The Listening Room

I haven't made any changes to my MP3 player lately. I honestly haven't been using it that much. This summer, I haven't been to the Y, instead choosing to walk my dog -- and it's not a good idea to be doubly distracted (dog and music). However, I have been listening online to a couple of playlists from my Rhapsody account......

On "Playlist 1" we have.........

• "Lovefool" (The Cardigans). Nice little infectious bright Europop from the late 90s. I enjoy it. Can't say why, but I do.
• "Babylon Sisters" (Steely Dan). Hello? It's the Dan. That's reason enough. I like this song a lot -- can't explain why. I just do.
  
• "Hey Nineteen" (Steely Dan). See above.
• "Remind Me" (Royksopp). Don't know this one? Yeah, you do. Think the Geico commercial where the caveman is going down the autowalk at the airport and sees the large billboard. Nice Euro-electronica.
  
• "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadows?" (Rolling Stones). Another that I don't know why I like it but I do.
• "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" (Hall & Oates). I love H&O. They're awesome. I could pretty much add most of their 80s hits to this list.
  
• "This Masquerade" (George Benson). George Benson is awesome, and so is this Leon Russell-penned song.
• "Late in the Evening" (Paul Simon). I like a lot of his solo work, and while the movie flopped (remember One-Trick Pony?), this song did not. At least not with me.
  
• "Sweet Baby" (Stanley Clarke & George Duke). A true gem from 1981 -- a sweet song, and one I could listen to over and over again.
• "It's All Over Now" (Rolling Stones). A damn fine song. I don't think it's played often enough as "Time Is On My Side" (which still creeps me out after seeing Fallen!). That's a shame..... this is a great kiss-off song.
  
• "Janie Runaway" (Steely Dan). A parent's worst nightmare of a song; but oh, that groove gets me.
  
• "Tumbling Dice" (Rolling Stones). From the great Exile on Main Street .... just fantastic.
• "Rise" (Herb Alpert). Yes, this was the song thumping in the background when Luke raped Laura on General Hospital. And yes, I probably should hate this song. Sue me; I love it.
• "Too Many People" (Paul McCartney). I just like it.
• "Hour Glass" (Squeeze). While "Tempted" is probably my favorite Squeeze song, this is another one I like.
• "C Moon" (Paul McCartney). Another one that I just like. There's a lot of Sir Paul's music that I like for no discernible reason.
  
• "Hi Hi Hi" (Paul McCartney). A rocking one from him ... wish he'd done more of these in his solo career and fewer, ....er, "Silly Love Songs."
• "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (Rolling Stones). You know dang well I love this song with a complete passion. You thought it wouldn't be on a list here? Please!
• "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid" (Hall & Oates). Another one of their good underrated songs from the 80s.
• "Jet" (Wings). Another good Macca rocker. Again, wish he'd done a thousand of these.
• "New Frontier" (Donald Fagen). A fantastic song!!!! It has long been one of my favorites, and when we got our first camcorder (a HUGE honkin' thing), I did a "music video" -- set the tape of my family and our shenanigans to this song. It will always be one of my favorites.
• "Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes" (Paul Simon). Graceland was a fantastic album --- hard to believe it's now 20 years old!!!
• "Almost Gothic" (Steely Dan). Another great song from Two Against Nature (a great, great CD!)
• "Hard To Say I'm Sorry / Get Away" (Chicago). I truly couldn't care less about the first song. But I LOVE that coda ... the one they never play anymore. It doesn't fit in a "lite" format or a "Quiet Storm" evening show. Screw 'em all, it's the best part of the song.
  
• "Bicycle Race" (Queen). Why not? This was on someone's "Tour de France" playlist and I said, "Yeah! That works!"
  
• "Give Up The Funk (Tear the Roof Off The Sucka)" (Parliament). The whole post below about "the van is back" has set off a vast need to hear this song, and as often as possible!
• "Never Been Any Reason" (Head East). Because they don't play it often enough and it's a great song!
• "South California Purples" (Chicago). Before they hit it big, they were a brass/jazz/rock fusion unit and actually had a little psychedelic edge to them .... give a listen to this, and then to "Wishing You Were Here." (Hard to believe it's the same group, huh?)
• "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" (The Dramatics). Fantastic 70s soul. Not enough of this anymore either....... :( Geez, that seems to be a running theme here....
  
• "I.G.Y" (Donald Fagen). I so loved this song back in '82. I so love The Nightfly. It makes me wish for the vibe of the late 50s/early 60s and that optimism that young adults must have felt even in the height of the Cold War. I picture the early days of Kennedy's Camelot. Makes me long for what might have been.
• "Break My Stride" (Matthew Wilder). Ahhh...... good memories of being an 80s kid.
• "New York State of Mind" (Billy Joel). A great song that almost makes me want to go there. Not necessarily to live, but to at least visit for a while.
  
• "Running on Faith" (Eric Clapton). A wonderful song, and almost prayer-like. At least I could turn it into one. I love it immensely.
• "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)" (Billy Joel). This is the Songs in the Attic version, because it's the one I know and love best. Hard to believe 2017 is only 10 years off, too. ZOIKS!
  
• "Reflections of My Life" (Marmalade). 70s whiny music at its zenith/nadir. I don't care. I like the Hollies-like harmonies (and melody, for that matter). That's something sorely missing these days -- truly tight harmonies.
  
• "Tight Rope" (Leon Russell). Great singer/songwriter who doesn't get nearly the popular credit he deserves.
  
• "Dark Star" (Crosby Stills & Nash). I didn't remember this when it was out the first time in the 70s. But one Sunday afternoon about 15 years ago, I was in a DEEEEEP nap with my radio on (big surprise there). I woke up and this song was playing. I just lay there, still trying to wake up and hearing the song, and thinking, "Wow! This is good." (I knew OF the song, but as I said, didn't really remember it). It's a favorite now.

I also have a 2nd playlist for when I need just some other music to hear:

• "Carry On" (Crosby Stills Nash & Young). One of my very favorites by them.
• "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (Neil Young). This song has become a favorite over the years, and it just touches a soft spot in my heart.
• "Up On Cripple Creek" (The Band). Can't be explained.... just one I enjoy!
• "Life Is A Highway" (Tom Cochrane). A great song from the early 90s, and It's a damn fine song, and I will sit at my desk and silently sing along every single time!
• "Lunatic Fringe" (Red Rider). I was in high school when this came out, and one of my classmates said something about Red Rider. I said, "Oh, the group that does 'Lunatic Fringe'?" His jaw dropped....... He didn't know that anyone else knew who they were. Ya know, I got a lot of that back then. I loved it then; I love it now. Oh yeah -- Great song, too.
• "Never Been Any Reason" (Head East). I told you they don't play this often enough!
• "MLK" (U2). I love it. Short, simple, prayerful, peaceful. Dr. King would probably have enjoyed it too.
• "One Particular Harbour" (Jimmy Buffett). I love this song. I will not try to dissect why, I will just enjoy it. And dream of the day I can head to my own particular harbour.
  
• "After the Gold Rush" (Neil Young). Not much has changed in 35+ years, has it? Mother Nature is still on the run......
• "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" (Digable Planets). HA!!!!!!! Threw you a curve, didn't I? A great song, and I wish they'd done more like this!
• "The Shape I'm In" (The Band). They were "Americana" before that became a genre, and was just played on regular radio. I miss those days.
• "If You Want To Get to Heaven" (Ozark Mountain Daredevils). You really do have to raise a little hell.......
• "How Do I Make You" (Linda Ronstadt). It was panned as her attempt to appeal to a punk(er) audience -- I still like it.
• "Broken" (Angie Aparo). I got this song on a Joe Muggs compilation CD from Books-a-Million, and it was one of the ones I'd listen to most. Really good song!
• "22 Steps" (Andy Stochansky). Also from the Joe Muggs compilation, and another that seemed to get extra listens.
• "Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)" (Neil Young). I like it better than "My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)" ..... it has the angry energy that I think of when I think of Neil Young.
• "Heart of the Night" (Poco). One of my favorites by Poco.
  
• "A Pirate Looks At 40" (Jimmy Buffett). I've always loved this ...... and with 40 approaching faster than I'd like, I can relate. My true occupation's just not around (much) anymore, either........
  

For those of you of a certain age....

you probably remember Superman II, only THE greatest sequel ever. Then check this out: New Candidate?

Signed,
Getting Out the Knee Pads NOW

I did it!!

If you've been a regular reader of my blog for a couple of years, you may remember my posts when my friend Tee died of breast cancer in January '06.

I promised myself that I would do whatever I could to donate or whatever to help find a cure for this disease. Last fall, as I was learning more about my weight-loss journey, I decided that come this fall, I would take part in the Race for the Cure's 1 mile Fun Walk (because I am still NOWHERE close to being in shape to actually run a 5K).

I just registered online. I am going to do this, on September 29. I cannot wait. I am a little nervous and anxious, but terribly excited to be doing whatever I can.

Au contraire, Mr. Honda!

The Van is NOT back, contrary to what your commercials might say. The Van is not a Honda Odyssey, or even a Dodge/Chrysler Town and Country (with or without Stow & Go).

No, no, no, no, bebes. A real van is a '68 VW Vanagon-like thing, painted in great psychedelic colors. Or even better, it is a circa-'76 big ol' honkin', gas-guzzlin' behemoth (Ford Econoline comes to mind) that has tinted windows and a mattress of some sort in the back -- you know, like in the song "Chevy Van." Even as a fairly innocent kid, I understood the implications of what a van was to singletons in the 70s.

By God, THOSE are vans. What the car dealers are purporting as "The Van" (or its return) are nothing more than the soccer-mommy minivans of the 80s, revisited. That's all.

George Clinton, be a man and take your song back.... please!

I know y'all are tired of.....

hearing my dog stories, but please indulge me!

Maddox is a one-man MASH unit -- for his pet mama! I have sustained several injuries, all non-life-threatening, but awfully pride-wounding. There's a blister just underneath a callus on my foot (read: hurts like hell!); I tripped over his feet and landed on the sidewalk, scraping my legs and gouging a nice little chunk out of my right hand (just at the point where it hits the mousepad!); and just Sunday, I got what could have been a much worse leash cut/burn, when he saw a cute little girl dog .... fat lot of good it does his neutered self, though! Oh well -- I am sure every pet parent has the same stories!

Maddox and I have started walking in the mornings instead. It's way cooler at 6:00 AM than it is at 8:00 PM. We usually go at least 40 minutes, and I strive for an hour. That usually gets us 1.35 miles (for the short walk) and right at 2 miles on the long walk. My pace isn't quite what it was on the treadmill -- but then again, I also was ready to hop off that after 30 minutes. I'm going longer times and enjoying every moment. And I have my Little Buddy by my side.

Speaking of Little Buddy, he is a one-dog squirrel patrol ..... there are a couple of places along the walk where he knows the squirrels have a tendency to hang out. His little ears will perk up, and he almost leaps with happiness. He gives me this look that says, "Oh Mommy-lady, pleeeeeeeease let me cross the street. Pleeeeeeease!!! I can catch them, pleeeease!" (Note: the "street" is actually a fairly busy state highway through town). I'm going to have a bandanna made that says "Squirrel Patrol"!

Life is pretty good right now, so I'll sign off for the time being.

It's been such a long time.....

Sorry that it's been so long since I've made a post. There's been a lot going on, but all is good here once and again.

Maddox is doing better! The antibiotics and doggie kaopectate helped tremendously! He's happy and enjoying things. He's managed to destroy a few cheap toys (thank God for the Dollar Tree!). We've been walking in the mornings, because it's way too hot even at 8:00 at night now. We're having good walks!

And work is going well.

So many good things in life to enjoy!