Random Things

1. Romney Accuses McCain of Dirty Tricks - What irks me is that The Romster inserts the name of the mucho revered Ronald Reagan, as if he's the touchstone for any Republican from here on out. The Obama camp invokes Kennedy in much the same way. This is one old ploy I'd like to see all of them stop using.

2. I saw the Obama ad featuring Caroline Kennedy this morning, and I'm sure I'll be seeing many more in the next few days, since Super De Duper Tuesday is coming next week. I think all of the politicos know we're more focused on the Patriots right now anyway. I'm still not decided who's getting my vote, so they'd better not call me. (I got a freakin' Ron Paul call already, but he was not in the running anyway.)
I'm Nat and I approved this blurb.

3. GO PATS!

4. Marshall's was calling to me yesterday as I passed through a local shopping center. It must have been the shoes, since the clerk was affixing the yellow final markdown prices on an entire wall of shoes and boots. SCORE! 29 bucks for a nice pair of Cole Haan loafers with kickin' hardware. I'm confessing right now that I've never had a pair of loafers this well-made before. I don't know how I can go back now.

5. Getting a text message on your cell that has a picture of something ripped that you can't quite make out is perplexing as hell, until you get a follow-on shot of a bloody knee. (Mr. Nat took a tumble, and not even on any ice or anything. And he's fine, it's just a bloody knee, ripped pants, and a bruised ego.)

6. Speaking of The Mr., he's left me. Well, he's left me for 10 weeks to attend some class in Virginia. He packed shorts, but I just shook my head. "Is it really THAT WARM in VA in winter?" I inquired in that wifely tone. I think not. He took them anyway.

7. My 15-year-old Kirby has ceased working. If the Kirby repair guy tries to sell me a new one, I'm gonna open the bag that's still in it and dump it on him. I swear.

Had enough?

Is It Me...

...Or does that stick incense, you know, the stuff that we all used in the 70's, all smell the same? I'm cleaning out drawers in the bedroom, and I found several packages of this stuff that a friend sent me for Christmas a couple of years ago. She knows I'm a candle freak, so I guess she thought I'd like the incense sticks, but I just never used them. I mean, I do post that Psychedelic Sunday song every week, but other than that, I'm really not a hippie.

I opened the windows in the upstairs to give it that mid-winter air-out, as I always do, and decided to light one of these. Oh, is this "eau-de-burning house"? No, the label says "wildberry nights." Hmmm. I don't smell anything berrylike at all. I clipped the burning top off and threw it in the toilet, and the rest of the sticks went into the ever-expanding trash bag. (Hey, I'm purging crap from my life, ok?) I thought I'd try the "pear vanilla." It smelled exactly like the other one, with perhaps the teensiest hint of vanilla. You guessed it, it's "eau-de-burning house with vanilla." I nipped that one off and it joined the other ones in the trash. The incense holder is going to the thrift shop, so some college kid and nab it for a quarter to cover up the pot smell in the dorm room. Unless one of you hippie readers wants it; I'd be happy to send it your way.

It looks almost exactly like this one.

Tuesday Tunes

Build A Best Of:
Pick one of your favorite bands/artists:
What are your 10 - 15 favorite songs by that band/artist
Optional: Make a little artwork for your best of: Leave a comment here so we can see what you've created.
Well, this is a real challenge. First off, who should I pick? I would go with The Beatles, but that's just too easy. Hey, she just said "one of your favorite," so it doesn't have to be my number one. Ok, I am really overthinking this. I'm going with Led Zeppelin.
Favorite Songs:
Dazed And Confused
Communication Breakdown
Stairway To Heaven (duh!)
Kashmir
No Quarter
Going To California
Black Dog
Immigrant Song
Whole Lotta Love
Black Mountain Side
In The Evening
Ramble On
Trampled Under Foot
Houses Of The Holy

Design a cover? Arggh. I can't do any better than this one:




What would you pick?

It's Meme Time

The Dirty Bitch Society (cool as they are) tagged me for a meme, and I'm in the mood to play along. Let's see if my mind is still working at 10 PM on a MOnday night. I'm sure it is, since I skipped watching the Prez give his annual speech. Did he point out the Really Great American You Should All Be Like and praise him or her yet?

Anyway, on with shit you really don't need to know about me:

1. I Love To Eat:
Oh lord. Of course I love to eat; that's why I am in Weight Watchers. Oh, you mean what is it I love to eat? It's a long list, but near the top is pad thai, Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, hamburgers, and chicago dogs.

2. I Hate To Eat:
Liver & Onions. DBS had the same answer, but I think I'm older and have hated it longer, so I win. My mom would force us to eat this crap for dinner now and then, and I'd always gag. I could NEVER eat it. I can't look at it, either, and I hate the smell of it cooking. If my kids ever want to eat it, they'll have to wait until they get their own place and cook it themselves (yeah, right!) or order it at some diner. That crap is not entering my house.

3. I Love To Go:
To concerts. I love almost everything about the experience except the costs at the concessions, the lines at restrooms, having beer spilled on me, muddy sound, excessive volume, and, wait a minute. Do I really love to go?

4. I Hate To Go:
To the dentist. Sure, I go because I have to, but I hate every stinking minute in that chair.

5. I Love It When:
It snows on Christmas. It just makes me feel joyous.

6. I Hate It When:
George W. Bush opens his mouth.

7. I Love To See:
Crocuses pop out from the snow. That makes me joyous, too. Mine are purple and I'll be seeing them pop out in about, oh, 2 months.

8. I Hate To See:
Bodily fluids that belong to others, even my kids. It just grosses me out.

9. I Love To Hear:
"Let's order out."

10. I Hate To Hear:
At the gyn's office: "Could you just slide down a little more?" And do what? Hang my ass all the way over the edge so you can put that freezing cold speculum in?

That is all. If you want to play, please do, and let me know so I can read your answers!

Psychedelic Sunday

The Velvet Underground - Venus In Furs

Psychedelic Sunday has been a weekly feature in my blog for just over two years, but I didn't spotlight anything from The Velvet Underground until November of 2007. What was I smokin'? Each of the eleven songs included on that album deserves a separate post! Venus In Furs is the fourth song on The Velvet Underground & Nico, a groundbreaking 1967 debut album from the band. The song was written by Lou Reed with inspiration from Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's book of the same name. I've never read the book, but apparently it's about kinky stuff like bondage and sadomasochism. Mistress Nat would approve.

Originally recorded by band members Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison in their NYC loft in July 1965, the song was rearranged for the album cut, and, according to rock critic David Fricke, the final version is a "stark, Olde English-style folk lament." To be sure, the tempo is rather dirge-like, and the lyrics contain masochism references (shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather; whiplash girlchild in the dark; clubs and bells, your servant, dont forsake him; strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart.) Cale's viola wails in the song and gives it that sinister flavor, and Reed plays a guitar with all of its strings tuned to the same note. There is a heartbeat-like thump of a bass drum throughout, and very simple tambourine beat keeps the pace. This is a classic "head" music for me, meant to be heard in a darkened room when I'm in just the right mood.

The song remains beloved by music fans and has been covered by everyone from The Melvins to Smashing Pumpkins to Bettie Serveert. Oliver Stone used it as background music in a scene in that awful Doors movie (clip here.) Why? Well, not only 'cuz it's a cool song, but because of the Andy Warhol link. Warhol, of course, did that famous cover.




As memorable and distinctive as that cover is, I still don't get the banana.

Listen to the song in the podcast window at left, or right here.

Pot Calling Kettle

toothpastefordinner.com

Now Go Out And Spend It!

At the risk of sounding like a rightie, WTF? On my excite news I read:

Pelosi, D-Calif., agreed to drop increases in food stamp and unemployment benefits during a Wednesday meeting in exchange for gaining rebates of at least $300 for almost everyone earning a paycheck, including low-income earners who make too little to pay income taxes.

HUH? A rebate is for something already paid for, right? Like when you buy 10 boxes of Cap'n Crunch and mail in the thingie you cut off the box and get, like, 50 cents back. So, if you didn't pay any taxes, how can you get a rebate? Am I just a big meanie?

I mean, if this is in response to the mortgage crisis and the fears of recession, how is 300 bucks going to bring a family out of crisis? It might help pay for gas, but come on. Gramps isn't going to run out and buy a plasma, is he?

Oh,wait. It's $300 per kid, and it's up to $1200 bucks back per family, even if they didn't pay taxes! Hold the phone, time to get that wide-screen or new iPod!

Where is the common sense here? Won't people who are in dire straits use the bucks to pay for food and heat and gasoline? How will that stimulate the economy? And what if they do go out and use it to buy house bling? Yeah for Circuit City! They might be saved!

My family is over the income cap, so we won't see a dime back, so that has something to do with my attitude, and I admit it. But, if you're not giving me anything back, why is it cool to give some to those who didn't pay at all?

Oh, I see. It's an election year. 'Nuff said.

UPDATED: The article provided more information later in the day:
"Bush has supported larger rebates of $800-$1,600, but his plan would have left out 30 million working households who earn paychecks but don't make enough to pay income tax, according to calculations by the Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center. An additional 19 million households would receive only partial rebates under Bush's initial proposal."

So, Bush actually supported the idea of leaving out the people who don't pay income tax. You mean I AGREE with something he supported? Egad, I am in shock.

All In The Family

photo from their website

Edie Brickell + Harper Simon = The Heavy Circles. They've been blogged about by Largehearted Boy, Quick Before It Melts, and a few others already, but I'm assuming lots of you don't read those music blogs. I heard their quickly circulating cut, Henri, this morning and thought you might like to hear it.

From their site bio:

Edie Brickell calls The Heavy Circles “Harper Simon’s gift to me.” This collaboration between the New Bohemians singer-songwriter and guitarist-composer Simon is a magical blend of happenstance and meticulous craftsmanship, a collection of spur-of-the-moment tunes burnished into soulful, guitar-laden gems. Making a new album wasn’t what Brickell had in mind when Simon invited her to jam one afternoon, but it became immediately clear they had stumbled onto something worth pursuing. The session, she says, was “upbeat and lots of fun and we had an effortless chemistry making music together.”

Love the prose here, which seems to be typical of what you find on an artist's site these days. You click bio, thinking you're going to read where they came from, how they got together, etc, and you get flowery stuff like "magical blend of happenstance and meticulous craftsmanship." It may be true, but wouldn't that be a bit like clicking on my bio and reading "a mind-blowing encyclopedia of popular and rock music lore." Tells you lots about me, doesn't it?

What you need to know: Harper Simon is Paul Simon's son, so Edie is his step-mother. Sounds like they can make lovely music together. They have one song available on iTunes, Hands On. I don't know how Henri leaked onto the intertoobs, but it did, so I'm fanning the flame.

Enjoy.


The Heavy Circles - Henri

Five Things In My "Frigidaire"

Ok, I don't really have a Frigidaire brand unit, but that's what Grammie called her fridge, "The Frigidaire." It was one of those old-timey things, like this one, and it was white. When she modernized her kitchen in the 70's, she painted the thing a bright green. Man, was that ugly; but, I digress.

On to what's in my fridge. I was tagged by our favorite cupcake lovin' lady, Miz UV, and you can see some of her fridge's contents here.


1. Dunkin Donuts Ground Regular Coffee - America's Test Kitchen didn't give this a very good rating, but I like it. I keep it in this circa-late-70's jar with the scoop right inside.

2. Trader Jose's E=Guaca Salsa - I like to make my own guacamole, but for those times when the avocados are just too hard or mushy, I use Trader Joe's stuff. The Guaca-Salsa is lower in calories than the straight guac, and it's spicy and tasty!

3. Real Maple Syrup - I prefer it on my stuff that requires syrup. I keep Log Cabin or some such thing on hand, 'cuz the picky kiddo won't use the real stuff. FREAK! Have you noticed that most of the supermarket syrups are just high fructose corn syrup with a teensy hint of real maple or maple flavoring? Not good eats.



4. Nova Salmon - Come on, what else am I gonna put on my 100 calorie bagel with light cream cheese? This isn't my favorite brand, but the store I stopped by didn't carry my favorite (Ducktrap River, which comes from Maine.)


5. The Mustard Stash - My name is Nat and I'm a mustard freak. Yes, there are 5 jars of mustards in there, and I use them all. Actually, there is another Dijon in the fridge somewhere, misplaced. ACK! I had my eye on a Raspberry Mustard at Le Gourmet Chef, but I walked away, since I have lots of mustard already, as you can see. I love that stuff as a pretzel dip. I dip fries in mustard, not ketchup. I would never put any condiment but mustard on a dog or a burger. Now you know my shame.

I'm not tagging anyone specifically, but if you are brave enough to share your fridge, go ahead. Just tell me so I can spy on your contents!

The Intertoobs Is Fer The Younguns?

photo from go.com

According to this article in my morning paper, the younger generation seems to think that the intertoobs is their own little playground away from us, the mean and nosy old farts.

"Young people are feeling uncomfortable about their elders encroaching on what many young adults and teens consider their technological turf."

You mean, like the way they encroach on our bars and liquor stores, trying to get alcohol that's supposed to be for us in the over-21 crowd? Like the way they drive like maniacs on our streets and highways while texting or IM'ing on their phones? Like the way so many of them behave badly at our concerts and in our movie theaters, after we shell out big bucks for our entertainment, too?

I see, it's kind of like what's in that book, Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall? The kids don't mind us buying them computers and cell phones and other techno-crap, and they are happy to have us pay for the cable modems or DSL lines and cell service, but damn it, we need to stay out of their beeswax! HAH, kids, I know how you all feel, but too bad. You can't have it both ways.

I think it's time to remove all of this technology from their greasy little hands and send them back to paper and pen, cameras with film, and dixie cups and string. Let them slam the bedroom door in our faces so they can be alone, since they want to be left alone. Alone means by yourself, not by yourself with your computer and a cell so you can chat with your pals and avoid your parents.

If you want some more eye-opening info on this whole subject, I recommend watching this week's Frontline on PBS, Growing Up Online. It addresses all of this, and some of it hit home.

A few years ago, Mr. Nat and I found out there was a party at our house while we were out of town and our then teen-aged son was supposed to be staying with a relative. (He lied about his whereabouts to the relative, of course.) We found out when I discovered pictures of the party on one of his friends livejournal pages. Oh look, honey, that's our basement in the picture! And are they drinking Kool-Aid from that funnel?

The kid argued that we were wrong to be in his business, but we argued back, in the typical parental fashion, of course, which was greeted with the eye-rolling.

No, I didn't spend hours and hours online, seeking out ways to bust the kid. I suspected a party when the house was far too clean and spotless upon our return, and the counters in the basement had streak marks, as if someone had used cleaner, but didn't rinse it off. You know what I mean. After I had that feeling that something wasn't right, I clicked on two of his friends' profiles and found all of the evidence I needed. Is this wrong?

I'm just sayin'. I have one more kid to get through the teen years, and I'm staying on top of this internet crap. We don't want him to be technologically unsavvy, but neither do we want him to be carrying on some private life online, where kids just do whatever they want. I'm still a parent, no matter how technologically challenged I might be. I mean, even George and Jane Jetson had to keep up with Judy, didn't they?

I know our world has changed, but kids have not, not really. I have a job to do, and it's not easy.

I'm just glad I won't have teens 10 years from now.

Nat's New Cringe-Worthiness Movie Rating Scale

After wasting two hours of my life at this movie yesterday (but the kiddo loved it!), I've decided to formulate a new movie Cringe-Worthiness Scale. Of course, it will be a work in progress, and I'll cross-post at the Film Freaks Film Club.

For starters, each of the following factors will be considered cringe-worthy:

1. Jason Lee starring in anything besides a Kevin Smith movie or in My Name Is Earl.

2. The use of lame montage sequences.

3. Live-action films with CG characters, especially cutesy rodents, that aren't from Disney and/or Pixar.

4. The soundtrack is better than the film.

5. Big Corporation Head is a lying, scheming jerk.

6. Biggest laughs are fart jokes.

We're off with a bang, considering Alvin And the Chipmunks is off the scale in each category:

1. You know, Jason Lee showed so much promise as a comedic leading guy in Mallrats. Sure, he was a prick, but you loved him anyway, kind of his portrayal of Earl on TV. In Alvin, he seems to try to rise above the material, but, let's face it, that's impossible.

The Chipmunks got famous! Here's a montage to prove it!

2. Montage sequences? I counted three, including one within the first 5 minutes of the movie. LAME!

Jason Lee sleeps with the rodents.

3. Combining live action and CG or traditional animation rarely works for me, but at least when Disney/Pixar is involved, it's creative and funny. These little rodents were just plain cloyingly annoying.

4. The soundtrack sucked, but it was still better than the film.

5. We get it already, movie makers! When little guy vs. Big Corporation, Big Corporation is always evil and Big Corporate Head is a dick. In this case, Big Corporate Head was phoned in by David Cross. I respect that, though, since he always admits he does this lame crap for the money. Still, he sucked in the movie. Very flat acting.

6. And, finally, fart jokes. I appreciate a good fart joke. Hell, one of my favorite movie lines is "I fart in your general direction." And the bean-eatin' scene in Blazing Saddles is classic! But, face it, fart jokes get overused. We have a new low here, with a chipmunk fart. How cute! Oh, puh-lease.

And so, friends, Alvin And The Chipmunks is my first 10 on the new cringeworthy scale! Congrats, Alvin and company!

You can use this handy little tool before you even hit the theater, too, to get the biggest bang from your movie-going bucks!

Remember, it's a work in progress, and I'll consider other cringe-worthy suggestions.

Note: Photos are from my crappy cell-phone camera. No worries, I didn't record the movie or anything like that guy did in Seinfeld.

WTF is a Blego?

Jennyjinx tagged me with this one, so I'm playing along.

The rules:

1. The person tagged must copy the word and paste the definitions of the word contributed previously by the people who did the meme. Link backs would be nice, but not necessary.
2. The person tagged must then add her own definition in this format ‘yourname.com’s definition’ and place your link. Being creative with the acronym is encouraged.
3. Answer the following questions.
4. tag 5 other people to do the meme.
   

Questions

1. Do you know what your blog is really about, and you can write a one-sentence promotional material for it in a flash? If yes, write it here. If no, skip this.

2. Do you join social networks to promote your blog? If yes, do you hope to find friends in these social networks and in the process get regular readers of your blog? If no, skip this.

3. Do you or do you plan to join ranking sites that put your blog in competition with others for popularity? If yes, do you or do you plan to monitor your stats regularly? If no, skip this.

4. Do you tweak your blog often in accordance with the tips you get from blogging guides and gurus? If yes, list the bloggers you visit often to obtain these tips. If no, skip this.

5. Do you think of your next post even if you have just written a new one? If yes, list your inspirations for posting, and/or some routines that you go through before posting. If no, skip this.

---

Blego :


Jennyjinx’s Definition:
-n. Blogger that’s so full of self-importance they believe they deserve a special place in the blogging hall of fame and if they don’t get this recognition they will throw “hissy fits”, get their “knickers in a twist” and/or cry many tears in their beer.

Nat's definition: That damn lego I step on in the basement playroom every time I set foot down there. It hurts my foot like a sonuvabitch. Used in a sentence: That god#@* blego better get picked up, or I'm kicking it into outer space.


Questions

1. Do you know what your blog is really about, and you can write a one-sentence promotional material for it in a flash? If yes, write it here. If no, skip this.Yes, Mini-Obs is about music and random crap that springs into my mind during any given day, but it's mostly about music.
2. Do you join social networks to promote your blog? If yes, do you hope to find friends in these social networks and in the process get regular readers of your blog? If no, skip this.I have joined, but I've never been sticktoitive about it. Right now, I like Entrecard.
   
3. Do you or do you plan to join ranking sites that put your blog in competition with others for popularity? If yes, do you or do you plan to monitor your stats regularly? If no, skip this.
   I joined that one that ranks you as some kind of animal, but I can't remember the name of it. (Marauding marsupial is one of the animals, but I don't know how far I made it up the ladder.)
   
4. Do you tweak your blog often in accordance with the tips you get from blogging guides and gurus? If yes, list the bloggers you visit often to obtain these tips. If no, skip this. Hell no!
   
5. Do you think of your next post even if you have just written a new one? If yes, list your inspirations for posting, and/or some routines that you go through before posting. If no, skip this. That would mean planning ahead, and the only posts I plan ahead are Psychedelic Sunday posts.
   

It's my turn to tag, but I leave it open for anyone who cares to participate. Call me a rule-breaker!


Started by Evil Woobie, who defined Blego as:

- n. an acronym of “blog ego”, which pertains to a blogger’s sense of self in the blogosphere.

Blue Monday?

According to the Daily Mail, today Blue Monday, is the unhappiest day of the year. How, you ask, did it earn such a gloomy moniker? Well, some sort of magic formula taking into account cold, dreary weather, unpaid Christmas bills, and unkept New Year's resolutions (see, I knew I was right about not making them!) was dreamed up by a some psych researcher at Cardiff University. Of course, he picked Monday because, well, it's Monday.

Just think, if you make it through today and can still crack a smile, you're all set for the year!

If that doesn't help, listen to my sunshine/happy podcast and you will not feel blue at all by the end of it.

Listen at left or here.

Guided By Voices - Glad Girls
Ian Hunter - Cleveland Rocks - Come on, it'll make you smile and think of when The Drew Carey Show was funny.
Belle & Sebastian - Step Into My Office Baby
Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
R.E.M. - Shiny Happy People

Psychedelic Sunday

Pink Floyd - See Emily Play

Written by Syd Barrett and recorded in May of 1967, See Emily Play was the second single released by Pink Floyd, following Arnold Layne.

I've read various accountings of the origination of this song, but according to this source, he was quoted in NME in 1974, revealing, "I was sleeping in the woods one night, after a gig we'd played somewhere, when I saw this girl appear before me. That girl is Emily." The wikipedia article claims he later admitted he made this up. Some have speculated that Emily was really Emily Young, the 16-year-old daughter of politician. She was known as "the psychedelic schoolgirl" to those at the UFO club, where Floyd were the house band.

Syd was a druggie and suffered from severe mental problems, so who knows how it really came about.

There is a black and white video on YouTube, which really reminds me more of something you'd have seen on The Monkees tv show. It's psychedelic, man!

Enjoy some good, psychedelic Pink Floyd.

Listen at left or right here.

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 Songs That Perk You Up When You Hear Them

For me, music caffeine for the soul, and nothing perks me up more than a good pop song. So, here goes:

Katrina & The Waves - Walking On Sunshine - How can you not want to get up, dance, and smile all over when you hear this?

The Raspberries - Go All The Way

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up

The Beatles - She Loves You

The Bangles - In Your Room

I guess I'm just your average classic rock geek, then, since none of those are newer songs.

If I had to pick 5 more current tunes:

Spoon - The Underdog

The New Pornographers - Use It

Starlight Mints - Inside Of Me

Teddybears - Punkrocker

Apples In Stereo - Can You Feel It?

What makes you feel good all over and perks you up?

Bombs and Tragedies

No, this isn't an anti-war post, so keep searching if that's what you're after.

Still, I was reading my local paper yesterday, and there was an article about how the news conference Golden Globe awards were a real bomb in the ratings department. I want to know who watches them when there's not a writer's strike, and what's the big deal? The girls and their weird hair and dresses? I always thought the Golden Globes were bogus, anyway.

What gets me is that there's a quote from Richard Zanuck, big Hollywood producer of Sweeney Todd. Check out what he says: I just hope this whole thing gets cleared up before the Academy Awards, because it would really be a tragedy if a similar fate transpired for them."

Tragedy? Really? Like kids getting shot in drive-by shootings tragedy? Like people having to choose between heat and food tragedy? Like people getting blown up in the Middle East tragedy?

Hollywood guys full of self-import really need to get their heads out of their asses. It's a freaking awards show for famous, rich people. Not having a show is not a tragedy.

Yeah, blah blah, people are out of work if there's no show. Hairdressers, caterers, stylists, seamstresses, and the like will all be affected by this "no show" show. Cry me a river. I'm sure they'll still get work somewhere in Tinseltown, since I'm sure there will still be parties, film releases, etc. Look in any magazine like People or US and you will find some red-carpet function happening every week of the year.

A tragedy? What do you think?

Tuesday Tunes

Used CDs.. Do you ever buy CDs used?
Of course! In fact, the first cd I ever purchased was used, back in 1985.


If so, where? Have you ever sold your CDs back at a used shop or a place like Half.com?
Yes, I've taken cds I've been disappointed in to a used shop and sold them. Beats keeping them around for no reason.

Have you ever been surprised to find a certain CD @ a used CD store?
Yes! I found a bunch of Pink Floyd cds one day, and I thought, "Who in their right mind would sell these?" I was discussing this very thing with a coworker and fellow music nerd at work, and was a little embarassed when he revealed he sold off most of his collection once to pay his rent. I had never thought of things that way, so it made me appreciate what I had in life.


What has been your best find @ a used CD store.
A View From 3rd Street by Jude Cole.
I've also snatched up a bunch of different "various artist" titles used. I love paying 2 or 3 bucks for a cd!

How about you? Any finds?

Snow Day!

Those were, perhaps, my favorite words as a school-aged child. You know, I still love hearing them!

Times have changed, though, and instead of crossing my fingers and chanting inside my head (St. Anne's, St. Anne's, ST. ANNE's!!) as I listen to the list of school cancellations on the radio, I check the internet or wait for a recorded message (usually near 5 a.m.) from our school superintendent to see if my son is spared from trudging through the slosh to the bus stop.

Joy came this morning at 5:03 a.m..

Our youngest is definitely not the same way I was, though, when school was called off. I was happy to go back to bed until I smelled cocoa or pancakes or some other enticing aroma wafting from the kitchen. My kiddo wants to get up anyway, just to watch TV shows he misses while he's at school. WEIRDO!

Favorite things about snow days:
Sleeping in.
Loafing on the sofa drinking coffee for a lot longer than usual.
Baking chocolate chip cookies with the kiddo.
Watching cooking shows, even though I know damn well I won't try any of the recipes.
Waving out the window to my husband while he uses the snowblower.
Wearing my jammies or crappy old sweats all day.
Drifting off to a nap while I try to read a book and not feeling guilty about it.

Ahhh, yeah.

Tomorrow, it's back to reality, but for today, it's a cozy, warm wonderland.

Psychedelic Sunday

Tinker Taylor - Terry Reid

In the late 60's, psychedelic rock reached its nadir and spawned hard rock and progressive rock. In '68, when The Yardbirds broke up, Jimmy Page was looking to expand his horizons and wanted to rock loud and hard, and was forming a new band. He offered the vocalist job to Terry Reid, who had been in a band called The Jaywalkers. Reportedly, Reid turned it down, suggesting that Page check out a guy named Robert Plant, who had been with Band Of Joy. Bad move on his part? Perhaps. He also turned down a spot in Deep Purple that was filled later by Ian Gillan.

Still, the guy put out some good solo work and is still out there working.

You can hear an interview with him via a London Times podcast here. Quite good.

Here's Terry with a song called Tinker Taylor, from his 1968 album, Bang, Bang You're Terry Reid. This record, by the way, also features a cover of Sonny Bono's song Bang, Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down.)

Listen at left or right here.

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 "Perfect" albums (albums that you can play all the way through without skipping a track)

1. Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd

2. Rumours - Fleetwood Mac

3. Automatic For The People - R.E.M.

4. Rubber Soul - The Beatles

5. My Aim Is True - Elvis Costello

Runners Up: Who's Next - The Who; Back To Black - Amy Winehouse; Songbird - Eva Cassidy; Gordon - Barenaked Ladies; Tomorrow The Green Grass - The Jayhawks; Tapestry -Carole King; 1,000 Kisses - Patty Griffin; Back In Black - AC/DC; Harvest - Neil Young; Pearl - Janis Joplin; Grace - Jeff Buckley; The Bends - Radiohead; OK Computer - Radiohead, Moondance - Van Morrison

See, I have trouble picking just 5! What's on your list?

BBC's Sound of 2008 Poll

I read the BBC Sound of 2008 poll online, and I decided it was time to check out their picks.

It could be a great year, judging from some of their choices. Up until a few days ago, I hadnot heard any of these artists (tres out of touch!), but I've been busy combing the Internets for you, so you could preview.

The list: