I'm Disappointed

I finally got to listen to Lindsey Buckingham's kinda new CD, Gift Of Screws and apparently I'm one of the only people out there that didn't really care for it.

Its too produced if you ask me and Lindsey's vocals are almost drowned out by the guitar work at some points. Not that I don't want to listen to Lindsey play. He's a fantastic guitarist, especially acoustic, but I don't buy an album just for guitar work. I want good songs that are enjoyable. 4 out of 10 songs are what I'd call good. The other 6 are mediocre, bad, or just downright strange.

This is a classic example of waiting and getting excited over an album, only to have my hopes dashed after one listen.

The cover alone is enough to put me off. Seriously, Lindsey couldn't afford a good photographer? That picture could scare small children!

It certainly isn't worth $13.00.

Top 5 On Friday: Week 193

From Music Memoirs:

Top 5 songs that this image reminds you of:

Diana Krall - Peel Me A Grape

Tierney Sutton - Fly Me To The Moon

Jane Monheit - Hit The Road To Dreamland

Stacey Kent - Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered

Suzy Boggus - Burning The Toast

A Little Tuesday Meme On Thursday

Tuesday Tunes - Week 50 from Music Memoirs

Summer is officially over so let's do a recap.

Tell us your summer musical memories, whether they are a concert, an album you bought, a song that became special or a new artist you discovered.

There were a lot of concert memories almost from the very beginning. In June I saw Gordon Lightfoot at the Mountaineer in Chester, WV. A fabulous show. In August I saw Lady Antebellum at the Fayette County Fair with Sarah Marince another fabulous show. Oh and Labor Day weekend was the back to back Peter Noone shows.

Summer was full of great shows, with great artists that were all very gracious to their fans. Definitely a lot of concert memories this year and all of them good ones, for a change. And really, if you get a chance to see Peter Noone perform, DO IT! You'll enjoy the music and he'll make you laugh til your belly hurts.

As for artists I discovered? There are almost too many to mention. I've definitely discovered some country artists that I like as well as some indie artists. I think right now Jimmy Wayne and Lady Antebellum with Sugarland coming in there as well. Suffice to say this summer has made my CD wish list grow larger than it has been in a long while.

It definitely was a great summer of music for me.

Whatever Happened To: Grey Eye Glances

Grey Eye Glances are one of my favorite bands and they've all but disappeared off the radar. I know the lead singer had a baby a few years back, but they had played several shows last year. I guess I was hoping that there would a new album coming, but there's not been anything updated on their website in ages and ages.

No shows? No sign of a new album.

Absolutely nothing.

I'm totally becoming distressed at this. I don't know why. Bands come and go all the time, but I guess I was holding out hope that they would last, but hey they've been mostly an indie band for the 15 + years of their career, so they've had a good run, if they've chosen not to do the band thing anymore.

I guess I'm being greedy, because I just discovered them about 2 years ago and I so wanted to go through the excitement of knowing a new album would be on its way.

I guess all I can do is hope now.

~sigh~

They are such a great band too. The world will be less sunny if they've stopped making music. Maybe if I'm lucky they're holed up somewhere recording.

A girl can dream, right?

I Love It But It Baffles Me

Big Bang Theory is one of the comedies that I most enjoy, but the whole plot whacks me out. I mean how long can this show go on without killing itself? 3 uber-geeks and one busty blonde?

As it is they started out the Fall Season with Leonard actually going on a date with the busty blonde (Penny). I mean, if the relationship doesn't work, where does the show go from there? Why did they even have a date in the first place? How did she agree on it? WHY?

It makes me shake my head a lot, but I still watch, because...well...because its a cute show.

However I'm being realistic in my love for it. It will be like Caroline in the City...it will only last a season or two more and the blot bunnies the writers will dish out will drag it right into the ground.

Its not anyone's fault either, after all when the premise to your show is Geeks living in apartment have sexy neighbor that one falls for...well you can only go the route of them not hooking up for so long before the audience feels too damn sorry for him to keep watching or they hook up. (That pretty much ruins it for me)

I guess I'll see how the show manages to play out this year. The first epi was really good.

Yay for amusing telly. Now to figure out why people like Two and a Half Men. Blech! That show annoys me.

It Was A Good Mail Day

I had 4 packages today. Two of them were albums I need to review for my Livejournal music community. The other two were discs I ordered last week. One of the CDs I oreded was Judd Starr's Luminescent. (Dances happily) I'll probably review that one at some point too, but I can hazard a guess that you should buy it regardless of whether I've reviewed it or not. It will be good.

The other CD I ordered was Two Loons For Tea's Looking For Landmark's. I'm looking forward to ripping them both to my hard drive and having a good listen, most likely tomorrow.

So today was a great music in the mail day. I have loads of stuff to listen to this week! Hopefully I'll be able to do that in between all the great television that's on and that I have waiting to watch from the summer when I was too busy to watch. (That would be Monk and Psych!)

Either way...I'm going to have some lovely music to listen to in between tv shows!

Random Ten - Week 172

From Music Memoirs


10 songs that sum up your weekend...or were on your weekend playlist...and one picture that relates back. (oh, and if you feel like it, tell us why you picked the songs you did)

I spent a weekend discovering new music and some old and walking and walking and walking at the Covered Bridge Festival. Here's some of what I listened to.

01. Yes - Love Will Find A Way
02. Alt-Ctrl-Sleep - Sleep
03. Joni Mitchell - Sex Kills
04. Joni Mitchell - A Case Of You
05. Colin Hay - Waiting For My Real Life To Begin
06. Julian Velard - All Right For You
07. Ana Popovich - Sittin' On Top Of The World
08. Michelle Branch - All Always Be Right There
09. Natalie Cole - Come Rain, Come Shine
10. ELO - Strange Magic (It's still stuck in my head)

The picture?



This shot is from 2 years ago at the festival. My pictures from yesterday are still on the camera. I'm so lazy.

I'm Exhausted.

I went to the covered bridge festival today at Mingo Creek Park and I walked 8 miles. (4 miles each way from one bridge to the next) My legs ache and I was the one that deemed the walk necessary. Oh fool me!

I had an enjoyable time though, so I'll suffer my slight pain in silence. All the companies that make dip mixes were there and suffice to say I succumbed to their wares. 3 dips for veggies and crackers and one dessert cheese ball mix.

Mmmm. I can't wait for the holidays now!

Actually what I truly can't wait for is a nice hot tub filled with bubbles and a cheesy romance novel to take away some of the aches in my poor little feet!

I'll have to remember when I'm at Jack's tomorrow, no elliptical. I don't think I could take that much walking two days in a row. I'm weak as water!

So if you don't mind, I have a date with a nice bubble bath! Pictures will follow tomorrow sometime.

Two Artists To Relax Your Soul

In the turmoil and crazyness that is the world we live in, music is needed to keep some of our sanity in check. I know I'm one of those people. Music relaxes and soothes the savage beastie that I can become when I get stressed.

I discovered 2 new indie artists today while perusing (I like that word) CD Baby.

Lisa Dery is one. You only have to look at her website to know that you're getting somethinb beautiful and ethereal. Its a bit celtic a little bit folk and a touch of jazz. You can't get any prettier than that.

Karyn Wittemore is the other. I adored her voice with one listen. She reminds bit of Rachael Sage in her singing style. She's got such a soaring voice.

I don't know where I've suddenly got the love for such mellow music. I think I'll blame it on my rediscovery of The Moody Blues.

Either way, here are two artists you should definitely give a listen to. Plus they are part of the $5 sale at CD Baby...when you buy 3 CDs from their sale list all discs are $5! So 3 CDs for the price of one! Woot!

The Peace Lily Is Blooming

I don't know how I managed not to kill this almost tree sized plant in the last five months, but I haven't and its actually thriving.

Most of you know that it was given to my family when grandma passed away in April. No one really knew what to do with it.

I took it upon myself to baby it and now I'm reaping my rewards. There is a blossom. Its not open but last night I saw that it wasn't just a new leaf.

I'm so excited.

I didn't think the plant would survive this long in my care, but maybe I have just a little bit of the green thumb my gram had with house plants. I like that idea. It couldn't hurt to be more like grandma, she was a wonderful lady. I would be proud to be more like her.

There will be more pictures when it is completely blooming and well I'll be full of myself with pride then.

The Post Where Mistress Rants About The Music Industry AGAIN!

Talking about Indie artists yesterday made me think about how unfair the music industry is to signed, established artists.

If you are an artist that say had a decent career in your twenties...like say...erm...The Moody Blues....or Elvis Costello...or Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits...or even Duran Duran, why can't you get a new album released.

In some instances its the artists fault. Its easy to capitalize on 12 hit songs or so and go on touring and playing those, but what of the artists that still want to write music? The industry giants make it rough for them. Once you hit a certain age, they seem to think most musicians etc have nothing viable to say, unless you're Madonna (and really has she ever had anything to say worth hearing?), U2 (Sometimes I wish they would shut up) or Paul McCartney.

For the most part once an established artist hits the 40 to 50 range in age, the record companies conveniently forget to promote their material. How can people buy something when they don't know its out or coming out?

What if the listener isn't a crazy internet geek like yours truly, who combs Amazon's new releases page at least twice weekly?

There's no way to know! Especially with the state of stores like FYE that only seem to stock what's current. You can get no instant gratification if you want something like Gordon Lightfoot's Dream Street Rose or Old Dan's Records. That has to be ordered online or downloaded.

So for an established artist, it becomes difficult to sell your old albums because they aren't stocked, if they are in print, and being able to release new material is difficult because the industry believes only kids buy music. Uh no, they don't. And the industry seems to think fans only want 30 more greatest hits compilations. NO. WE. DON'T!

So its a lose/lose situation. Unless you are 20, and an American Idol Winner or were found by talent scouts because new bands are hard to find and if you live in a big city someone might hear you. Oh and if you are female you must prance about scantily clad and your vocal talents only have to be questionable.

GAH!

This, my friends, is why I like Indie Music and why my favorite established artists can't seem to put a record out. (Well except for Elvis Costello)

Top 5 On Friday - Week 192

From Music Memoirs


Top 5 Songs That Come To Mind When You See The Word "Dreamy"


Nick Lowe - The Poor Side Of Town
Nick kept the original arrangement to this song originally done by Johnny Rivers. Dreamy always comes to mind when I hear the shoobeedobees in this song.

Two Loons For Tea - Sunset Room
Click here to go to this wonderful band's website and listen to Sunset Room. This is a very relaxing, definitely dreamy tune.

Alt-Ctrl-Sleep - Silhouette
Another not well known band. You can hear this song on their Myspace Page

Terami Hirsch - Fable Moon
And LA singer songwriter with a gorgeous new album, that allows her to do an almost lounge singer style to her songs. Proof of the beauty and dreamy quality of this song can be found on her Myspace.

Grey Eye Glances - Angel
This is the song that made me fall in love with this band. If you haven't already heard this one, click here. and give it a listen. I have just about every album this band has ever recorded, and I wish I knew what they were up to. Last year they played some live dates around the Philly, South Jersey area, but then they've disappeared again. The world will be a sadder place if they've taken a break from music.

Bonus dreamy song: Judd Starr - Firefly


This is from his first CD Luminescent, which I just ordered this week. Now if only he'd do a video for one of the songs from Spirit and Skin, I'd be happy.

Indie Music and CD Baby

A lot of you have commented on not knowing some of the artists I've been talking about lately. The reason? They are mostly unsigned artists that are trying to get there music out to the people via the internet in various ways.

In the current market the best music out there is the stuff that's not on a major label.

Judd Starr is one I can't praise enough. His new album tops my list of best releases of 2008 so far, eclipsing Elvis Costello and several others.

Josephine is another I've mentioned. She has such a sweet voice and her songs are simply beautiful.

Deni Bonet is a singer-songwriter/violinist. Her music has a great little touch of humor and her voice is a bit Debbie Harry-esque. A unique description, I know, but its pretty accurate.

Sarah Marince is a teenage country singer from Pittsburgh with one helluva voice. I saw her open for Lady Antebellum last month and I can't shout enough about how great her voice is.


Jillian Goldin is an artist from Philly. (Where all of PA's great music comes from apparently) if you like artists like Enya, Loreena McKennitt or Clannad, you'll love Jillian!

All of these artists have one thing in common (actually two). You can get their music on CD Baby. Why is that so great? Well, the artists make more than 25 cents off their albums that way. So its great for them and you get good quality music, so its good for you too.

CD Baby also lets you search by bands you like to see what they consider similar artists, and unlike Amazon, CD Baby gives you good results.

That's how I found Vinyl Kings who are a bunch of studio musicians that got together and recorded a Beatles type tribute, but not by recording Beatles songs. No, they did one better, they wrote their own songs but they sound like songs John, Paul, George and possibly even Ringo could have written.

So go ahead, give these artists a try. Oh and peruse CD Baby when you have a chance. They do the digital download thing for those of you that don't buy CDs anymore plus you're supporting Indie artists at the same time and not sending money into the pockets of the industry giants that don't deserve it.

I'm Annoyed

Why you ask?

1. Where is the US getting the money to bail out AIG? $85 Billion? Why won't the gov't bail me out..I don't even need a tenth of that? And how can someone that's not making their bills pay back an $85 BILLION loan. I just don't understand. I probably don't want to because then I'd just be angry.

2. My dad who bitches about the alarm clock not going off, is actually sleeping through it. HA! Anyone that sets their alarm for 4:40 a.m. gets no sympathy from me, especially when it wakes me so that I can't get back to sleep. OK, I did and sad dreams ensued.

3. Fell asleep for a half hour after the dad debacle only to dream of grandma. It wasn't a bad dream. I just dreamed that I was hugging her and telling her how much I missed her, mostly because I was doing a lot of crying last night about her. Time does not heal all wounds. 5 months has made nothing better, its just made the void bigger.

4. A random guy from NYC leaving a comment on my Myspace saying "Hi sexy, whatcha doing." Uh. erm. Let's play spot the loony. Oh look there you are!

5. Arby's buying out Wendy's the only fast food chain that I really like. Grrrr

Go Ahead, Make Me Shop

I was checking my email earlier when I found one of my Amazon Sale ads. Just what I need to encourage me to shop, when I'm trying to be a good girl about buying stuff that I don't need. Lord knows I have more than enough music for any person. Heck I have more than enough music for two or three people.

I had to peruse the sale, because buy two get one free is always enough to make me right click any music link. That's how BMG gets money off me at least once a month.

Sadly most of the stuff on sale right now is in my collection.

Damn.

But if you need to complete your collection of Jimmy Buffett, The Moody Blues, Tom Petty and even Joe Jackson, now would be a good time to do it. Most of the discs were only $7.97. Can't beat getting any of the Moodies discs for that cheap or for that matter the classic Elton John.

If my wish list weren't so long with stuff I really want, I'd be tempted to get a few of the Buffett albums. I need Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes and Coconut Telegraph.

Let's see if my will power will hold out. Or yours for that matter. That's a damn good sale!!

Must shop.

Must shop.

Someone please hide my credit card!!!

I Can't Wait

Until I can unkitten-proof the room with the kittens. I've moved stuff all over my upstairs so that the little, very inquisitive ones will not have books or CDs fall and konk them on the noggin. (Though I'm thinking right now the little ones have pretty hard heads)

I've also taken just about anything that little claws can destroy out of the room. Soon I'll be putting in another litter box.

What fun!

Still I suppose its much easier and less painful than having real children. (And actually the kittens are cuter and better behaved than most children I know) Oh and do you know the number one reason why kittens (and puppies) are better than human children?

They don't go to college. (or want cell phones, ipods, computers, cars) All they ask for is cat food and a litter box.

Therefore its cheaper to have cats/dogs/fish/ferrets whatever than having children.

I think I've said that before though. But really it deserves repeating.

Am I mama material? Probably not.

Random Weekend Observations

~ Mamma Mia was quite possibly the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

~ Meryl Streep has a big bum! I applaud her and any other actress for having one as well, that means they are HUMAN WOMEN and not some strange stick beings sent from outer space to taunt the rest of us.

~ I hope the players at the Renfest, well except the belly dancers, got extra cash for wearing those costumes. Damn it was hot and damn they had loads of clothes on. I think I probably would have died of heat exhaustion if I had to wear one

~ Cast In Bronze never fails to amaze me. I love the bells!!

~ Renfest food is getting cheaper! Woot! BTW if anyone hits the Pittsburgh Renfest in the next two weeks I highly recommend the meatball sandwiches and anything in the bread bowls. Oh and TURKEY LEGS! (I didn't have a turkey leg this year though)

~ When did they build the Barnes & Noble at South Hills Village? Oye! That goes to show you how often I head towards that mall.

~ Something fell out from under Bernie The Beretta yesterday. Why do things always fall off my car after the Renfest. Last year, I spent a small fortune on the exhaust. Stupid parking in stupid fields with stupid people that don't know how to get out of them!

~ Benny and Bjorn of ABBA had it dead on when they wrote Money Money Money.

~ Pumpkin Spice is back @ Starbucks! My butt grows larger just thinking about the wonderfulness of that.

~ The kittens are getting bigger and badder! (And cuter!)

The Pittsburgh Renfest

This is the second year we've attended the Renaissance Festival in West Newton, which is about 20 minutes from where I live. I love it! It's great fun. There are at least 8 or more acts performing at the festival. My favorite being the Washing Well Wenches and Cast In Bronze.

This year we saw a few new acts as well as the old staples. The German Brothers that rapped were really a hoot. The best part however is the jousting. Why? Because. Erm. Well. Uh. I'm not really sure why, except that the horses are pretty and well, so are the guys that ride them.

Hey! I'm a girl. I appreciate a good looking man on a stead! I was lucky enough to give Sir Roderick (The Evil Knight) a favor in the last challenge! Yipee!

So in my day, I had a German rapper, rap a dirty song at me, I gave a favor to a rather dashing dark knight and the King of the Festival sang to me. Oh and the guy that plays the carillion in Cast In Bronze signed my CD! It really doesn't get much better than that.

If you want to see my photos from the festival, just click here

A Mini Moment Of Squee

Yesterday I mentioned that Judd Starr's Spirit and Skin is one of my favorite albums right now. I even reviewed it awhile back on my Livejournal music group. You can read the review here.

Yesterday I got an email from Judd thanking me for my review! He even said that it was one of his favorite reviews.

How exciting is that?

I've been doing a lot of artist and album review for an online PR company on that site. Twice now I've had artists thank me for mentioning them, but none that ever went out of their way to email me about one.

That really made my day.

I hope my review helps to make a difference in his career, because Judd is truly a fantastic musician/songwriter/singer.

Top Five On Friday - Week 171

I almost forgot to post this on Music Memoirs last night. I'm just not into the whole meme thing as much as I used to be.

Top 5 albums in your music collection right now

Lady Antebellum - Lady Antebellum


This is one country album I adore. They are a fun band that puts on a great show and well they are eye candy too. I like eye candy that sings.

Judd Starr - Spirit & Skin


Judd is an indie artist that's done some work for Mtv shows. He does dancey pop music along the lines of Duran Duran when they didn't suck. To sample some of the tracks from his album go here

Josephine - Unfinished Life


Josephine is another indie artist. A relocated Parisian via Montreal then NYC. Her music is stunning, similar to Toby Lightman and Jewel. She's definitely worth checking out.

Nick Lowe - At My Age


This is still one of my absolute favorite albums of the last 5 years. I hope Nick gets back into the studio and records something equally fabulous soon, or reissues all those old albums I need desperately!

Keri Noble - Let Go

I discovered Keri back in the day when I did a lot of surfing to find new blogs. I'm glad I found her. This is her 3rd album that was only released in Japan. Its totally wonderful. It was supposed to get a release in the US, but so far nothing. There is rumor that she's doing a holiday CD and that fills me with great joy.

What Day Is It?

I know its Thursday, really I do, but my body wants it to be Friday. So does my head. I really just want Friday even though Friday is the worst day of my week workwise.

I woke up this morning thinking that it was Saturday, though I knew better. That was just the part of my brain that demands more sleep talking. That part of my brain has been very adamant about me getting more rest lately. Sadly, the rest of me haven't taken any notice of my brain's ravings.

I can't even think coherently lately, hence a lot of photos posted here. Hey, my kittens are cute. (And just an aside, my cats are more well behaved than most dogs I've had and are more loving)

I'd rant about the election, but I'm at a point where I just don't care. Neither candidate is qualified for the job and both of them scare the crap out of me, some of the VP candidates scare me more though. I'm half tempted to stay home in November, after all my vote didn't matter in 2000 why would it now?

I could always talk about what I've been reading but that's been a whole lot of smutty romances.

TV? Nope haven't watched anything this week.

On that note, I think I should try to be interesting today by saying nothing more. Maybe the rest of today will be more interesting.

Kitten Photoshoot

Most of you shouldn't even have to ask what I do with my time after I get home from work. Its computer time, reading, tv or play with kittens. Mostly its play with kittens, because they are just too darn cute to be ignored.

Rumor has it they are going to start charging me for photographing them. I think the last I heard, it was $100,000 or a 20 lb bag of Science Diet kitten food.

Those kittens really drive a hard bargain.

Momma kitty gets a percentage too, because she created all the cuteness.

Do you want to see more cuteness? Just click here

Things I Learned In The Last 24 Hours

1. Neutrogena Rapid Clear Gel actually works. If only my 34 year old skin would realize puberty ended years ago.

2. My mama kitty is afraid of thunderstorms.

3. Firetrucks roaring by at 4 a.m. scare the pants off both me and the cats.

4. You sleep better when you shut off the alarm and forget you have to go to work. Oops.

5. Throw It All Away is apparently song glue that sticks and sticks because its still in my head.

6. 2 week old kittens can move incredibly fast even though they really aren't supposed to be doing more than crawling. HA! Mine are walking on all four already.

That's really all because I had to deal with the storm and firetrucks..and I wish I could have slept in, but since its only Tuesday there was no chance of that happening. I really need to think of using those last 4 vacation days that I have.

Random 10

From Music Memoirs


10 songs that sum up your weekend...or were on your weekend playlist...and one picture that relates back. (oh, and if you feel like it, tell us why you picked the songs you did)


It was a lazy weekend for me. I did a lot of reading and listening to music, but for the most part, I kept an eye on mama kitty and her four babies, who are now starting to walk around and get into everything. Kitten proofing a room at 10 o'clock on a Sunday night is about a fun as it gets!



Tracklist
01. Status Quo - Pictures Of Matchstick Men
02. Status Quo - I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock N' Roll)
03. Deni Bonet - Last Girl On Earth
04. Josephine - For You
05. The Smithereens - Ask Me Why
06. Rascal Flatts - Life Is A Highway
07. Jonatha Brooke - You Oughta Be Satisfied Now
08. Lin McEwan - You Can Leave Your Hat On
09. Paul Revere & The Raiders - Let Me
10. Sonya Kitchell - So Lonely

Download (53MB)

Weird Dreams & Why I Like Phil Collins

I lost Pickle again on my clock radio so I wake up to 99.7 WSHH. This morning Genesis came blaring down the waves at me. It was Throwing It All Away from the Invisible Touch CD, which is one of my favorite albums.

I totally didn't wake up properly when it came on because I drifted into a dream where I was singing that song at someone. Never mind who I was singing it at, but I was singing it. God I hope I wasn't singing in my sleep! That could be frightening, especially as I'm not much of a songbird when I'm awake.

I full admit to loving the cheesy song stylings of Phil Collins, I always have. His voice just appeals to me. Maybe I was adult contemporary even as a kid, because I remember buying the But Seriously CD when it first came out and I saw him in concert on that particular tour as well.

This is the first time a song ever took hold in my wandering sleep filled brain. I suppose it could be worse, it could have been In The Air Tonight that was playing. That song has such a creepy vibe I would have had a 5 minute nightmare.

The problem is this damn song is stuck in my head now and probably won't go away for the rest of the day as a result, because I'm so focused on the dream.

ARGH!

What a way to kick start the work week! I think I want to be throwing it all away.

I Hate Bill Paying Days

Today I have to go to the mall with the sole purpose of paying my Sears bill. I hate Sears and everything associated with them. They are one of the few credit card companies that won't work with a debt management company.

I'm paying them double and sometimes triple my monthly payment because I never want to see another Sears bill ever again.

And with an account that was once on a debt management program, they won't let me pay the bill online and the way its due, makes it hard to mail payment so I end up going to the mall once a month just to get the damn thing out of my hair.

Going to the mall is always a trial for me. I love to shop, but right now I can't afford to. I really can't afford the drive to Washington, PA to pay the bill, but I have no other options right now.

Grrr.

I would love it if I didn't have to make this trip, because I know I'll cave and buy something somewhere today and I really shouldn't because I still have things from my trip last weekend to pay off. (Not to mention cats that will need vet trips very soon)

Why Oh Why Oh Why

Did The Knack choose to record Nick Lowe's I Knew The Bride? I finally got a copy of the 1979 release Get The Knack, which is a pretty solid album. Unfortunately I listened to the bonus tracks.

Dave Edmund's recorded it in 77 so did Status Quo. But why did The Knack have to do it? Sure they were of the same old school almost punk style that Nick wrote for, but when they got their hot little hands on that number they really just massacred it.

I guess that's why it was just a rehearsal cut that didn't make an album until much later when record companies scrambled to find any bonus material they could.

This is one bonus track I could live without though. I've listened to it several times this morning hoping that I would change my mind.

Nope.

Its a combination of it being played just a bit too fast and the lead singer's voice just not doing it justice.

Avoid this song, if you like Nick or Dave, for I fear you'll end up angry like I am right now.

Top 5 On Friday - Week 190

From Music Memoirs

Top 5 TV Theme Songs

I Know You Know by The Friendly Indians (Psyche Theme)
This is probably the catchiest theme out there. I only have to hear a bit of it to have it stuck in my head for days.

The Monkees Theme by The Monkees (Monkees Theme)
How can you not love this song?

It's A Jungle Out There by Randy Newman (Monk Theme)
Probably one of the most perfectly suited theme songs ever!


The Doctor Who Theme by Murray Gold
It changes a little bit each season, but you'll always recognize this one, if you've ever watched Doctor Who

Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps by Mari Wilson (Coupling Theme)
I adore this song. Doris Day was probably the first artist to do this song.

I can't offer you those versions by I can give you the version done by Geri Halliwell, which is smashing.

Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps

So what are your favorite TV themes? Play along here or go to Music Memoirs and play.

Do I Like Cats?

What do you think?

This is my brother's 16 lb kitty, Socks, who is just absolutely adorable. I'm the idiot lying on the floor to play with her.

My sister-in-law accused me of only coming to visit to see the cats. Hmm. She might be onto something there, but we won't tell her, right?

Sticker Shock

I've been trying to price the two cars that I'm considering purchasing, The Ford Focus and The Chevy Cobalt. Both are small, fuel economic vehicles. Both have a sticker price near 17,800.

BLERGH!

I will not consider a Toyota, for one..UGLY is what I can afford there. Honda. BLECK. Plus living with a man that served in WW2, well if I brought a non-US made car home, I'd better be prepared to move into grandma's house.

I guess there goes that Mini-Cooper.

What really gets me is that the local Chevy Dealer in Rostraver has no Cobalts with automatic transmission. NONE! 57 Cobalts on the lot and all are 5 speed manuals. Uh, I can't drive a stick and I'm not willing to learn either.

I just want to be able to find my car a bit easier and I'm getting the feeling that when I do decide to buy one its going to be a pain in the ass to do, not to mention totally unaffordable. I refuse to buy an Aveo or a Yaris, they are freaking UGLY!

I'm glad my purchase time is looking to be spring though I had wanted it to be this winter.

The Tracks Of My Tears

Yesterday was a rough one. It seemed like every time I turned around the tears were ready to come.

I was really missing grandma and that all started at my brother's house. He has an awesome digital frame, but it seemed like whenever I looked at it a picture of gram was up.

I miss gram terribly.

I miss hearing her say she loves me more.

I miss sharing books with her.

I miss her hugs.

I even miss the stuff that used to annoy me, like doing the laundry on Saturday morning when I'd rather be sleeping in, or getting her mail when I was tired and being a lazy bitch that didn't want to walk across the street.

I miss her asking me if anything went on at work. I hate that I've had things that were actually interesting or weird happen lately and I can't tell her.

I miss her voice.

Just when I think its getting better something comes to mind and I'm bawling again. I know its only been a few months but it doesn't change the fact that gram was a huge part of my life and every day I realize more and more what a gaping hole her passing has left in my life.

I know it seems childish but I want my grandma

I Don't Want To Work

But I don't want to bang on the drum, as the song goes. I just want to stay curled up in my bed. I slept surprisingly well last night. The kittens are sleeping through the night better now. Yay!

I have so much to do at home now though that I really could have used a 4 day weekend.

But isn't that always the case?

Everyone needs a vacation from work and then a vacation from vacation. The recovery period from a vacation is always longer too it seems.

I know I need to do laundry, put the stuff I bought away, take the rental car back tonight, try to get the sweeper run in the room with the kittens without scaring the beejeebus out of them and get the pictures off the memory card and onto my computer and uploaded into flickr.

~sigh~

I'm tired just thinking about it.

One Of The Best Cars Ever

I love when I get a rental car for the weekend. It means I get to drive a car that's only a year or two old. (Three years tops) This weekend I've got a shiny white Chevy Cobalt and I love it. I drove from Charleroi to Canton, which is a 2.5 hour drive and didn't even use half a tank of gas!!

32 MPG!

THUD!

And when I filled the tank from half, it only cost $25!

Praise Jesus!

I've read that the new Focus gets 35 MPG so that's still the top car on my list, but the Cobalt is definitely up there too.

I've not driven cars that had gas mileage much above the mid-20's, so having this to drive has definitely given me a love for the compact car.

Now if only I could get the loan to buy a new car.

~sigh~

A few more months to go, hopefully.

Stark County Fair

Well so much for seeing The Vogues, they are playing tomorrow, and I hope to get to the zoo or somewhere tomorrow. The Stark County fair was quite fun though. For $7, I got to look at all the lovely farm animals, and anyone that knows me, knows I love animals of every variety, and all the rides. Food rides (Not included). Damn them! I love the food rides the best.

We rode the big swings, the scrambler, the merry-go-round and the paratrooper. As for the food, we had a French Waffle which was to die for. It wasn't waffle like really. More like a fried dough only lighter and covered in powdered sugar. Then we had a cheeseburger and shared fries and a Pepsi. Oh and we caught the tail end of the tiger show and watched part of the Victoria Circus which was a trampoline act and a strange dirt bike sorta thing in a ball shaped cage. Very interesting. Typical fair stuff. I was pleased that there weren't many freakish animal exhibits, as those make me terrbily angry.

It was quite a fun few hours and for the money it was really worth it. I'm really loving the fairs this year. I can't wait to go to the Renfest in a week or two and the covered bridge festival on the 21st.

Oh and I'm pleased to say, I finally slept over 4 hours. Yay! So things have been fun and I've managed to relax. I think after all the walking I did today and the sunburn I got while doing it, sleep will come easy again tonight.

Peter Noone - Wheeling Island

Oh what a fun show! Peter was in great form. He can still sing and bounce with the best of them and he looks adorable.

He's a very nice guy too.

Check out pictures (that aren't edited yet, so please forgive any and all red-eye) here

And as proof that the pictures are good, here's a shot from the signing after the show.



Off to Akron now to see him again and to see The Vogues tomorrow at the Stark County Fair in Canton. I'll be around, so you may see a picture or two before Monday night!

So I Was Watching The DNC

Just freaking shoot me before I drink the Obama Kool-Aid. Its nice to see people passionate about politics and who will be running the country. I just wish the choices weren't so god-damn-bloody-awful.

I want to believe in Barack even though in my mind's eye he's nowhere near qualified to run the country. I want to believe he's going to bring about the sweeping change to Washington that he's promising right now. I want to believe him so badly.

I can't.

All I hear are words.

The words that most American's want to hear, which I admit is the way to get elected. Tell em what they want to hear and they'll vote up a storm. He's saying all the right things, but what will he really accomplish.

That's where I'm scared.

However the other alternative seems to be scarier. McCain is going to do absolutely nothing for the working class or rather that poor class, which is where I fall. I can't in good conscience cast a vote for him. I also think we've had enough of Republican politics for awhile. It's time for a different party to be in charge, or at least to pretend to be in charge.

I can only hope that whoever gets in, doesn't dig us deeper into the hole that we're in, but rather helps us to start climbing out.

No Time, No Time At All

Why is my post title that of a bad, yet fun Monkees tune from the Headquarters CD? Because I really don't have any time this morning.

I woke up to kittens mewing and trying to escape from under the bed at 4 am. Mom had 3 attached, one little renegade was rolling around.

If they move this much at 4 days, I'm scared of how they'll be moving at 4 weeks.

Then like a fool, I left my computer on last night to get updates etc that showed up when I was ready for bed. This morning the computer barely moved until I restarted, and firefox kept freezing. I'm trying to remember why I switched from IE to this? I've been having just as much trouble with this browser as with the old one.

Dudes! I so want my Dell.

I couldn't even get an email saying Happy 40th to Fishy. I'm pretty sure today is his over the hill day. I didn't get that done until about 7 o'clock.

I'm seriously considering not blogging until evenings because my computer seems to be in a better frame of mind after 4. I wish I was.

Right now I'm so tired, pissed and aggravated that I could just randomly fall on the floor in a temper tantrum.

I Have To Believe Its Getting Better

Well I got about 5 hours of sleep last night. That's a little better than the night before. Between all the stuff I've been trying to get done, sleep is just taking the backburner.

At least the kittens slept through the night. When I hear the babies mewing too much I get as bad as the mother cat and I know I have to force myself not to check on them. That's her job, and she's really doing a good job of it. She's got them hidden under the bed.

Oye!

I need to get my to do list shaped up and I need to stick to it. I need to make sure that no matter what, my butt is at least laying down at 10 p.m. I need sleep. Between the telly downstairs and the baby cats upstairs and my roaming mind, well you can guess that I just end up staring at a computer screen more often then not.

The biggest thing on my to do list is to avoid all things about the election, for fear I may explode. I will tell you I've selected my lesser of two wingnuts that have no right to be running for office. I'm not proud or happy with my choice, but of the two, I think I've made the only decision I can.

Now to sleep through the next 6 months!

Random 10

From Music Memoirs

10 songs that sum up your weekend...or were on your weekend playlist...and one picture that relates back. (oh, and if you feel like it, tell us why you picked the songs you did)


Everyone already knows what I did this weekend! I played midwife to my youngest kitty.


01. Rick Springfield - What's Victoria's Secret
02. Rob Thomas - Little Wonders
03. Carlene Carter - Break My Little Heart In Two
04. Kelly Willis - Translated From Love
05. Dar Williams - Echoes
06. Ann Wilson - Bad Moon Rising
07. Murray Gold - The Doctor Who Theme
08. John Hiatt - Our Time
09. SheDaisy - Little Goodbyes
10. Peter Noone - Give Me Just A Little More Time

Download

The weekend of no sleep

I think I slept 5 hours in the course of the last 48 hours. The cat had kittens Saturday night late. The first kitten appear around 10 and the last one around 3:30 in the morning. ON MY BED!

Yesterday I had to change the mattress and bedding. Thank god we had two spares, one in our house and one that was on my grandma's bed. So on top of all this I'm getting used to a different mattress.

Last night I tried to sleep but I was fretting over the kittens. Are the sleeping enough, eating enough? Is Callie being a good mother? Will they stop waking me up with their mewing. Because when I hear mewing I worry.

Some people have children. I have my pets and right now these babies are very important to me, and no one tells you anything when you find out a cat is pregnant except that she'll do it all.

Yup, she did, for the most part. I watched the whole thing.

But through all of this, I haven't had any time for myself and I haven't been able to do much of anything. I've been worried about kitties. I've been trying to get stuff done in my house, to no avail. And now I can't vacuum in that room because the kittens are there and I don't want to traumatize them.

But that's not important, right now. What is, is sleep and I want some.I'm only asking for 8 hours! Please let me have them soon!

Meet The Babies

I leave the house one day for some fun with a friend and when I come home, my cat goes into labor!!!

It only took about 45 minutes for the first one to pop out. Then in less than an hour a second one.

For the longest time we thought that it was just going to be 2 kittens a black one and a ginger/white one.

Long about 2 a.m. POP! Here comes a third kitten and then a fourth.

I have had no sleep as I spent the night monitoring the birthing process of my darling Miss Callie.

I'm proud and pleased to report, mom and babies (including our little runt) are doing well.

Aren't they just the cutest things?

Pricing A New Computer

Depending on the model I choose, my new Dell is looking to be about $700. That's quite a difference from the cost of the HP I'm using now that I bought about 8 years ago. Heck I may still be paying for that HP! (I don't want to think about that though)

Its amazing how some things go down in price. The towers alone go for as little as $299 now. I'm just trying to figure out which features I really want. I know I need good sound and loads of hard drive space, because I keep lots of music and telly and what not on my computer.

But other than that, I'm really a fish out of water when it comes to buying stuff. I'm just sick of everything running so damn slow or freezing or not having enough virtual memory.

It's getting old. I really didn't want to have to buy a computer this soon, but I'm really thinking it's probably a good thing to do. I can hold off on the car for a bit and if I finance the computer things shouldn't be too bad. At least Dell is keeping me from making the final decision because I keep getting runtime errors when I apply for credit.

That's probably a very good thing or I'd have that new Dell by Labor Day!

6 Years Of Blogging

It's hard to believe I've been posting at this blog for 6 years. So much of my life has changed.

Here are some of the things that have happened in my life since August of 2002.

~ Changed jobs 4 times.

~ 3 cats have passed on to the heavyside layer.

~ Greta the Grand Am died.

~ Met John Lodge, Greame Edge, Justin Hayard, Bernie Barlow, Elvis Costello, Lady Antebellum, Gordon Lightfoot, Nick Lowe, Gary Puckett, Peter Noone, and Rob Grill

~ Took several trips to Atlantic City.

~ Developed a fruitless crush on a DJ at the oldies station in our area.

~ Dealt with mom and dad having heart issues within 6 weeks of each other.

~ Learned how to cook without poisoning the family.

~ Bought 3 cameras and 2 Zen mp3 players.

~ Adopted 3 cats and 1 creepy dog.

~ Lost grandma @ 101 years of age.....

It's been an eventful 6 years, hasn't it.

Happy Birthday Blog & A Top 5 On Friday Among Other Things

Today my blog turns 6. I can't believe I've been blogging this long and for the most part on a regular basis, almost every day.

It makes me almost want to throw a party. Almost. I'm not a party kinda girl, unless its a dinner party.

Regardless, I've made it 6 years and oddly my blogs b-day falls on a Friday which is an meme day for me. My meme, to be specific. The only meme from Music Memoirs that I truly love.

I'm the creator of the 3 memes on Music Memoirs as well and I used to do another music meme before that site came into existence.

So you have to know that music is more than 90% of my life. But that's a given. Now you know that the memes are truly a part of my life too, even though I'm disgusted with some of the ones I make.

Now give my blog a present or at least a piece of cake! And a CD!
(There will be a better Blog B-day post tonight)

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 Bands That You Wish You Could See Live

Over The Rhine - They are high on the list of people I love and they were in Pittsburgh this year. I actually had tickets too. Then they canceled and rescheduled and life happened in a nasty way and I decided it was best not to go. I hope they come back next year, because I adore them.

Hem - Another alt-country band that really rocks my world. The vocals are smashing the songs are marvelous if only they had a new album to support. I've heard rumors there may be one out soon. My fingers are crossed for that one.

Erasure - I've loved these guys since high school, only Pittsburgh is not a mecca for techno/synth pop, or for that matter, cute little gay-boy bands. Damn! They've come to Cleveland and Atlantic City but never when I could afford to travel or when I had anyone that would make the trip with me. You have no idea how many kinds of wrong that is.

Keri Noble - Not a band but still someone I've been longing to see. It seems she mostly hugs the west coast. (glares at Russ who's already seen her live) She's coming to Cleveland, but I don't road trip alone and I can't afford it anyway. Damn and blast.

Donnie Iris - He's a local guy. He's played the area many times. Have I ever had the chance to see him? Hell no!

I Need To Go To Ollies Bargain Outlet

I can't believe I'm saying that. I really don't "need" to go there. I just want to, because I'm in need of some unusual reading material. Yes, I have 2 bedrooms that are full of books in every nook and cranny but sometimes I need something different, something unusual, something unique and for some odd reason I can find that at Ollies.

I don't know where they get their books, but I've found many a great read there and usually pretty cheaply too. I like to find books for about $2.99, that makes me an insanely happy girl.

I can find cookbooks for my mom there too. That's my second favorite reading material.

I figure I can go sometime next week since I need to pay my Peebles bill an that store is right next door. So I have an excuse! I like to find excuses to spend money, since I usually make myself feel guilty when I purchase stuff that isn't totally necessary to my existence.

I'm going to feel really guilty next month when I order my computer from Dell.

Any Day Now

My little Miss Callie kitty is due to have kittens any day now and I like any other mother am worried about my little darlin' and the tiny kitties she's carrying in her belly.

Miss Callie is a tiny cat, much like my Itchy was and I hope the cat birthing isn't too hard on her. She's healthy and happy though, so hopefully that will be a good thing.

I took her in knowing she was pregnant because the thought of a cat outside having her babies after I had watched so many of them in the litter that Oogie came from get squished on the road, was too much for me to stand.

So now we are waiting, because we really don't know exactly when she got pregnant, but we do know that around the 28th of July she was nearly or at half term which would be between 30-35 days. So it could be any time now. I'm hoping its not next weekend when I'm away because there will be no one around to make sure she's taking to motherhood.

I just wish I knew more about what I need to do. I know I'll need a box with lots of towels for when the babies come but other than that I know nothing and I'm so worried for my little girl. She's such a sweetie pie, I want things to go well for her.

The Next Money Sucking Thing

Apparently needing brakes is something that's contagious among vehicles. My sister's car needs them and she's trying to hold off til the weekend to get anything done. Guess what? Now mine sound like they need changing.

DAMMIT!

Right now I'm trying to sort out how to get at least $2500 down for the Ford Focus I want. I need about $670 for the Dell computer I want. Now this. Plus I've got a laundry list of things that if I don't do in Sept/Oct will cause whinging and whining from the nephew.

Again I thank god, I have parents that help out. If not I would be screwed. Granted right now I could pay for the computer in cash, but the car would be set back almost 10 months and I'm pretty sure I can't afford that kind of setback right now. Plus I'm working at getting the last chunk of my debt paid off before diving head first into a car loan.

Its all very frustrating. The brakes I need, the computer I need and a new car I'm really going to be needing. How do I prioritize?

GAH!

The need for a new computer is slowly toppling the need for a new car. I'm not ready for either actually, but I think the computer may be coming within the next 4 months.

My HP is 8 years old. It's a good system, but with all the programs I use daily its sucking memory and you can only add so much.

The HP has determined it hates the AIM messenger program and to a lesser extent Yahoo. I don't dare run them both at the same time. That produces low virtual memory every damn time.

I couldn't do a damn thing this morning because I was an idiot and left the computer on all night. Big Mistake. The thing was running slower than most snails.

Tonight I'm going to run AdAware and Spybot when I get home to see if there's any creepy crawly nasties making this happen, if not I'm going to be pondering a Dell sooner than I expected, because I can't live like this anymore, especially since the computer is an extension of my body!

I'm Such A Fool

I've just determined that I'm one hell of a lazy bitch sometimes. I had all weekend to get stuff done. Did I? Nope. But did I go to sleep any earlier than usual? Nope. In fact, last night I was up until midnight.

Doing what you ask?

I was updating the virus software on this computer.

Why I hadn't done it earlier in the day, I'll never know.

I did manage to get to Walmart to get some shopping done so I could have lunch at work this week without starving. I also managed to clean 2 litter boxes. Oh the fun!

Other than that, I don't think I did much of anything except watch TV on my computer. I watched The Catherine Tate Show. Those of you that are in the UK or watch the new Doctor Who series, know Catherine recently played the Doctor's companion, Donna Noble in the most recent run of the show. She's also my favorite companion of the new show. Her comedy show is hilarious and obnoxious at the same time. It was the most enjoyable half hour I spent.

So now I've got to play catch up with the stuff I should have done over the weekend during the week when I have so very little time of my own to do things. I wish the lazy bug would stop biting me on Friday nights, because apparently that bug's venom takes about 48 hours to wear off.

Random 10 - Week 168

From Music Memoirs

10 songs that sum up your weekend...or were on your weekend playlist...and one picture that relates back. (oh, and if you feel like it, tell us why you picked the songs you did)

I uploaded a lot of pictures from my Erie trip this weekend. So we'll do the picture first and then the music.

01. Sugarland - Baby Girl
02. Martina McBride - This One's For The Girls
03. Olivia Newton-John w/Jann Arden - The Water Is Wide
04. Justin Moore - Back That Thing Up
05. The Verve - Valium Skies
06. Judd Starr - Please Penny
07. Carter's Chord - Different Breed
08. Peter Noone - Give Me Just A Little More Time
09. Keri Noble - Honest (edit)
10. Alison Moyet - Almost Blue

Download (52 MB) all tracks are mp3.

So what did you listen to?

Gummy And Me

Me And Gumdrop
Originally uploaded by moodylady

I forgot to share this photo that my friend Tina took of me when I went to the shelter to get Gumdrop back in July. We were assured Gumdrop was a docile little girl.

HA!

She has asserted herself and is the queen of her new castle. She is a sweet little girl, but oh the cat-itude!

We affectionately called Itchy; Bitchy Itchy, so Gumdrop has become Crummy Gummy.

Mom and Dad love her to pieces. So do I. She's a little diva, tossing her head back and meowing to get our attention or whatever it is she wants.

She's been a wonderful addition to our family of dysfunctional pets.

Weekend Randomosity

~ BMG is pissing me off. So many of the artist on my want list have disappeared from there catalog. I wanted the last few Jewel CDs and they had them up until a month ago and now nothing. GAH! BMG gave me great sales where I could get 3 or 4 CDs for under $30 with no shipping. I never buy from BMG unless discs are $3.99 or there is a no shipping sale. Now I'm becoming hard pressed to buy anything from them. GRRRR.

~ The Trump Marina in Atlantic City was sold back in May to Jimmy Buffett! Jimmy is going to turn it into a Margaritaville Casino. I plan on wasting away some time there when it opens if it kills me.

~ Has anyone heard of Judd Starr? I ran across his music this weekend and he's really fantastic. There's a bit of an 80s vibe to him but not a lot. I can't pinpoint who or what his sound resembles only that he's fantastic. Check out his album on Myspace

~ I wanted to go to Wendy's for breakfast, but for some reason I just don't feel good right now. It's just a blerghy feeling and I'm not really sick just not feeling quite right, if that makes sense.

~ I got my tickets to see Rockapella in Greensburg in November! We are about 5 rows back on the aisle! What a great year for concerts this has been. If only I could have caught up with the Moody Blues. But then again, I'd almost rather not. Everyone I've seen has been stellar and seeing them play the same songs would just depress me when they have such a huge catalog of music to draw from. Oh and I miss Bernie Barlow. I hope all is well with their former backup singer and her little one.

For any of you that aren't familiar with Rockapella, they used to appear on the kids game show Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiago. They are a fantastic acapella group with several albums to their credit. I can't wait to finally be able to see them.

Game On!

I just discovered this old Britcom and started to watch last night. Game On! is absolutely hilarious!

Its about three twentysomethings one cute goobery ginger, Martin, an agoraphobic joe cool, Matthew and a fun yet whorish, Mandy.

I've had the first episode sitting on my computer for about a week now and last night around one, when I wasn't feeling quite ready for bed, I decided to give it a go.

I never laughed so hard in my life.

In some ways it reminded me a little of Big Bang Theory that's on here in the US now. Not plot wise, but in the geeky boy trying to get with the gorgeous blonde that in this case lives in the same flat with him.

I just love the ridiculousness of most sitcoms, especially when they seem to think everyone's life is like them. I was a twentysomething when this show aired, albeit I was a twentysomething in the US, but my life was never like that. I only wish it was, which is why at thirtysomething I can still watch it and laugh hysterically. I can also crush on the cutie that is playing Martin. I love gingers!

Am I Odd?

Well yes, I know I am, but this is different. I finished reading that Elizabeth Harris novel, Shadows In The Sand and I know my grandmother would have loved it. It was just the kind of book she liked a bit of a mystery, a touch of romance and a chance to learn something too.

I'm taking it to the cemetery and leaving it on her grave.

It's one of the first books I've read since April 26 that really screamed out to me that grandma would have enjoyed it and now she's not here to do that.

But I'm compelled to take it to her. I want her to know that I'm still thinking of her, actually there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about her. I don't think the pain of losing her has dimished any either. It only takes a photo, or a can of beef stew on the shelf at the store and I'm near tears.

Its easier to go into the house now, but sometimes I still want to look for her and going upstairs still fills me with dread. I still haven't lost that image from that Saturday afternoon.

Ah, gram, why did you have to go?

Top 5 On Friday - Week 187

From Music Memoirs

Top 5 songs and/or albums from 2004

Diana Krall - The Girl In The Other Room



This is probably my favorite album of Diana's and an album high on my list of "best albums ever". Combine Diana and her husband Elvis Costello and you get a wonderful sound. I wish they'd work together more.

Elvis Costello - The Delivery Man


Mmm what can I say, for EC not to make a list when he had an album that year would be criminal. This one has Monkey To Man on it and I dare you not to like that song!

Duran Duran - Astronaut


This is probably the best album the guys have recorded in 10 + years. Its a shame the 5 couldn't stick together for more than just this album. It was great to hear Duran Duran sounding like they should, themselves and not whoever produced them. ~glares at the crap that is Timaland and Timberlake.

Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked For The Holidays



This is one of the most fun holiday albums ever. If you haven't heard Elf's Lament, you haven't lived.

Alison Moyet - Voice


Alison's voice is like butter! The UK release was 2004 however it didn't get released in the US until mid 2005.

What's That Buzzing Sound

That was me at about 6 o'clock this morning as my alarm had been going off for 20 minutes. I woke up around 5 when my dad went downstairs. I thought he was taking long since he woke to his alarm and not the internal one that usually wakes him. After I heard him move, I promptly turned over and went back to bed.

Apparently that's where I wanted to stay too, because I really was having a hard time dragging my butt out of bed. And when I did get out of bed most of me wanted to go back there. And the half that made it out still had the tinglies. Remind me not to sleep on my hands ever again!

This is what I get for staying up to finish the Janet Evanovich novel. That one had been my bathtub reading. Yes, I read in the tub, shut up! I didn't end up falling asleep til around 11:30 last night, which is way later than I prefer. I usually try to turn in around 10:30. Anything after that results in disaster, as this morning has shown.

At least this weird waking hasn't left me feeling more tired than usual. I actually feel rested, which is a good thing. Because the last few times I've slept in I've felt like I was carrying around extra weight all day.

I really think I need a day to veg very soon.

2 Books I Want To Share

I'm reading two books right now that I wish I could share with my grandma. We had a little book circle of our own. I'd pass on books I got from BOMC2 or other places and she'd share the books she got from her friend Evelyn to me.

The new Janet Evanovich is the first of the two books I would have passed on to her. Gram loved Stephanie Plum, and I think she like Grandma Mazur too. I think we were both in agreement that even a mediocre Plum novel was still a good one

I'm really pleased with this one though. It's keeping me on my toes plus Morelli is a huge part of this book, and I'm more than a little partial to that character. Not that I don't love Ranger too, but the homebody in me always goes for the more stable person.

The other book Shadows In The Sand by Elizabeth Harris is a romance/mystery. I wasn't more than 20 pages into this book and I knew it would be one Grandma would have loved. She enjoyed anything that taught or opened her mind to something new, and this book figured in a period of time when Great Britain played a part in the rule of Egypt.

Books were the one thing we really had in common over the years. Grandma and I read just about anything, and it was always fun to find a book that we both loved. I can't stand that one of the books I gave her in the last year from my collection was Fannie Flagg's Can't Wait To Get To Heaven. We certainly wanted her to wait to get there.

Now I have these 2 books and no one to talk to about them or share them with. Its times like this when I really miss Grandma, and let me tell you, I still miss her a lot.

Hump Day Randomosity

~ I gave up on the old template. I can't for the life of me figure out what blogger was doing that set the whole thing goofy. I had hoped to find another classic template that I liked, but when I did, other strange things happened, so I settled on this one, which I think is rather lovely

~ Flickr still hates me, especially when I do multiple uploads. I should have 3 sets added, but it decided that the 154 pictures from the Erie Zoo shouldn't have their own set. Grrr. Now I have to do that manually.

~ Downloaded a new to me tv show from the BBC, Game On. I don't know when I'm going to have the chance to watch it. Come to think of it, I still haven't watched the Casanova DVD that Moodymistress gave me for my birthday.

~ Made a mix of songs that open albums. Comment if you snag it please.

Artist: Various Artists
Album: Track 1 (71 MB)
Made: 2008
Genre: Pop, Electronica, Classic Rock
Tracklisting:
Jellyfish - The Man I Used To Be
Oingo Boingo - When The Lights Go Out
Dubstar - Stars
OMD - Universal
Justin Hayward - Night Flight
The Smithereens - Only A Memory
Nick Lowe - Cruel To Be Kind
Tommy James - Isn't That The Guy
George Harrison - Cloud 9
Elvis Costello - 45
Alison Moyet - Falling
Keri Noble - Watch Me Walk
Diana Krall - Let's Face The Music & Dance
Gordon Lightfoot - Race Among The Ruins
Everything But The Girl - Before Today
Grey Eye Glances - If I Was
Cliff Richard - Thousand Miles To Go
Siouxsie & The Banshees - O Baby
Erasure - Chorus

Still Grumbling

I spent part of last night trying to find a new template, since this one, which has been a favorite of mine, seems to be completely broken. But I found nothing that I liked. It has to be music related without looking to childish.

I did get another set of photos uploaded to flickr.

So now you can go look at photos of Dobbin's Landing or of St Peter's Cathedral. I hope to get more of the photos up sometime tonight, if I get the chance. I was trying to get the lighthouse shots up last night but flickr wasn't cooperating. Nothing is cooperating right now.

I hope I have time to get something done. I want to get to the gym, since I haven't been there in over a week and I have to go to the funeral home tonight, because I good friend of the family passed away on Sunday. Let me just say, I'm sick of people dying right now too. No more!

Why isn't anything going right?

Seriously, I still need that nap.

Tuesday Tunes: Week 44

From Music Memoirs


Pick a music related word and do a google image search.
Post the picture the captures your eye the most and three songs that relate back to it.

I chose the word "song" and the image is Michelle Leivan's original "A Song For You" featured during the 2005 Topeka Jazz Festival.


Diana Krall - Devil May Care

Jamie Cullum - I Get A Kick Out Of You

Carol Dubac - Night Moods

All the songs I picked were jazzy to go along with the image's use in a jazz festival.

Another Monday Morning

I'm not really ready for the weekend to be over, but it is. It's back to up at 5:30 dragging my butt out of bed and trying to get my day started, which is even harder today than it usually is. The first day back after a trip is the hardest. I missed my bed and I really have a lot of catching up to do with it and my pillow!

Hopefully I can pull myself back to normal tonight while sorting out the pictures and what not that I want to share on flickr.

Isn't it funny that most of the time when you get back from a vacation or a roadtrip that you need a vacation from that? It almost makes you wonder if it was actually worth it?

Now I've got to get stuff again, and fixing the template here is high on my list of things to do. So is taking back the most horrid rental car I've ever had the misfortune of driving. Dodge Caliber's suck! I hope I never have to drive one of those monstrosities ever again!

Actually the thing highest on my list of things to do, is get a full 8 hours of sleep!

I Have Returned

I have to say, Erie was fantastic. Its a beautiful city and there's so much to do there on the weekend that its hard to cram it all in.

Here's a small recap, since it may be awhile before I can really share the photos nicely. There are over 400 from the last few days. (Yeah I'm trigger happy when it comes to snapshots!)

Friday Night:

We arrived at the hotel shortly after 8 pm. We made the trip in about 2.5 hours. Checked in and dropped off our luggage in our room and walked out on Dobbin's Landing to stare at the lake, the seagulls and the boats. Afterwards we went to the Smugglers Wharf for a bite to eat. I had an incredible lobster roll and we topped it off with Chocolate Seduction. (A nommy cake with fudge fudge fudge)

Saturday:

Busy Busy Busy. We walked to St Peter's Cathedral where I jokingly quipped the Pope of Erie lives. He has better digs than the Pope of Pittsburgh. We had breakfast at Benjamin's @ the Avalon Hotel and then walked back down to Dobbin's Landing to go to the Maritime Museum. I was sorely tempted to buy a book about The Edmund Fitzgerald. Found the Land Lighthouse and then went to Presque Isle to see the other 2 lighthouses as well as the beach and the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. After that we went to the very busy Waldameer Park. Didn't get much riding done for our $19.45 because of a storm that came on, but we went on the Wacky Shack, The Sky Ride, The Sea Dragon, The Steel Dragon and the brand new Ravine 2 which is the fastest most incredible wooden coaster I've ever been on. It is full of awesomeness. We swam at the hotel and even used the fitness center before turning in for the night.

Sunday:
We said goodbye to the lake at Dobbin's Landing. From there we went to the Erie Zoo and Millcreek Mall. I only got lost a few times on the way to both places. Not bad since I was really flying blind on this trip. We ate at Charley's by the Mall and the junction of I-79. The food was to die for. After that we headed to Linesville stopping at Hanks for a S'more's sundae before feeding the crazy carp at the spillway.

Total Photos for the trip: 470

I'm Leaving In A Rental Car

Nope not a jet plane a rental car. And from the weather forecast that I've read, Erie didn't get the memo that I was coming for a visit. There are showers predicted for Saturday, though Sunday is looking ok. ARGH! Story of my life.

But right now I really don't care how the weather is going to be, I just want to get in that car and drive. 4 o'clock can't get here fast enough. I want to be on my way. I want to see the lake, the gulls, the city and I don't want to wait.

So wish me luck and say a small prayer to the weather gods that the rain is minimal, because everything I want to do is outside!!!

There will be no blogging from me until late Sunday night or Monday morning, unless it rains too much, and I'm hoping for very little rain. Actually, I'm hoping for no rain, because I dealt with one storm last weekend at the fair that really should have been my quota of nasty precipitation while out and about for quite awhile.

Enjoy your weekend everyone! Here's hoping I enjoy mine!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I plan to do on my trip to Erie, PA this weekend.

1. Enjoy the Sheraton's swimming pool and fitness center.
2. Visit the Maritime Museum (Though I promise not to sing The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald at the employees there)
3. Go to the top of Bicentennial Tower @ Dobbins Landing.
4. Find all three lighthouses.
5. Eat @ Backyard Burgers. I know its fast food, but these are some of the best hamburgers ever!!
6. Spend some time @ the Tom Ridge Environmental Center
7. Walk from the hotel to Perry Square to see the fountain, make faces at any DJs working while walking from the Square to the Cathedral.
8. Got to the zoo!
9. Stop @ Hank's for custard on the way home.
10. Visit Linesville Spillway to see the ducks walking on the carp.
11. Eat @ Perkins.
12. Find the Road Sign Sculptures in Meadville
13. Take lots of pictures!!

Grumble Grumble Grumble

Well it looks like imageshack did something to my template image. Grrr. That means its probably time for a new template?

Why?

Because when I got this template from Blogskins it said not to upload the image to my own server. How weird is that? I actually did and it made the repeat layering or whatnot go all funny.

I've tried repeatedly to upload the image to another server and nothing works. I don't want to get a new template but I don't know how to fix the one I've got and I know very little about CSS and html other than the basics.

HELP!

The thought of spending two or more hours editing in all the necessary links for a new look makes me sick to my stomach. I like this template damn it! I don't want to change it.

Seriously if any of you have any ideas of how to help me I would be eternally grateful.

Tuesday Tunes: Week 43

From Music Memoirs

What have you been listening to the most lately? and why? (It can be a genre an album a band)

I've been listening to a lot of country lately and I'm not really sure why except that I discovered a few bands in that genre that I really love right now, particularly Lady Antebellum (you'd never have guess that, right?) and Sugarland. Their new albums seem to be spending a lot of time getting played in my Zen Vision. The Sugarland in particular is also getting a lot of airplay on Froggy 94.9 which is the only other radio station that I turn on. I prefer Classic Hits The Pickle, but lately the same old stuff has been driving me mad, so I went for something different and for me you don't get much different than country, at least not for me.

I discovered Lady A by accident. They were a recommendation from Amazon and I decided to give them a try and I liked them. After seeing them live, I really like them.

If you want to read my reviews of the Lady Antebellum disc just go here. While you're there you can also listen to a clip of the song Slow Down Sister which is one of my favorites right now.

Monday Randomosity

~ I don't understand people that have to tell the world that they are going on a blogging hiatus to read a book. Uh. Erm. Actually the whole book cult thing scares me. The Harry Potter People...the Twilight people...GAH get a life. Remind me to go on hiatus when the 15th Stephanie Plum novel comes out.


~ Concert pictures took over an hour to get sorted and much longer to upload because Flickr hates me.



More pictures here. A few of the not so great ones made it to the photostream, but last night it was so darn hard to get anything uploaded that I just slapped as many as I could in the uploader and said the hell with it.

~ If you don't believe me that chocolate cherry funnel cake is good and downright pretty...



~ Changed our Erie hotel reservations to the Sheraton. Now I'm on the right side of town! Yay! We are .3 miles from the Maritime Museum and our room faces the lake! Woot!

~ I can't believe we are in the last "official" month of summer already. Where is the time going? I swear I feel like I haven't done anything this summer, but I know that's a lie. I've been to 2 concerts, 2 casinos, 2 zoos and I'm going to Erie and Canton, still not sure about Atlantic City, but I have done things, right?

Fayette Country Fair Highlights

1. Goats are the cutest animals even though they eat anything, even if its attached and moving!

2. Pooping cows make my youngest nephew, Michael squeamish.

3. Carnival rides are fun but creepy. I was on some rides I wouldn't go on if I were at an amusement park yesterday. My stomach doesn't love me for it.

4. Fair food is awesome but insanely priced. More so than at Kennywood or Idlewild. If you look hard enough you can find some that's cheap and delicious too. Just stay away from the carnival food, that's the expensive stuff.

5. The Ferris Wheel had the most incredible view over the countryside. It was also the only Ferris Wheel that I enjoyed being stuck at the top of.

6. The concert was awesome. Lady Antebellum rocked in a country way and so did the 18 year old girl from Pittsburgh who opened for them.

7. Lady Antebellum are nice peeps. Yes, we stood in line for the meet and greet afterwards. You couldn't get pictures with them, but they signed my t-shirt and were very cordial. It was a great time!

8. Funnel cake with chocolate and cherries = incredible nommy-ness

~ Pictures will follow later today

Off To The Fair

I'm heading to the Fayette County Fair today to take in the sights and sounds of animals and whatnot, but most especially to see a great new country band, Lady Antebellum.

In my quest for new interesting music I've discovered a rather odd liking for some of the newer country artists and some old staples like Dolly Parton. I'm not sure where that came from, but its there.

So if you want to try some really good country by some rising stars, I highly recommend Lady Antebellum



Hopefully I'll have some pictures to show for it. Well I'll have animal pictures thats for sure. I've never been to a fair, so I'm looking forward to it. It will be something different.

Top 5 On Friday - Week 185

From Music Memoirs

Top 5 songs you wish you wrote

Elvis Costello - Episode Of Blonde


Diana Krall - Narrow Daylight

Gordon Lightfoot - Race Among The Ruins

Keri Noble - Talk To Me

Over The Rhine - If Nothing Else