Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sitting here staring at the screen...

And completely at a blank for anything to write...so random it is!

...though I am enjoying DaDaDa by Trio.

...am a little disturbed by the FB ad that tells me I should "Make babies my business."

...really wishes he understood Korean.

...have a stress test tomorrow at the Doctor's...I get to walk on a treadmill for a while to have my ticker checked.

...went to HTB with the Nora, my brother and nieces for breakfast. I loves me some buffets!

that's all for now.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Musings...

I often wonder what drives people's choices. As I observe the people around me, I puzzle as to the choices they make. Sometimes, I worry. Other times, I just enjoy watching life unfold. I try not to be judgey. Everyone should do what they need to do to get through life, I truly believe that. But they should tender their decisions with wisdom, or at least caution. Regardless of personal desire, one should, at least, weigh consequences. Throwing caution to the wind is not always the best choice to make...

Heidi was a dear friend. She was the person who took me to faire as a participant for the first time. We met at Knott's during one of the summer shows. She was the first of my friends to hold Nora. She came and visited us at the hospital the day after Nora was born. She chatted with us and while she sat, we asked if she wanted to hold her...it was cute, she seemed a little nervous, but in the end took to it with no problem. She passed away about a year later. I was terribly sad. She came to mind the other day because I was watching Firefly. Her younger sister was on one of the episodes I was watching. They share a strong resemblance. I realized that I still miss her very much.

FB keeps amusing me....a friend from college posted a cast picture of the first show I did in college. These memories are always welcome. Though I remember now that I didn't look so good with red hair. :D

Oh, why are you so awesome, The Be Good Tanyas?

Went to the doctor today. Got a shot, poked in the pooper, weighed and measured, and an appointment for a stress test. Last week I went to the optometrist. He told me that, while my prescription hasn't changed too much, I will probably be needing bifocals in the next year or two....I love getting older. :/

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Random Quicky

So today at work the Operations department brought stuff from the old off-site storage place to add the warehouse. Among the items brought was a dinosaur head...well, actually it is the cast for a dino head. I'm thinkin' I have to score a metric fuckton of duo-foam....

Faire's starting soon. I will be going back to doing English Country Dance. Kind of excited about this. Going to try to get a Morris side going too...cause the ladies love a Morris dancer. At least that's what I hear.

I ordered new glasses. Kind of excited about them. Should have them within the next couple of weeks.

Orange Blossom Special just came on the MP3 play-list I'm listening to on the Lappity-toppity machine. Bill Monroe's version. I love it.

I think it's time for a hair cut.

The new teacher at work is super cute.

I really miss my musical instruments. I really need to get hem out of hock. I really need to start playing shows again.

Anyhoo, that's all for now. :)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Wooo...Valemtimes!

Hi all!

Tonight's entry is Valentine's day related.

I was going to go off on a rant about the fact that I dislike the holiday. How I think romance is kind of over-rated. That I really kind of enjoy being single, sort of. But then it occurred to me that I would be spouting my bile much in the way I complained about last entry...and that sort of douche baggery is really not my style. (Hush all of yous!)

So, instead I decided to celebrate the day by writing about my favorite non-traditional love songs! Now, I consider the following songs non-traditional in that they may not be all filled with shmoop or traditional romancey stuff OR they may be songs about love gone wrong or crazy. All of which intrigues me and makes for good listening.

Don't get me wrong, I loves me some classic love songs. Some of my faves are Sinatra's The Way You Look Tonight; Wonder's I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will Be Forever); the Temptations' My Girl....but I like the off center, the different, the scary...

LA County Perhaps one of the greatest modern murder ballads ever. Lyle Lovett really makes a remarkable song here...filled with yearning, with love's sweet sting, with GSWs...all to a jaunty country rhythm. Beautiful and kind of scary.

You Are The Everything REM at their most, um, REM-like. The simplicity of this tune is almost overwhelming. Acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, and Michael Stipe singing about love...really just a lovely song.

I Want You Elvis Costello. Obsessive love. Kind of creepy. Made creepier by the intro, which is all sweet and stuff. Seriously one of the greats.

I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You Early Tom Waits, this is a singularly sincere piece of music and lyric. Sweet without the cloying, touching without cliche, simple, to the point. And really pretty romantic. Also of note is Mr. Waits' rendition of Somewhere from West Side Story. Super great version.

The Price I Pay Billy Bragg has really got a way with words. Whether he's writing revolutionary songs about the plight of the working class or pointed songs about today's society, he really does know how to put words together...The Price I Pay is really no exception. Poignantly written, it's all about lost love, and he really makes you feel it. LOVE this song.

Breathe Not at all what I expected from Maria McKee on her first solo album. With guitar by Richard Thompson, and her soaring, emotive vocals...she makes you feel her desire and longing...truly a remarkable talent.

Sexual Healing How could I not mention this one? Marvin Gaye is awesome and this is certainly one of his best. And it's about sex. And really who doesn't love songs about sex. Oh and Ben Harper does an amazing cover as well.

Love Will Tear Us Apart Possibly Joy Division's most famous song, in my opinion, on of the greatest songs of the period. Haunting, stirring, filled with sorrow. Ian Curtis just breaks your heart with this one, serious...

There are a lot more. But these are the ones that I had rolling around my noggin all day, so i figured they would be good to write about.

What are your favorites?

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Stuff I like, that other people hate....

Hiya!

So, this one was gonna be all filled expound-y style, but then I changed my mind. :D

I have noticed that a great many thing I enjoy catch a lot of flak. Well, better said, that there are things I like that seem to incur wrath whenever they are mentioned. I mean, people get really incensed and start expounding on how horrible that thing is. I find it both amusing and frightening, in an amusing way. Most of the time there is a valid reason for their rancor and disdain, but sometimes it just seems they hate because it seems right to do so...

So I decided I would make with the blogging about stuff I like that other people hate.

AT&T This one is probably my favorite. I've been with them for about 10 years or so, and never had calls drop or bad connections, and, yet, whenever cell service comes up, someone inevitably tells a tail of how horrible they were treated, and how they never once managed to have a phone conversation while subscribed to them and how AT&T likes to rob the graves of saints and beat up puppies. And then seem insulted when I say that I've never had an issue with them, like I just canceled their birthday, and insinuated their mother was a lady of easy virtue. Seriously.

Saturday Night Live I like the show. I always have. Sure there was a weird, kind of awkward period when I didn't think they were quite as good as they could be, but overall, every cast has had its moments. I am particularly fond of the fact that over the last 15 seasons there has been a lot of my favorite styles of comedy on the show. But again, the mere mention of SNL brings the onslaught of "MAN, that show sucks!" and "I'd rather eat glass, than watch the current cast!" Now the funny part is I've heard these things for years now. For realsies, like since the late 80's...people recalled the halcyon days of the original NRFPT Players, then in the late 90's it was the Spade/Nealon/Sandler era that was missed. When people bring up the good ole days, I always remind them those days also included the Downey Jr./Hall/Hall/Quaid years. :D

Glee This one is more or less liked by most, thus the super great ratings...I am amused that folks still have to hate it because it is so popular, which I guess makes sense. I mean, something gets big, like Glee, there would naturally be vocal deriders. Personally, really enjoy the show. And it has nothing to do with the girls in the cheer outfits.

Starbucks Yes, the coffee is, in fact, over-roasted. And I hate that they give things the wrong or new names, and expect those to become the vernacular. But it's handy because there are so many and well, even the best coffee I've ever had tastes like butt with out sugar or other accoutrement so, whatevs.

Basically, what I'm saying to haters everywhere; just chill. Nothing is ever so important as to be angry or hateful toward it. But far be it from me to dismiss your passion, I just think it could be directed elsewhere.

Like your mom.

Friday, February 4, 2011

I don't know...

Seriously, I can't think of anything to write. But I wanted to keep on this blogging thing, cause well, I should really get some sort of discipline in my life....

I figured I shouldn't go for more than 2 or 3 days between blogging, as to keep it up.

Apropos of nothing...I was driving to the Museum, for a meeting, and what should pass me, but none other than Herbie, the love bug!! It was pretty cool, seeing Herbie, just out on the street like that. It even had a vanity plate, a black one! I didn't know they did vanity plates back then. It read "HERBIEEE." I actually managed to get a pic of it:


In other news, i have been puzzling over this friend, who, at one point was almost a romance...we shared a moment many years ago, I may tell the story eventually, but that's for another blog...ANYhoo, we remained friends, and kept in touch for a while, but lost touch, or better said, I managed to drop the ball with communication and stuff. Over probably the last few months to about a year, I have tried to reconnect...but, to my dismay, I have had no success. I write to her on FB, have called and texted...but nothing. I wonder if she just doesn't want to be friends anymore, or she's just super busy...

Oh, and I really miss my guitar.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Just Under the Wire...

So, I decided to actually try to work on writing.

Recently, a friend told me that I should writ e more because I apparently have some skill in it. I was pretty flattered, considering that despite my fairly confident nature, I frequently undercut myself when it comes to my more creative endeavors.

So, here it is, brief though it may be, my first in what is going to be regular blog posts.

huh, that wasn't so hard. :D