Wednesday, May 30, 2007

mix from hartley

Tympani Solo October 6, 1993

I wonder what ever happened to Hartley. He was one of my favorite people. Definitely his own person - a hard thing to truly be in high school. I'm sure he had no idea that he was probably one of the biggest influences on my taste in music. I don't know what I would've spoken to Steven about when we first met if it wasn't for the music Hartley introduced me to...

Side A

  • The Bartender's Song Mighty Mighty Bosstones
  • Welcome to the Cheap Seats Wonder Stuff
  • Thanksgiving in Reno (live) Too Much Joy
  • Rise PiL
  • Wendy (live) Descendents
  • Bad Mouth Fugazi
  • Feels so Good 311
  • More Beer Fear
  • Beat Crazy (live) Joe Jackson
  • Sketches of Winkle Ween
  • Pork Roll Egg & Cheese Ween
  • Omnibus XTC
  • Slightly Drunk Squeeze
  • Eskimo Springhouse

Side B

  • King of Beers Too Much Joy This song still makes me smile. It's such a fun song & has fun high school memories attached to it.
  • Golden Dawn Ministry
  • Pretty in Pink Furs Yes, I'm aware this is a "Psychedelic Furs" song but I love how Hartley referred to them just as Furs.
  • Pervert (live) Descendents
  • Magic Too Much Joy
  • Tones of Home Blind Melon
  • Killing Moon Echo & the Bunnymen Hartley put the perfect combination of classic alternative songs and songs that were current on this mix.
  • Have a Beer with Fear Fear
  • Size of a Cow Wonder Stuff
  • It's Different for Girls (live) Joe Jackson
  • Apache Rose Peacock Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • Atom Tan Clash
  • Do You Right 311
  • Harmony Happyhead

I miss Hartley!

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

mix from mark 1


Product of the Forces (a mix) September 14, 1993

The songs are listed on one side of the tape insert but the artists are listed on the other side. The "cover art" is a separate paper whose images probably had some meaning but I have no idea what it was. They're some sort of fantasy/sci fi/comic booky type art. They look like they were cut out of magazines & glued together. One side of it has fire breathing dragons and the other has what looks like a scene from Star Wars with the TIE fighters.

Side A
  • Sweet Home Alabama Lynyrd Skynyrd This song always makes me think of Steve, at some point in high school he told me this was my song since I was born in Alabama. When I look back on high school I think how different he was from the rest of those guys. If I remember correctly, his parents were from Virginia and went to Tech (the last conversation I remember having with him was about Tech football), he had this large poster of a deer in his room (I think he hunted) and his music taste was much more along the Lynyrd Skynyrd line. I think he and my Steven would get along great.
  • Wonderful Tonight Eric Clapton I've always loved this song and find it interesting how many memories it can evoke - all involving different people.
  • I Want You Bob Dylan
  • Something in the Way Nirvana
  • Rift Phish
  • Thank You Led Zeppelin
  • Swlabr Cream
  • Let it Grow Eric Clapton
  • Take the Money and Run Steve Miller
  • Silent in the Morning Phish
  • Release Pearl Jam I have always loathed Pearl Jam. There are several artists on Mark's mixes that I couldn't stand. I remember we had a debate about the "art of making mixes" and whether you should include songs you knew the person already liked or if you should put songs you thought they didn't like yet but could.

Side B

  • Wish you Were Here (live) Pink Floyd This is another one of my all time favorites. It's so overplayed but so amazing at the same time. The older I get and the more memories I attach to this song, the more deeply I love it. (The most recent memory was Steven & I lying in bed about a week ago, watching a documentary from the late 90's about Pink Floyd - nothing overtly special about it, just one of those wonderful ordinary moments.)
  • The Times They are a Changin' Bob Dylan
  • The Fat Old Sun Pink Floyd
  • My Friend, My Friend Phish
  • Captain Jack Billy Joel
  • Black Pearl Jam Here's where Mark's mix theory proved to be right. I did grow to love this song. I remember Tammy & I bonding over this song not long after we met during our freshman year in college.
  • Masters of War Bob Dylan sung by Eddie Vedder I'm not sure if Bob Dylan was playing along with Eddie Vedder or if that was just a Pearl Jam cover of the song.
  • Serenade the artist is also listed as Serenade :)
  • Romeo & Juliet the artist is also listed as Romeo & Juliet :)

my mix tapes 4


Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May Mix created on July 10, 1993

I remember everything going on in my life at the time I made this mix. It always amazes me to look back at times in my life when I was overwhelmed or depressed since in hindsight I know a happier time was right around the corner.

Side A

  • One Three Dog Night
  • Leather Tori Amos
  • Circle Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians
  • Precious Things Tori Amos
  • Jezebel 10,000 Maniacs
  • Long Way Down Michael Penn
  • Why Should I Cry for You? Sting
  • Love Will Come to You Indigo Girls
  • I Can't Make You Love Me Bonnie Raitt
  • You do Something to Me Sinead O'Connor
  • Tell Me on a Sunday from "Tell Me on a Sunday" another embarassing entry in my musical past
  • By My Side from "Godspell"
  • Take Her Out of Pity Kingston Trio I showed these mix covers to a friend whose musical taste I respect recently & he laughed at my recurring Kingston Trio songs :)

Side B

  • Take Her Out of Pity (cont.)
  • Hey Jude Beatles
  • Into the Mystic Van Morrison I first heard this song in junior high during the movie "Dream a Little Dream" - it's been one of my favorites ever since.
  • Trust Me Janis Joplin
  • How You've Grown 10,000 Maniacs
  • Fragile Sting
  • Ghost Indigo Girls
  • Wild Horses Sundays
  • Delta Dawn Helen Reddy
  • Don't Cry for me Argentina from "Evita"
  • Circle Dream 10,000 Maniacs
  • Shape of my Heart Sting

Monday, May 21, 2007

child care

Woo hoo!

We officially have childcare lined up for when I go back to work in the fall (a big thank you to Kelly for putting me in touch with the person!). This is a HUGE stress off my shoulders - now I just have to work on my being willing to part from my boys...

Thursday, May 17, 2007

are you havin' a laugh?


Lost, like X-Files at the end, has become incredibly complicated and only seems to ask more questions without ever providing answers. As hard as it may be for some of you to believe, I do have a life and can't invest hours each week just to understanding a television show. Steven & I have been frustrated this year with how much effort it takes to truly follow Lost (tv shows should not require homework).

With that said - I have to admit I couldn't decide if I felt crazy or smart during last night's episode when Naomi (parachute girl) said "Are you havin' a laugh?" I made some sort of exclamation, skipped back a few seconds and after another viewing told Steven I thought the phrase was a reference to Extras. I found this blog sharing my opinion that the line was intentional and how it relates to time theories (island is in one time, rest of the world is in another). My interest is now piqued...

girl drama


Why does it seem so hard for girls to do things without drama?

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

disappointed but not surprised


The show Jericho has been cancelled.

I'm not surprised since Steven & I liked it. Almost every time we like a show it's cancelled before the 2nd season. At the end of almost every episode we commented how much we enjoyed the show and would talk about things that made it better than Lost (which was once one of our faves but has steadily declined).

I want to point out that CBS is renewing Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, Ghost Whisperer & Numb3rs. Wise decision to cancel Jericho, kids.

Monday, May 07, 2007

nothing better than twins

I can't imagine anything better in this world than watching my boys play together. The games they find to play with each other are too funny.

As I'm writing this, Aaron is slinging around a large toy and every time it makes a rattling noise Conner claps. Some of their other favorite games including wrestling/tickling each other and the clapping/squealing game (they just look at each other and try to be the loudest).

Earlier today they created what I call "The Juice Game." The object of this game appeared to be getting the most juice out of your sippy cup and onto yourself and everything around you. The cups they were drinking out of had a soft spout like on a bottle. Conner's method was to vigorously shake his cup so small drips would fly out of the cup. When it was Aaron's turn (yes, they were pretty much taking turns at this game) he pushed in and flicked the spout on his cup so juice flew out. Based on the large amount of juice on and around Aaron, I think Aaron won the game. However, based on the peals of laughter from both boys, I'd guess the game is fun whether you win or not.


Nope, nothing better in this world.

Friday, May 04, 2007

ways to lift the "mommy blues"

I was reading an article about how to lift the "mommy blues." My favorite humorous suggestion was Report yourself to Child Protective Services. Enjoy your free two day vacation.

I gave myself a pat on the back when I read one of the serious suggestions, Get rid of the Barney and Raffi cds. Introduce your child to Bob Marley and They Might be Giants.

Yeah! Confirmation that there's nothing wrong with being a Barney free household. Years before the boys were born Steven & I discussed our desire to be a Barney free household (we have a Barney board book but that's it). The cd player in the boys' room has some kids cds in it right now but they're a Wee Sing, a Baby Einstein & a generic nursery rhyme cd (the teacher in me knows how important it is the boys hear the rhymes & rhythym of classic nursery rhymes). The remaining 2 cds in the player are TMBG & Van Morrison. When the boys aren't in their room we listen to my music. Before long, I'll have to stop using some of the cds (Aaron laughs and enjoys Violent Femmes but there are a few too many curses in the songs) but I can't picture that my car or house will ever become exclusively "kids music." I imagine one day, after they start going to a babysitter everyday, we'll have to fight the Barney battle, but for now we're safe and I'm glad to have confirmation that there's nothing wrong with that.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

our lovely legal system

Is there any hope for a legal system where a judge sues a family run dry cleaners for $65,000,000? Yes, that 65 MILLION dollars.

And what egregious sin are the defendants accused of committing? Misplacing a pair of $800 pants. The pants have since been found and the dry cleaners have offered the judge a $12,000 settlement but he is continuing with his suit.

Just another example of why people hate the United States.

Some links to news stories about this:

Washington Post
ABC News
Wall Street Journal

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

sometimes being a grown-up isn't fun

Sometimes being a grown-up just isn't fun. Managing our money without letting it stress me out is quite a challenge right now.

I'm trying not to get physically ill right now over the conversation I just had with the man fixing our upstairs airconditioning unit.

I do all our money stuff and I made a rather big error last month that's slowly been snowballing into a bigger and bigger problem. For about 2 weeks I've been really upset with our financial situation and I've been trying to hide it from Steven. (I told him about my mistake but he doesn't keep up with our finances so he doesn't see the picture of how it relates to the next few months before I get a paycheck again.) I was counting on the tax refund check we just got to fix my mistake and help us squeak by for a few more months (and in my dreams it was going to help us buy a new dishwasher). Now it looks like that check will be going to a new airconditioning unit.

In my heart I know this will work itself out, every other financial "crisis" that's come up in the past has ended up working out but my stomach doesn't seem to have that faith.

Grown up worries are no fun.