supertramp-Breakfast in America, McCartney II, K-Tel’s Songbird collection, Donny Osmond’s Singles and Shaun Cassidy.
You heard me. That’s what I listened to. And I am only slightly ashamed. Not really ashamed, just…well…honest. I was shaped by easy listening, kids Christian education albums, and bad movie soundtracks (The Muppet Movie was not bad, Sgt. Pepper was…not good…oh, and I forgot the soundtrack to the Raggedy Ann and Andy movie!) not the White Album. Don’t get me wrong, I love the White Album but I am guessing I never heard the whole thing until I was…in college maybe?
I remember listening to the radio. I remember Terry Gibbs, Eddie Rabbitt, and Crystal Gayle. I can probably sing you all the words of the “Piña Colada Song” or any number of Barry Manilow tunes. I listened to Super Chicken on the radio and I listened to the Kingston Trio at Christmas time. I LIKED ABBA IN AN UNIRONIC WAY. I STILL DO!
As a pre-teen and teenager, I was exposed to a lot more music. I played in the jazz band, the marching band and the concert band. I danced to disco, classical and showtunes. I watched the Muppet Show and learned about Alice Cooper (whom I later met). My friends and I bought Queen albums and I won an 8-track player in a contest and got Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac and the REAL Sgt. Pepper for Christmas that year…on 8-track, yes.
I get the idea behind that little Facebook app and I tried to turn it into “5 albums that mean a lot to me” or “5 albums that I could listen to right now” but it didn’t feel right. It felt…dishonest. It felt like a betrayal of all that was good and pure and Osmond in the world.
And as for those albums in the picture, I own three of them on cd. But there are a few more I will get eventually…I’ll leave it to your imagination as to which ones.
For the record, the K-tel Songbird album playlist is as follows:
Every Woman in the World-Air Supply
How ‘Bout Us?-Champaign
Crazy Love-Poco
Games-Phoebe Snow
Together-(I think it’s by a band called Tierra but I can’t read the printing)
Biggest Part of Me-Ambrosia
Crying-Don McClain
SIDE 2 (THERE WERE TWO SIDES!)
More Than I Can Say-Leo Sayer (I still love this song)
Looking For Love-Johnny Lee
The Winner Takes it All-ABBA
Fool In Love with You-Jim Photoglo (Can that be right? Photoglo?)
Killing Time-Susan Anton and Fred Knoblock
Her Town Too-James Taylor and JD Souther
Somebody’s Knockin’-Terri Gibbs
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Quick.
Coming in under the wire. Posting a link to download this Neko Case song because:
A) Neko Case is freakin' awesome. So there.
B) $5 will be donated to the Best Friends Animal Society, which is also awesome.
C) I love animals, I love Neko. Can't go wrong here.
I am sorry I didn't get it up in time for you to follow suit...unless you follow quickly.
A) Neko Case is freakin' awesome. So there.
B) $5 will be donated to the Best Friends Animal Society, which is also awesome.
C) I love animals, I love Neko. Can't go wrong here.
I am sorry I didn't get it up in time for you to follow suit...unless you follow quickly.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Playlist.
Because I don’t have kids of my own, it’s important that I indoctrinate a love of the good things in my nieces and nephews. My two oldest are steps and they were too old to really change by the time I got there. In fact, last time I saw them they were making fun of me for having a Spider-Man antenna topper and a Hellboy dashboard saint on my car. Apparently, that’s not cool. But, despite my lack of input, those two are pretty cool on their own and read a lot of the same comics and listen to the same music as I do, so we can count them as successes, even if I had nothing to do with it.
The others…well, I still have some work to do there. My 16 year old niece is doing ok on her own. She’s a bit of a punk/goth/slacker and I am all right with that. She likes horror movies and Harry Potter and…Led Zeppelin…ok, that needs some work but you know, she’s 16 (sorry Janet, I just don’t love the Zep). She’s also from my husband’s side of the family so that explains a lot of deficiencies.
Now, a while back when the (now) 16 year old nephew was starting to read a lot for pleasure, I tried to pick out the books I had loved at his age. I gave him The Phantom Tollbooth, Trumpet of the Swan, stuff that I really liked at 9 or so. And he got it. I don’t know if he liked all the books, but he got the concept and I think he appreciated it. A few years later, we were talking about music and he was just starting to find his personal musical…feet. So I decided I would make him a cd of song that I liked and THOUGHT he would enjoy. Now, look, I do want to say that I very desperately want to be the “cool auntie”. I want him, and all the kids to say, “Oh wow, you like the Sex Pistols? That’s awesome!” but I don’t want to be the auntie that tries to hard to look cool and just looks foolish. I don’t want to be auntie mutton trying to dress as auntie lamb, as it were. So, right, I made him a cd, I tried to mix it up a bit, older newer, rock-ish, emo-ish, punk-ish. And he was…well…unimpressed. I don’t think he HATED it and hated me, I just didn’t hit the right buttons on that one. Here’s the playlist:
Crooked Teeth --Death Cab For Cutie
Hands Open--Snow Patrol
All Sparks--Editors
Gone Daddy Gone --Gnarls Barkley
Dance Like A Monkey--New York Dolls
Baby Goes to 11—Superdrag
Girlfriend--Matthew Sweet
World Shut Your Mouth--Julian Cope & The Teardrop Explodes
Spirit In The Sky--Norman Greenbaum
Mass Romantic--The New Pornographers
La Mer--Django Reinhardt
Slow Train--Lemon Jelly
Way To Blue--Nick Drake
Ballet Lane—Underworld
The Rainbow--Apples In Stereo
Eaten By The Monster Of Love—Sparks
Like Wow Wipeout--Hoodoo Gurus
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding—
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
That Old Pair Of Jeans --Fatboy Slim
I Am Not Your Gameboy—Freezepop
You see where I was going though, right? Happy, appropriate, fun stuff that he may not hear otherwise.
So, this Christmas, the ten-year-old got an mp3 player. I gave him an iTunes gift card and made him a mix cd, again, trying to stay happy, fun and appropriate. I have yet to hear what he thinks but I know his dad liked a lot of it.
"Itchy And Scratchy" Main Title Theme--The Simpsons
Shining Star--Earth Wind & Fire
Land Of 1000 Dances--Wilson Pickett
Mr. Big Stuff --Jean Knight
Iko Iko --Cyndi Lauper
Mr. Blue Sky--Electric Light Orchestra
Here Comes My Baby--Cat Stevens
Beyond The Sea--Robbie
Big Yellow Taxi--Joni Mitchell
God Only Knows--Petra Haden
Minor Swing--Django Reinhardt
Stand--R.E.M.
All Star--Smash Mouth
And We Danced—Hooters
Antmusic--Adam & The Ants
I Wanna Rock--Twisted Sister
Go--Apples In Stereo
Rock Me Amadeus--Falco
Like Wow Wipeout--Hoodoo Gurus
Rock Lobster--The B-52's
It’s Tricky--Run DMC
One Step Beyond—Madness
The Simpsons Main Title Theme
Yeah, there’s a little cross-over there. But you gotta try to get your favorites in, right?
So, let me ask you, what were your favorites at 10 and 14? Would you have liked getting a cd mix (or cassette mix…or gramophone mix) from your auntie? What would she have put on it? I’m thinking mine would have had some Barry Manilow and Anne Murray, but I could be wrong.
The others…well, I still have some work to do there. My 16 year old niece is doing ok on her own. She’s a bit of a punk/goth/slacker and I am all right with that. She likes horror movies and Harry Potter and…Led Zeppelin…ok, that needs some work but you know, she’s 16 (sorry Janet, I just don’t love the Zep). She’s also from my husband’s side of the family so that explains a lot of deficiencies.
Now, a while back when the (now) 16 year old nephew was starting to read a lot for pleasure, I tried to pick out the books I had loved at his age. I gave him The Phantom Tollbooth, Trumpet of the Swan, stuff that I really liked at 9 or so. And he got it. I don’t know if he liked all the books, but he got the concept and I think he appreciated it. A few years later, we were talking about music and he was just starting to find his personal musical…feet. So I decided I would make him a cd of song that I liked and THOUGHT he would enjoy. Now, look, I do want to say that I very desperately want to be the “cool auntie”. I want him, and all the kids to say, “Oh wow, you like the Sex Pistols? That’s awesome!” but I don’t want to be the auntie that tries to hard to look cool and just looks foolish. I don’t want to be auntie mutton trying to dress as auntie lamb, as it were. So, right, I made him a cd, I tried to mix it up a bit, older newer, rock-ish, emo-ish, punk-ish. And he was…well…unimpressed. I don’t think he HATED it and hated me, I just didn’t hit the right buttons on that one. Here’s the playlist:
Crooked Teeth --Death Cab For Cutie
Hands Open--Snow Patrol
All Sparks--Editors
Gone Daddy Gone --Gnarls Barkley
Dance Like A Monkey--New York Dolls
Baby Goes to 11—Superdrag
Girlfriend--Matthew Sweet
World Shut Your Mouth--Julian Cope & The Teardrop Explodes
Spirit In The Sky--Norman Greenbaum
Mass Romantic--The New Pornographers
La Mer--Django Reinhardt
Slow Train--Lemon Jelly
Way To Blue--Nick Drake
Ballet Lane—Underworld
The Rainbow--Apples In Stereo
Eaten By The Monster Of Love—Sparks
Like Wow Wipeout--Hoodoo Gurus
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding—
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
That Old Pair Of Jeans --Fatboy Slim
I Am Not Your Gameboy—Freezepop
You see where I was going though, right? Happy, appropriate, fun stuff that he may not hear otherwise.
So, this Christmas, the ten-year-old got an mp3 player. I gave him an iTunes gift card and made him a mix cd, again, trying to stay happy, fun and appropriate. I have yet to hear what he thinks but I know his dad liked a lot of it.
"Itchy And Scratchy" Main Title Theme--The Simpsons
Shining Star--Earth Wind & Fire
Land Of 1000 Dances--Wilson Pickett
Mr. Big Stuff --Jean Knight
Iko Iko --Cyndi Lauper
Mr. Blue Sky--Electric Light Orchestra
Here Comes My Baby--Cat Stevens
Beyond The Sea--Robbie
Big Yellow Taxi--Joni Mitchell
God Only Knows--Petra Haden
Minor Swing--Django Reinhardt
Stand--R.E.M.
All Star--Smash Mouth
And We Danced—Hooters
Antmusic--Adam & The Ants
I Wanna Rock--Twisted Sister
Go--Apples In Stereo
Rock Me Amadeus--Falco
Like Wow Wipeout--Hoodoo Gurus
Rock Lobster--The B-52's
It’s Tricky--Run DMC
One Step Beyond—Madness
The Simpsons Main Title Theme
Yeah, there’s a little cross-over there. But you gotta try to get your favorites in, right?
So, let me ask you, what were your favorites at 10 and 14? Would you have liked getting a cd mix (or cassette mix…or gramophone mix) from your auntie? What would she have put on it? I’m thinking mine would have had some Barry Manilow and Anne Murray, but I could be wrong.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Genius.
Well, OK iTunes Genius…not bad, not bad at all…except for the Feist tune…gotta delete that one…
Black Grass-Gary Louris
Paperback Bible-Lambchop
John Saw That Number-Neko Case
Everybody Daylight-Brightblack Morning Light
Let's Get Out Of This Country-Camera Obscura
Is It Like Today?-World Party
Another Sunny Day-Belle & Sebastian
Woman King-Iron & Wine
All I Need-Radiohead
Fake Empire-The National
Marry Song-Band Of Horses
Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games-Of Montreal
Naked As We Came-Iron & Wine
She Only Calls Me On Sundays-Gary Louris
Girlfriend-Matthew Sweet
Your Heart Is An Empty Room-Death Cab For Cutie
I Got You-Split Enz
Satellite-Guster
Either Way-Wilco
Two Silver Trees-Calexico
The Swish-The Hold Steady
Can't Say No-The Helio Sequence
Freeway-Aimee Mann
Let's Dance-M Ward
My Moon My Man-Feist
Leaving town is always pleasant…almost always anyway. But returning can be…well, first off, my husband enlisted a friend to pick me up from the airport because it was the first game of the world series and he wasn’t about to miss his beloved Phillies. Fair enough, I don’t know what would keep me from picking him up at the airport but I guess it’s fair game now, isn’t it? Had a nice long talk with said friend on the way though since we were stuck in traffic for quite a bit. That’s how Los Angeles welcomes you home. And then, in the morning, it reminds you again how much it missed you with a two hour drive to work. Fire on the mountain and all that. And a fire on the off ramp as well. Sigh. I did think about turning around and going home but even that would have been another two hour drive I think.
And then, no surprises here, it was about an hour and forty-five minutes to get home. My knee actually feels weak from all the stop and start driving. Yeesh. This morning? Much better, and I drove through the area which had burned. It was kind of spooky. Black and charred and smelling of barbeque. Eerie. This was a case where no homes or businesses were lost and that’s good. The landscape is torched but that’s not so bad, it will grow back and it took care of some of the underbrush. Still, it was close to home and unnerving.
But the trip east (did I mention I was making a surprise trip east? For my mom’s birthday? No? Well…SURPRISE!) was darn pleasant. Everything went off without a hitch. Mom was surprised and her big spectacular birthday cake, a present from my dad at the request of mom, was big and spectacular. She seemed to enjoy her present and the surprise of me sitting in the kitchen when she arrived home from church. Everyone was healthy and reasonably happy and really what more could you ask for? I even spent a morning at a “living heritage” museum hanging out with a spinner, the blacksmith and some ladies in funny dresses.
Sadly, I was apparently not missed much on the east coast. I arrived at work this morning and was greeted by “Did you get that calendar that I left on your desk?” “Um…I just got here”, I replied. “Yeah but did you get it yesterday?” “Uh…no…I wasn’t here yesterday…or the day before…I’ve been gone for almost a week…” “Really?”
Thanks for noticing.
Black Grass-Gary Louris
Paperback Bible-Lambchop
John Saw That Number-Neko Case
Everybody Daylight-Brightblack Morning Light
Let's Get Out Of This Country-Camera Obscura
Is It Like Today?-World Party
Another Sunny Day-Belle & Sebastian
Woman King-Iron & Wine
All I Need-Radiohead
Fake Empire-The National
Marry Song-Band Of Horses
Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games-Of Montreal
Naked As We Came-Iron & Wine
She Only Calls Me On Sundays-Gary Louris
Girlfriend-Matthew Sweet
Your Heart Is An Empty Room-Death Cab For Cutie
I Got You-Split Enz
Satellite-Guster
Either Way-Wilco
Two Silver Trees-Calexico
The Swish-The Hold Steady
Can't Say No-The Helio Sequence
Freeway-Aimee Mann
Let's Dance-M Ward
My Moon My Man-Feist
Leaving town is always pleasant…almost always anyway. But returning can be…well, first off, my husband enlisted a friend to pick me up from the airport because it was the first game of the world series and he wasn’t about to miss his beloved Phillies. Fair enough, I don’t know what would keep me from picking him up at the airport but I guess it’s fair game now, isn’t it? Had a nice long talk with said friend on the way though since we were stuck in traffic for quite a bit. That’s how Los Angeles welcomes you home. And then, in the morning, it reminds you again how much it missed you with a two hour drive to work. Fire on the mountain and all that. And a fire on the off ramp as well. Sigh. I did think about turning around and going home but even that would have been another two hour drive I think.
And then, no surprises here, it was about an hour and forty-five minutes to get home. My knee actually feels weak from all the stop and start driving. Yeesh. This morning? Much better, and I drove through the area which had burned. It was kind of spooky. Black and charred and smelling of barbeque. Eerie. This was a case where no homes or businesses were lost and that’s good. The landscape is torched but that’s not so bad, it will grow back and it took care of some of the underbrush. Still, it was close to home and unnerving.
But the trip east (did I mention I was making a surprise trip east? For my mom’s birthday? No? Well…SURPRISE!) was darn pleasant. Everything went off without a hitch. Mom was surprised and her big spectacular birthday cake, a present from my dad at the request of mom, was big and spectacular. She seemed to enjoy her present and the surprise of me sitting in the kitchen when she arrived home from church. Everyone was healthy and reasonably happy and really what more could you ask for? I even spent a morning at a “living heritage” museum hanging out with a spinner, the blacksmith and some ladies in funny dresses.
Sadly, I was apparently not missed much on the east coast. I arrived at work this morning and was greeted by “Did you get that calendar that I left on your desk?” “Um…I just got here”, I replied. “Yeah but did you get it yesterday?” “Uh…no…I wasn’t here yesterday…or the day before…I’ve been gone for almost a week…” “Really?”
Thanks for noticing.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Radio.
Today started better than yesterday. The hairdryer didn’t trip the circuit breaker (twice) because someone was making toast. I didn’t have to drive around the block several times trying to get gas because I managed to do that yesterday (after circling 3x’s, finally going to another station and stupidly paying 10 cents more). I didn’t almost get in three accidents on the way to work. I also didn’t spill the jam from my English muffin because I had a Kashi bar instead. I didn’t nearly slap three friends for being morons…so far. In general it’s been a better day and it started with R.E.M., moved to a little Rolling Stones, then some New York Dolls and the real kicker, the shocker that made me think, “Hey, even if it gets bad, it started out good”? Hoodoo Gurus. On the radio. The radio! Thank you radio gods, you have made me happier.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Resolved.
I’ve not been blogging a lot due to my current lack of inspiration. Or rather…laziness. No, no, it’s a lack of inspiration but only during my typical blogging hours. I don’t often blog from home and I don’t moblog. It’s a certain time of the day or nothing and lately, it’s been nothing. But only on the blog front. OK, honestly, I just want to see how many times I can use a permutation of blog here…
Annnnnnyway…although I claim not to have made any resolutions, that is, my friends, a total LIE. I am a liar and I lie. I did make two. One was to read more books so as not to be ashamed at the end of the year when I look back and realize that I only read like…three books…all year. Eh, it wasn’t that bad, but I didn’t read much two years ago, I did better last year and this year, I am on my fourth book…and it’s nice. And it’s not that I am reading for numbers or volume, just that I sometimes, at the end of the day, I am tired and the idea of thinking is painful. But that’s just silly. I really enjoy reading and I always have so why was I not doing it? Dunno. But now I am again it’s been nice. Currently it’s Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham. I’ve had the book on hand for a little while but the other night I was watching a bit of Twelfth Night and heard the line “Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” and it triggered something in my brain so that when I finished my previous book I began rooting around for this one. I’m not very far into yet but I am enjoying what I’ve read.
And there has been some new music as well. I finally jumped on to that Wilco bandwagon and I was only just now listening to Sky Blue Sky and thinking “Oh, so this it what it would sound like if the Beatles and Bob Dylan made a baby together.” Scary thought, good music. (The cd ended and I have moved on to a little Mazzy Star to type by.)
It’s been tough at times to want to read when I have Jane Austen on Masterpiece Theatre though. Actually, I didn’t really enjoy the newest incarnation of Persuasion, but so far (20 minutes in) I am FINALLY enjoying Northanger Abbey, which is a tough one to like for me. I find that as a novel it takes some understanding for it to work as it is primarily a parody of the popular Gothic fiction of the time of it’s writing. However, from what I have seen of this newest version, it “gets it” and I am looking forward to watching the rest.
The other resolution?
Eh, I’ll get to that later.
Annnnnnyway…although I claim not to have made any resolutions, that is, my friends, a total LIE. I am a liar and I lie. I did make two. One was to read more books so as not to be ashamed at the end of the year when I look back and realize that I only read like…three books…all year. Eh, it wasn’t that bad, but I didn’t read much two years ago, I did better last year and this year, I am on my fourth book…and it’s nice. And it’s not that I am reading for numbers or volume, just that I sometimes, at the end of the day, I am tired and the idea of thinking is painful. But that’s just silly. I really enjoy reading and I always have so why was I not doing it? Dunno. But now I am again it’s been nice. Currently it’s Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham. I’ve had the book on hand for a little while but the other night I was watching a bit of Twelfth Night and heard the line “Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” and it triggered something in my brain so that when I finished my previous book I began rooting around for this one. I’m not very far into yet but I am enjoying what I’ve read.
And there has been some new music as well. I finally jumped on to that Wilco bandwagon and I was only just now listening to Sky Blue Sky and thinking “Oh, so this it what it would sound like if the Beatles and Bob Dylan made a baby together.” Scary thought, good music. (The cd ended and I have moved on to a little Mazzy Star to type by.)
It’s been tough at times to want to read when I have Jane Austen on Masterpiece Theatre though. Actually, I didn’t really enjoy the newest incarnation of Persuasion, but so far (20 minutes in) I am FINALLY enjoying Northanger Abbey, which is a tough one to like for me. I find that as a novel it takes some understanding for it to work as it is primarily a parody of the popular Gothic fiction of the time of it’s writing. However, from what I have seen of this newest version, it “gets it” and I am looking forward to watching the rest.
The other resolution?
Eh, I’ll get to that later.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Currently.
Ugh.
Just ugh.
I’ve been sick. I am still a little sick but a lot tired. It’s been one of those kinds of sick. It’s really only a cold. I don’t feel so awful. It’s not that bad, you’re just a big wimp. But then it goes on…and on. And I am now at the point where I almost don’t feel the need to lie down every ten minutes, which for some reason, I did feel, but never did. Which may explain why this particular bit of crud had decided to hang around so long.
Anyway, I’ve been sick. I am almost better. I will be better soon. Until then, I am taking a page from snarkydork:
What I am reading: I am trying to read more this year than I did last year and far more than I did the year before. And I am on my third book of the year, so that’s a step in the right direction. Right now it’s Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. It’s ok. It’s a Y.A. novel and in a lot of ways it reads like a Y.A. novel but there’s nothing wrong with that. I am 191 pages into a 498 page book and I don’t feel like throwing it away, so…I guess it’s ok. But at the same time, I am not yet thrilled. We’ll see.
I am also reading the Herbivore travel issue. If you’ve never seen Herbivore magazine, I think it’s worth taking a look even if you aren’t vegan, which I am not either. Somewhere in my internet travels I came across mentions of it and I got intriguied and tracked some copies down. It is a really nicely produced magazine. It’s pretty heavy on words, not so much the slick and shiny mag, so it reads more like a book. This issue in particular as it is square bound and chunky and, in fact, their first print issue in… a year, I think. They had gone all-digital and it looks like now they will do both digital and print. In general, I think they are a pretty well written mag. Not being a vegan, or even a vegetarian, I feel a little strange sometimes but even when I don’t agree with some of their political stands, I have to remember that I rarely agree with anyone’s political stands, so…you know…grain of salt and all. In the past they have featured musicians, artist and writers that I am very fond of (Jonathan Richman? Hell yeah!) so I keep coming back.
Next? Well, I am looking for some inspiration and when one needs inspiration, where does one go? Well, to Stephen Fry, of course! The Ode Less Traveled was given to me for my birthday and I’ve been saving it for that extra boost when I need it…looks like I need it now.
What I am watching: It has occurred to me that the writer’s strike is not hitting me all that hard. I like television and I watch a lot of television, but…eh. If it’s not on, I probably won’t turn it on. And I don’t really feel like I am missing anything there hasn’t been any “must see tv” for me since Buffy. That said, I am finally catching up on the stuff on my DVR. Now that the new season of Medium has begun, I am finally watching the last season. And Rick Steve’s travel show has been featuring the UK so I’ve been recording those when I can’t watch them “live.” There’s also a new Jamie Oliver series on Food Network and Masterpiece Theatre is running Jane Austen shows so I really don’t feel at all unentertained. Oh yeah, and there is always a book.
I did watch a few movies recently, but since I can’t remember what they were I’m going to assume that they weren’t that good. I read the shooting script for Juno and enjoyed it well enough and I am currently reading The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and enjoying that too. I figure I am more likely to read movies then see them so I am taking advantage of Fox and Miramax offering scripts online. By the way, I haven't seen The Namesake but I did read the book and it was very good. I am hoping the script lives up.
What’s next? Well, Stephen Fry again, of course! The box set of Jeeves and Wooster appeared under my Christmas tree and I am looking forward to breaking that in.
What I am listening to: Right now? Iron and Wine which is reminding me of Simon and Garfunkel. Generally? Well, a lot of Ella Fitzgerald. You can’t go wrong there. And along with some Stephen Fry under the tree, I found an awful lot of Patsy Cline, so I am thinking there will be a country-fried good time around here soon. You did know that it’s wasn’t God who made Honky Tonk Angels, didn’t you?
Actually, as much as I need inspiration, I need music. I’ve recently ordered some new (to me) stuff, including the Waterboys and the Doves, bands I know and like but have never listened to at length. I need to get that new Radiohead…what else do I need? Any suggestions? You can see that my musical tastes are fairly eclectic. What have you heard lately that you think I might like?
What I’m working on: Did I mention I’ve been sick? Did I mention that I need some inspiration? Well, as soon as these valentines are done, it’s back to work on my personal project…I hope. BUT, I did just by myself a little tiny graphics tablet thingy. The kind with a stylus? I don’t know how it will work for me, but I am curious to see what comes of it.
What I had for lunch: leftover chicken and dumplings and a Minneola. The chicken dumplings were actually better as leftovers than they were for dinner. But I really can’t figure out why.
What new blogs I’ve been reading: SemiCircular Vegan makes me laugh out loud. Russell Davies is ever entertaining and Downbeat is…well…downbeat.
So, what have you been up to?
Hmmm…this Iron and Wine is starting to remind of Crosby, Still and Nash now…
Just ugh.
I’ve been sick. I am still a little sick but a lot tired. It’s been one of those kinds of sick. It’s really only a cold. I don’t feel so awful. It’s not that bad, you’re just a big wimp
Anyway, I’ve been sick. I am almost better. I will be better soon. Until then, I am taking a page from snarkydork:
What I am reading: I am trying to read more this year than I did last year and far more than I did the year before. And I am on my third book of the year, so that’s a step in the right direction. Right now it’s Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. It’s ok. It’s a Y.A. novel and in a lot of ways it reads like a Y.A. novel but there’s nothing wrong with that. I am 191 pages into a 498 page book and I don’t feel like throwing it away, so…I guess it’s ok. But at the same time, I am not yet thrilled. We’ll see.
I am also reading the Herbivore travel issue. If you’ve never seen Herbivore magazine, I think it’s worth taking a look even if you aren’t vegan, which I am not either. Somewhere in my internet travels I came across mentions of it and I got intriguied and tracked some copies down. It is a really nicely produced magazine. It’s pretty heavy on words, not so much the slick and shiny mag, so it reads more like a book. This issue in particular as it is square bound and chunky and, in fact, their first print issue in… a year, I think. They had gone all-digital and it looks like now they will do both digital and print. In general, I think they are a pretty well written mag. Not being a vegan, or even a vegetarian, I feel a little strange sometimes but even when I don’t agree with some of their political stands, I have to remember that I rarely agree with anyone’s political stands, so…you know…grain of salt and all. In the past they have featured musicians, artist and writers that I am very fond of (Jonathan Richman? Hell yeah!) so I keep coming back.
Next? Well, I am looking for some inspiration and when one needs inspiration, where does one go? Well, to Stephen Fry, of course! The Ode Less Traveled was given to me for my birthday and I’ve been saving it for that extra boost when I need it…looks like I need it now.
What I am watching: It has occurred to me that the writer’s strike is not hitting me all that hard. I like television and I watch a lot of television, but…eh. If it’s not on, I probably won’t turn it on. And I don’t really feel like I am missing anything there hasn’t been any “must see tv” for me since Buffy. That said, I am finally catching up on the stuff on my DVR. Now that the new season of Medium has begun, I am finally watching the last season. And Rick Steve’s travel show has been featuring the UK so I’ve been recording those when I can’t watch them “live.” There’s also a new Jamie Oliver series on Food Network and Masterpiece Theatre is running Jane Austen shows so I really don’t feel at all unentertained. Oh yeah, and there is always a book.
I did watch a few movies recently, but since I can’t remember what they were I’m going to assume that they weren’t that good. I read the shooting script for Juno and enjoyed it well enough and I am currently reading The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and enjoying that too. I figure I am more likely to read movies then see them so I am taking advantage of Fox and Miramax offering scripts online. By the way, I haven't seen The Namesake but I did read the book and it was very good. I am hoping the script lives up.
What’s next? Well, Stephen Fry again, of course! The box set of Jeeves and Wooster appeared under my Christmas tree and I am looking forward to breaking that in.
What I am listening to: Right now? Iron and Wine which is reminding me of Simon and Garfunkel. Generally? Well, a lot of Ella Fitzgerald. You can’t go wrong there. And along with some Stephen Fry under the tree, I found an awful lot of Patsy Cline, so I am thinking there will be a country-fried good time around here soon. You did know that it’s wasn’t God who made Honky Tonk Angels, didn’t you?
Actually, as much as I need inspiration, I need music. I’ve recently ordered some new (to me) stuff, including the Waterboys and the Doves, bands I know and like but have never listened to at length. I need to get that new Radiohead…what else do I need? Any suggestions? You can see that my musical tastes are fairly eclectic. What have you heard lately that you think I might like?
What I’m working on: Did I mention I’ve been sick? Did I mention that I need some inspiration? Well, as soon as these valentines are done, it’s back to work on my personal project…I hope. BUT, I did just by myself a little tiny graphics tablet thingy. The kind with a stylus? I don’t know how it will work for me, but I am curious to see what comes of it.
What I had for lunch: leftover chicken and dumplings and a Minneola. The chicken dumplings were actually better as leftovers than they were for dinner. But I really can’t figure out why.
What new blogs I’ve been reading: SemiCircular Vegan makes me laugh out loud. Russell Davies is ever entertaining and Downbeat is…well…downbeat.
So, what have you been up to?
Hmmm…this Iron and Wine is starting to remind of Crosby, Still and Nash now…
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Crankypants.
I am clearly the surliest person alive. I went to a “rock” concert the other night (ok, well,it was Crowded House so do you call that rock? Because they did, indeed rock but I feel like rock is kind of more like…you know, ROCK! Like Warrant or something…no, I am totally kidding…or am i?) annnnnyway, Crowded House, at the Greek, live. Lovely. They sounded wonderful, I liked Pete Yorn, who was one of the openers, I didn’t hear Liam Finn, who was the other opener, except for a moment and that sounded a little trippy for me but…I am wandering here…surly, right.
So, I am sitting in my seat, quietly appreciating the music. See, I paid money to hear Crowded House, not the sort of freaky dude in front of me carrying on a conversation with Crowded House, because he totally was. Every time Neil Finn would say something this dude had and answer. And his girlfriend, man she could clap loud…but not on beat. And that other girl, the one to the left who kind of danced like she was having a spasm, totally needed to stop. And that OTHER guy, the one who was gonna take out someone’s eye with his flailing arms…yeesh.
All that would make you think I didn’t enjoy the show. But I did. A lot. But all those people need to stop talking and dancing and chatting on their cell phones and PAY ATTENTION! And get the hell off my lawn. And stop making that damn racket! And…man I am surly.
So, I am sitting in my seat, quietly appreciating the music. See, I paid money to hear Crowded House, not the sort of freaky dude in front of me carrying on a conversation with Crowded House, because he totally was. Every time Neil Finn would say something this dude had and answer. And his girlfriend, man she could clap loud…but not on beat. And that other girl, the one to the left who kind of danced like she was having a spasm, totally needed to stop. And that OTHER guy, the one who was gonna take out someone’s eye with his flailing arms…yeesh.
All that would make you think I didn’t enjoy the show. But I did. A lot. But all those people need to stop talking and dancing and chatting on their cell phones and PAY ATTENTION! And get the hell off my lawn. And stop making that damn racket! And…man I am surly.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Annoyed.
What to do? All music appears to be annoying me at the moment. I read about the Pipettes and I know I have heard them before but then when I sought them out and listened…annoying. Same with Starsailor. So I went back to some Shins…annoying. Ted Leo…annoying. Feist…extremely annoying. Just seeing the name Joanna Newsome annoyed me…Nothing seems to be doing the trick today. At the moment I have retreated to the relative safety of an hour long Thievery Corporation mix and it’s…kind of annoying. So clearly, this is me, not the music that is the problem and I am willing to accept that but I could use some suggestions. Anyone? Anyone? Something less annoying when one is annoyed beyond all reason?
HURRY…I’ve already given up on Thievery Corp. and been annoyed by Mazzy Starr since I started typing this!
HURRY…I’ve already given up on Thievery Corp. and been annoyed by Mazzy Starr since I started typing this!
Almost.
This was last week:
I am at the point where I am just powering through. Music on loud and staring at the screen and hopefully things will get done. Hopefully. And that’s WORK, never mind my own stuff…which is just not getting done. And I am tired. Very, very tired. Last week I thought that I was depressed. This week, I’ve got no time for depression! Although I am thinking that the euphoria I am feeling may be related to the tired thing.
Anyway, there was a weekend. A lamp was purchased. Brownies were baked (some with chocolate chips, some with cream cheese swirls), a barbecue was attended and why was everyone insisting that it was great pool party weather and then shivering when they dove in the pool? Not me, no sir. I’ll stay warm thank you.
Next week the husband goes out of town and look, yes, I do love him but yes, I also love time alone. So…I am kind of looking forward to that and all it entails…tofu scrambles, sleeping in the middle of the bed and flipping back and forth between two movies that just shouldn’t be viewed together (maybe something like Dirty Dancing and Dawn of the Dead…DIRTY DEAD!) I keep thinking that while he is away I will get some painting done, get some cleaning done, get a new core exercise regime started but…yeah, I’ll be drinking cheap wine, sleeping too late and watching BBCAmerica.
What I am listening to now: Feist-not sure how I feel about her yet.
What I am wishing I was listening to now: Devo-know EXACTLY how I feel about them!
What I am reading now: Oops, I have like 20 more pages of that The Virgin’s Lover book that I keep not reading. I did read the most recent Carl Hiassen book over the weekend, Nature Girl, it was okay. I think he’s gotten in a rut but you know, it’s a fairly entertaining rut, so whatever.
What I have enjoyed so far today: Vegan pizza, a mini cupcake that wasn’t very good but still make me pretty happy, my brand new Disapproving Rabbit shirt, a picture of teeny tiny hedgehogs…
This is this week (including the weekend):
There were turkey meatballs and homemade tomato sauce. There was a sticky toffee pudding. A new coffee table was purchased as was a new buffet to hide all the booze. I think I have finally convinced the husband that displaying all the liquor isn’t cool if you aren’t in college. Even if it is good liquor. Well…MY liquor is the good stuff. He likes things like Bailey’s. Eeesh. Pan’s Labyrinth has been watched, discussed and researched. It was enjoyed but somehow not as much as expected.
Most work for work was completed and some work for not work was begun. Himself leaves for a week tonight and after that it’s all naps and cheap wine and romance novels…heh.
Annnnnnnyway…I think I am almost there. Almost caught up, almost well rested, almost ready to dive right in and start again…almost.
OH HAY, if you like stuff…and really, who doesn’t? There is all kinds of new stuff in the store! Here are two little bits you’ll find there. I rather like them. Pop on over and check them out of you get a chance. Thanks!
I am at the point where I am just powering through. Music on loud and staring at the screen and hopefully things will get done. Hopefully. And that’s WORK, never mind my own stuff…which is just not getting done. And I am tired. Very, very tired. Last week I thought that I was depressed. This week, I’ve got no time for depression! Although I am thinking that the euphoria I am feeling may be related to the tired thing.
Anyway, there was a weekend. A lamp was purchased. Brownies were baked (some with chocolate chips, some with cream cheese swirls), a barbecue was attended and why was everyone insisting that it was great pool party weather and then shivering when they dove in the pool? Not me, no sir. I’ll stay warm thank you.
Next week the husband goes out of town and look, yes, I do love him but yes, I also love time alone. So…I am kind of looking forward to that and all it entails…tofu scrambles, sleeping in the middle of the bed and flipping back and forth between two movies that just shouldn’t be viewed together (maybe something like Dirty Dancing and Dawn of the Dead…DIRTY DEAD!) I keep thinking that while he is away I will get some painting done, get some cleaning done, get a new core exercise regime started but…yeah, I’ll be drinking cheap wine, sleeping too late and watching BBCAmerica.
What I am listening to now: Feist-not sure how I feel about her yet.
What I am wishing I was listening to now: Devo-know EXACTLY how I feel about them!
What I am reading now: Oops, I have like 20 more pages of that The Virgin’s Lover book that I keep not reading. I did read the most recent Carl Hiassen book over the weekend, Nature Girl, it was okay. I think he’s gotten in a rut but you know, it’s a fairly entertaining rut, so whatever.
What I have enjoyed so far today: Vegan pizza, a mini cupcake that wasn’t very good but still make me pretty happy, my brand new Disapproving Rabbit shirt, a picture of teeny tiny hedgehogs…
This is this week (including the weekend):
There were turkey meatballs and homemade tomato sauce. There was a sticky toffee pudding. A new coffee table was purchased as was a new buffet to hide all the booze. I think I have finally convinced the husband that displaying all the liquor isn’t cool if you aren’t in college. Even if it is good liquor. Well…MY liquor is the good stuff. He likes things like Bailey’s. Eeesh. Pan’s Labyrinth has been watched, discussed and researched. It was enjoyed but somehow not as much as expected.
Most work for work was completed and some work for not work was begun. Himself leaves for a week tonight and after that it’s all naps and cheap wine and romance novels…heh.
Annnnnnnyway…I think I am almost there. Almost caught up, almost well rested, almost ready to dive right in and start again…almost.
OH HAY, if you like stuff…and really, who doesn’t? There is all kinds of new stuff in the store! Here are two little bits you’ll find there. I rather like them. Pop on over and check them out of you get a chance. Thanks!
Friday, May 04, 2007
Spider(dash)Man.
Well, I went to see Spider-Man 3 this morning. One of the occasional perks of my job is getting to see “comic-book” movies. It’s nice. Except in this particular case, I can’t really recommend the movie. Hey, YOU might like it, me, not so much. It wasn’t really offensive but it was really long. And just kind of there. So…yeah. And I can’t even say much for the previews. Shrek 3, Across the Universe, Balls of Fury, that animated thing about the surfing pengiuin…nothing that really interested me. I guess there is a reason I don’t go to the movies all that much.
I am looking forward to the weekend though. I have a bunch of pictures to work on and I really need to make my mother’s day and dad’s birthday presents. I am thinking lemon bars (but more like lemon brownies than those lemon bars that are gooey, since they have to be shipped) for her and brownies for him. Does that sound good? It just seems that food is the best present now because it doesn’t take up much space, it’s consumable, they can share it and lemon bars and brownies are not really something they would make for themselves. I don’t know. I guess I would like a box of brownies. I can do without the lemon bars though.
I think I may also try a new vegan cupcake. I was thinking about the “Crimson Velveteen” which is, of course, a take on Red Velvet cake…which I don’t really like. I never got why anyone would want to put a whole bottle of red dye in anything…but hey, this only takes two tablespoons…or is it teaspoons? I can’t remember. Either way, I guess it will be an interesting experiment.
Speaking of cupcakes…Cupcake Show is getting married this weekend to her poet boy, I don’t actually KNOW either of them but they seem like really nice people so I sent them a card and some cds. I hope they have a wonderful day.
Here is the playlist from the “mellow” cd. What do you think?
God Only Knows-Petra Haden
I Melt With You-Nouvelle Vague
All of me-Django Reinhardt
I'm In Love With A Girl-The Best Of Big Star
Wild Horses-The Rolling Stones
I Want You-Holly Cole
All I Want is You-Sugarplum Fairies
Some Kind Of Wonderful-Joss Stone
Can I Hold You-Colin James Hay
She’s The One-Robbie Williams
It's Always You-Chet Baker
The Way You Look Tonight-Bryan Ferry
All The Right Reasons-The Jayhawks
Never Tear Us Apart-INXS
Lips Like Sugar-Echo and the Bunnymen
Just Like Heaven (Acoustic)-The Cure
My Baby Just Cares For Me-Nina Simone
Let My Love Open The Door-Pete Townshend
The Strangest Girl-Looper
Into Your Life -Nick Heyward
Hold Me Now -Thompson Twins
Such Great Heights-Iron And Wine
And here is a little cupcake art too…
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!
I am looking forward to the weekend though. I have a bunch of pictures to work on and I really need to make my mother’s day and dad’s birthday presents. I am thinking lemon bars (but more like lemon brownies than those lemon bars that are gooey, since they have to be shipped) for her and brownies for him. Does that sound good? It just seems that food is the best present now because it doesn’t take up much space, it’s consumable, they can share it and lemon bars and brownies are not really something they would make for themselves. I don’t know. I guess I would like a box of brownies. I can do without the lemon bars though.
I think I may also try a new vegan cupcake. I was thinking about the “Crimson Velveteen” which is, of course, a take on Red Velvet cake…which I don’t really like. I never got why anyone would want to put a whole bottle of red dye in anything…but hey, this only takes two tablespoons…or is it teaspoons? I can’t remember. Either way, I guess it will be an interesting experiment.
Speaking of cupcakes…Cupcake Show is getting married this weekend to her poet boy, I don’t actually KNOW either of them but they seem like really nice people so I sent them a card and some cds. I hope they have a wonderful day.
Here is the playlist from the “mellow” cd. What do you think?
I Melt With You-Nouvelle Vague
All of me-Django Reinhardt
I'm In Love With A Girl-The Best Of Big Star
Wild Horses-The Rolling Stones
I Want You-Holly Cole
All I Want is You-Sugarplum Fairies
Some Kind Of Wonderful-Joss Stone
Can I Hold You-Colin James Hay
She’s The One-Robbie Williams
It's Always You-Chet Baker
The Way You Look Tonight-Bryan Ferry
All The Right Reasons-The Jayhawks
Never Tear Us Apart-INXS
Lips Like Sugar-Echo and the Bunnymen
Just Like Heaven (Acoustic)-The Cure
My Baby Just Cares For Me-Nina Simone
Let My Love Open The Door-Pete Townshend
The Strangest Girl-Looper
Into Your Life -Nick Heyward
Hold Me Now -Thompson Twins
Such Great Heights-Iron And Wine
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!
Monday, April 02, 2007
Baked.
Sometimes I start baking and I just can’t stop. It’s a sickness really. I had planned on making some vegan cupcakes because I had this container of vegan frosting in the fridge that I really didn’t want to go to waste, so there was that. Then I wanted to make an anniversary present for my parents. Last time I sent my mom cookies she mentioned that she really liked the almond sugar cookies. So there were cookies too. Then I needed to make something for breakfasts and I had some old bananas sitting on the counter. What does one do with old bananas? One makes banana muffins with chocolate chips and almonds (vegan style). But one forgot to use the whole wheat pastry flour and flax seeds that would make such a thing a slightly more nutritious breakfast so one had to make another set of muffins and, one started to feel guilty about including chocolate chips in a breakfast muffin, so one put the last of the strawberries in there instead.
There was much baking this weekend.
But you know, it’s kind of cool. I was not thrilled with the idea of healthy(er) banana strawberry whole wheat muffins with flax seeds and almonds. They just sounded really…healthy. And although I like my breakfasts to be…ok, look, if I had it my way, it would be Oreos for breakfast, but I don’t and it’s not. But, it was with not a little wariness that I bit into that healthy(ish) muffin this morning. And it was…good. Perfect for breakfast. I like when that happens. When I think I am not going to like something and then hey, I do! Yay!
So I added some links if you are interested…except…I did it a few days ago and now I can’t remember which ones are new…I’d start at the bottom of the lists, that’s where I usually put them. Oh and there’s that iLike thing on the sidebar now. See, Brenda was looking for a way to link to snippets of a song and I had seen a few people who were using that thing, and I suggested that she try it. Then I decided that if I suggested it, I had better try it myself. So now you can mock my musical tastes in real time. Yeah, you can just go ahead and email about the weird stuff I listen to. And I will ignore you.
Oh, oh, I watched the first episode of The Tudors…I kind of liked it. I will watch more but…ok, first, I didn’t know that Sean Pertwee was in this show…and then I discovered why I didn’t know. SPOILER…ok, well not if you know history, which apparently I don’t…He dies. Quickly. So much for that. But this show really does say something about my tastes in men. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays a young Henry VIII, that’s fine, I like him well enough, he’s been in some movies I liked. Cool. Then there’s a bunch of young guys who get nekkid. Ok, fine. I have no problems with that. BUT OH MY GOSH! Jeremy Northam and Sam Neill are in it as Thomas More and Cardinal Wolsey respectively…so…I’m guessing they aren’t getting nekkid in this series, eh? Oh well.
There was much baking this weekend.
But you know, it’s kind of cool. I was not thrilled with the idea of healthy(er) banana strawberry whole wheat muffins with flax seeds and almonds. They just sounded really…healthy. And although I like my breakfasts to be…ok, look, if I had it my way, it would be Oreos for breakfast, but I don’t and it’s not. But, it was with not a little wariness that I bit into that healthy(ish) muffin this morning. And it was…good. Perfect for breakfast. I like when that happens. When I think I am not going to like something and then hey, I do! Yay!
So I added some links if you are interested…except…I did it a few days ago and now I can’t remember which ones are new…I’d start at the bottom of the lists, that’s where I usually put them. Oh and there’s that iLike thing on the sidebar now. See, Brenda was looking for a way to link to snippets of a song and I had seen a few people who were using that thing, and I suggested that she try it. Then I decided that if I suggested it, I had better try it myself. So now you can mock my musical tastes in real time. Yeah, you can just go ahead and email about the weird stuff I listen to. And I will ignore you.
Oh, oh, I watched the first episode of The Tudors…I kind of liked it. I will watch more but…ok, first, I didn’t know that Sean Pertwee was in this show…and then I discovered why I didn’t know. SPOILER…ok, well not if you know history, which apparently I don’t…He dies. Quickly. So much for that. But this show really does say something about my tastes in men. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays a young Henry VIII, that’s fine, I like him well enough, he’s been in some movies I liked. Cool. Then there’s a bunch of young guys who get nekkid. Ok, fine. I have no problems with that. BUT OH MY GOSH! Jeremy Northam and Sam Neill are in it as Thomas More and Cardinal Wolsey respectively…so…I’m guessing they aren’t getting nekkid in this series, eh? Oh well.
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