Tunes and Nostalgia

I was flipping through the XM radio in my sister's car tonight and came upon Third Eye Blind's Semi-Charmed Life...you know, "doo doo doo - doo doo doo dooo..." The song is so bad that I just had to have a listen. It's all 90s and representative of that time, blah blah blah. Of course, now it's in my head and drilling into my cerebral cortex, threatening to discombobulate all my memories, attention, perceptual awareness, thoughts, language, and consciousness. No biggie. Thanks, Third Eye Blind. A-holes.

I have the idea that the song's meaning is something about drug addiction, but the more I think about it, the more I feel it might apply to me and my plight. Do I really have a "plight"??? Am I that important? Am I so self-important that I'm assigning myself a plight? Come on.. But seriously. What I'm sayin' is this:

These lyrics?

And I come on like a freak show takes the stage
We give them the games they play

She said I want something else
To get me through this semi-charmed kind of life
I want something else
I'm not listening when you say good-bye

I think they might describe me and my aversion to reality. My focus on what would be ideal. My constant struggle for that which is missing. And that fact that I'm a fucking mess.

Also, I hate when the singer says "good-BYYYYYYEEEEE." So annoying.

It's a terrific night, weather-wise, tonight. There is what can actually be described as a cool breeze happening on Cathy's deck. And the crickets are a lovely background noise accompanying my July soundtrack. I savor these outdoor night moments alone. All I know is my apartment better have a decent deck or whatever.

Had a great time with my sister and mom tonight. We listened to bunches of my old 45s and 33s. Those are records. The black plastic* things you play with a needle. Listened to a lot of 80s stuff and some of my dad's albums, too. My dad liked listening to music. And my sister reminded me of this one time, when Dad was reading the newspaper, and he announced "Phish is going on tour." We were all astounded. He was into, ya know, Cat Stevens, Elton John, Frankie Valli, and Doo-wop and junk. However, he liked to talk about Fifty Cent. And he knew Barenaked Ladies were men.

My mom really likes A-ha's Take On Me. I can't hear that song without thinking of the video. It was so cool. The singer actually went into a rough-draft comic? strip. So cutting edge.

The Wham! song Freedom is a well-formulated pop song. Wonder if it was written to be a pop hit? Or if it just accidentally ended up that? My sister drew all over George Michael's face on my Make It Big album cover. She was a hater.

I was perplexed and disappointed to find most of my INXS records are mysteriously missing. Sads. Maybe they were actually tapes? Wonder where my tapes are?

Oh, the memories. Oh, the questionable music I used to love. Imagine what I'll think of the songs I listen to now when I'm 50?

*oh wait, shit! It's vinyl. Sorry. I suck.

Musica

Remember how I was all ga-ga about my June playlist? I'm tired of it already. Time to crank it up for July.

I realize I haven't done a Song of the Day in a bit, and I know you must be lost and disappointed as a result. For my laziness and thoughtlessness, I apologize. I dedicate this one to my Luke, who loves this song: I Disappear by The Faint...

Need the random

I've been working on a post, off and on, since yesterday afternoon. It's about doing things alone. I'm having a bit of trouble with it today. It's the whole "can't concentrate on a single topic" thing again. Too many random thoughts and many, many external distractions pop up all too often for me. I feel like this is getting worse as time goes by. I've especially been plagued with the A.D.D. over the past few months. I hate taking meds, but I'm already throwing them back, so I wonder if some kind of Concerta-type med would help me? Ick. I hate to even suggest that I take more pills.

I'm gonna try to get some of this random out, so I can make room for focus.

When it comes to my kids, there are two things that make me proudest, and I feel that they are a direct result of my influence. (1) they are polite children. they say please, thank you, and are usually superwell-behaved in public. (2) they all like to read! this just makes my heart happy, since I've loved reading books for... my whole life. Cam is pretty much addicted to books. He reads at a superhigh level and can't get enough. Luke can't truly read yet, though he recognizes some letters and understands the sounds they make. But he loves to sit and look at books (even those with very few pics) for long periods. And he adores being read to. Same with Claire. She digs hearing stories, but will "read" on her own. She usually reads out loud, and is very expressive.

There are three tshirts I want from Old Navy right now. Will you buy them for me?

My friend Julie from Boulder, Boulder (yes, that's right) made me a cd and she named it "Melzer's Rockin' Rollerskates Mixed Tape." I feel compelled to review it (in my typical vague review style) for you now:

1. First Day Of My Life - Bright Eyes: I already had this tune, but it was Julie who introduced me to it. It's lovely and beautiful and it makes me want to cry and blubber and it makes my heart all fluttery and bloated and stuff. Happy little number.

2. Road To Joy - Bright Eyes: I like how raw the vocals are. And I like the snare drum rolls.

3. Mountain of a Heart - Chamberlain: I feel like I've heard this before. Vocals are reminiscent of Eels. Like, I think. But need to absorb it more. Springsteen-ish Jam Rock is what I'll call it.

4. Bad Man Coming - Crooked Fingers, and
5. Angelina - Crooked Fingers: I really wanted to like this band, of course, based on their name. Not diggin' either of these songs so far, though.

6. I Disappear - The Faint: LIKEY. LIKEY. LIKEY. I think that is good house-cleaning music.

7. Great Expectations - The Gaslight Anthem: Yep, dig it!

8. Play Your Part - Girl Talk, and
9. In Step - Girl Talk: Fun, entertaining, but will definitely not be able to play these in the car. I'm all for colorful vocabularies, but this might get the kidlets in trouble. ;)

10. Sequestered in Memphis - The Hold Steady: Wait? This sounds eerily just like Chamberlain! Seriously.

11. 7 To Think - Judge Nothing: meh. hm.

12. Alphabutt - Kimya Dawson: supremely entertaining. Because bodily excretions and expulsions rock! Another one that needs to be banned in the vanned.

13. Long & Lazy River - Nellie McKay: What a calm, sweet voice. Makes me smile.

14. Last Dance - The Raveonettes: Jules knows I dig this duo. This song doesn't disappoint me. I like very mucho!

15. Totally - Screeching Weasel: Kickass. My kids are going to rock out to this one.

16. Open Heart Surgery - Sense Field: I like this at first, but toward the middle I start to get bored. Maybe I just like the singer's voice?

17. The Comeback - Shout Out Louds: DIG IT MOST!!!! Pretty sure it's my fav on the Rockin' Rollerskates Mixed Tape.

18. A Good Idea - Sugar: Not a fan.

19. Relief Next To Me - Teagan and Sara: I like.

20. Horchata - Vampire Weekend: Julie didn't know this, but I already have this one! Obvs, I like it. :)

21. Giving Up The Gun - Vampire Weekend: I like this tune better than Horchata, so WIN! I think, my second fav on the mixed tape.

22. Left & Leaving - The Weakerthans: I've heard tons o good things about The Weakerthans, and now I see why. Very nice. It's like....a cross between Death Cab & The Shins. That's a good thing!

23. Paper Moon - Whiskeytown: Have to admit, I was hesitant about this one (Genre: Country). But I love it! It's beautiful! The biggest surprise of the tape. And, I have to say, the perfect song to end the album with, Juliepotpie.

Thanks so much for the music!!! Such a bright spot for me, and I really enjoy getting to know new stuff. :)

I had to wash my hair today with body wash. I'm pug-sitting at Jill's and thought I still had shampoo there, but turns out that it's conditioner. My hair looks fabulous as a result. It actually looks dry for once. The frizz is to die for.

Today has been about as unproductive as a day can be. I need to get out of the house. The kids and I are off to give the pug a bathroom break. And we're going to checkout a bizarro "park?" "garden?" "display?" near Jill's place. I've been curious about it for months. Don't know what to expect, but hopefully I'll get some pics. And hopefully it's not too muddy, cause all I have are flip flops. (not a great planner)

Adios!

Music Monday, Part One

Today could be a crap day, but for some reason, I'm rolling with the punches. There've been a few punches this morning, one: finding out I didn't get the W&S job. Discappointed. (obscure World Girl reference.) Disappointed, too. But not particularly beaten down about it. Not devastated. Got lots more opportunities to apply to, but I'm having a difficult time doing so with Luke, Claire, and my niece Rowan running around like maniacs, demanding peanuts. (Those kids know I don't respond to demands! Wonder how long they'll keep this up til they realize they need to ask nicely if they want their nuts?) So, until I can get some peaceful kid-free time, I'll blog. Then I'll get my job huntin' on.

So, Music.
I feel that I've been really successful at opening my mind and ears to different forms of music over that past several months. In fact, I feel my tastes changing. Stuff I merely appreciated before is quickly becoming what I prefer. I like a variety in life, why not enjoy a variety of music?

Some of the stuff I've been digging lately, new (to me) and old:

Arcade Fire. Especially Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels). They're Canadian. There's something to be said about Canadian musicians. I seem to be attracted to those Northerners. Plus, chicks in male-dominated bands is something I like.

Halloween Alaska. All The Arms Around You is awesome. (listen to entire song via media player on their website.) Certainly an important fact about this band: "Halloween, Alaska" is not named after a place that actually exists in Alaska. Thank you very much Wikipedia.

Anything by Ingrid Michaelson. She makes me happy, sad, longing, depressed, over-emotional, reflective... Also, she is fucking hilarious in concert. Hard for me to pick a single tune to highlight here, but Masochist was one of my first favs. And I love her doing Creep.

I think I like The Killers. I like Midnight Show. They are from Las Vegas, but my friend LC apparently thinks they are from London.

I totally dig the song Shapes by The Long Winters. I have no idea WTF it's about, but I still love it. As does my daughter. The quality of this video sux, sorry.

Modest Mouse. Liking them tons. More and more each day. Satellite Skin is rocking my world, but Claire prefers Missed the Boat.

Like The Shins in a big way. Hard to pick one or two or three songs to represent. Pink Bullets is one I've been listening to with great frequency lately. But honestly, I haven't met a Shins song yet that I don't like.

The New Pornographers. I dig The New Face of Zero and One. They just released a new album, which I haven't heard yet. More Canadians. And Neko Case is very intriguing.

I like Somewhere Across Forever by Stellastar* (aka Stellstar* if you're in my head). I want to explore more SS*.

Some stuff I'm not listening to with as much intensity, but still holds a place in my heart:

Death Cab For Cutie. Particularly, A Lack of Color (though this vid is just Ben Gibbard performing).

The Postal Service. Nothing Better will never cease to thrill me. Also, hello. Jenny Lewis. Meow.

Butterfly Boucher. Love the depth and honesty of her voice. Love Scary Fragile, Drift On, and my theme song, I Found Out.

That's all for now. There is much more to share, but I must work on convincing someone to hire me!!

P.S. Thatsa lotta links. I hope they all work...if you want them to... ;)