Music Memories

What was the first record you owned?

  • 1st Record: The Disney Dumbo read-along storybook with 45.
  • 1st Tape: Violent Femmes “debut”
  • 1st CD: Prince “Sign o the Times” and The Smiths “Louder than Bombs” (I thought i was getting the maximum amount of music for my intial CD dollars)

Is there a song that reminds you most of your childhood?
Captain and Tenille “Love Will Keep Us Together”– I have to thank my mom for having that 8-track within my reach, (also included could be any ABBA single)

If your life was a movie, what song would play over the following:

  • Opening credits: Billy Joel “Oh What a Night” (get the spirits up, then BAM!)
  • Love (?) Scene (Very likely this scene would be cut to keep the storyline going): Crowded House “Into Temptation”
  • Driving scene: Pixies “The Happening” or Blue Man Group “Rods and Cones” or Beethoven “Symphony No. 7 Allegretto” or REM “Half a World Away”
  • Closing credits: Israel Kamakawiwo “Under the Rainbow” (yeh, that eToys song) or Clem Snide “Chinese Baby” or Grandaddy “So You’ll Aim Towards the Sky”

Name a song or concert that moved you to tears shivers:
Sinead O’Connor : “Sacrifice” from the Two Rooms tribute album or REM “The Wrong Child” as for concerts, seeing Genesis at Ohio State blew my mind, but I think that was the acid.

Name an Album that is perfect all the way through – No filler, no bad stuff:
Beastie Boys “Pauls Boutique”

Music you like that could be considered a guilty pleasure:
Hell, my whole collection, but I could say They Might Be Giants, just to sum it up.

If your music collection was about to go up in flames, which 5 CDs would you save?

  • Pixies “Doolittle”
  • Beasties “Pauls Boutique”
  • and three others i chose at random

Is there a song that describes you or a situation well?
Ryan Adams “Come Pick Me Up” darn him for bein a so hip now.

Which underrated artist deserves more attention?
Ugly Cassanova (Modest Mouse), Flaming Lips (though Intel did catch them), Dandy Warhols, Soul Coughing (RIP), Trash Can Sinatras

Has a song or artist changed your life in any way? If so, how?
No single song or artist changed my life, but many shaped it…

What is your favourite soundtrack?.
The Muppet Movie

What is your all time favourite music video?
I don’t have a favorite, but currently Missy Elliott’s “Work it” is fun to watch

Current favourite radio hit:
Shania Twain, “Up” (gulp) – Hence, I often keep my radio off.

The Wind Walker

Dang Nintendo for not releasing Zelda during Christmas, like they were supposed to. Spring is not a good video game season. Thanks to a cold spell though, outdoor activities seem less attractive.

The Wind Walker is likely the finest videogame I’ve seen on my tv screen, if anything for sheer style and attention to detail. With its release but a few short weeks ago, I’ve been sneaking in late hours entranced by the game, getting a small kick out of sneaking around a castle under a barrel.

On top of all this, the whole wireless controller Nintendo makes is quite solid. Nice to sit back untethered.

The newness is starting to wear off though, I’m beginning to find myself backtracking and sailing around a lot in a boat. Spring better come soon so i can just put it away unfinished, with all my other unfinished videogame quests.

Augusta Kentucky

Met up with Gretchen and Larry at 1800 hours sharp to make it across the river in a ferry to Augusta Kentucky. Shopped at a little antique store and felt superbad because the owner was there and lamented the horrible week in sales. Perhaps a ploy, but a good one. We dropped a good amount on things not needed and invited her to dinner with us.

Happy as a clam she joined us for a purdy good meal, but i’d say the company was better. Made it back the long way over the river (the ferry was closed by this point) and parted ways.

kids are neat

So work was the normal cacophony of construction noises. I was the only one in the studio and i opened all the windows to let the nice day in. My to-do list is daunting and there’s no real way to offload it and this concerns me greatly. Top it all off, that feeling that I could be working alone, anywhere, twists my innards more often than not.

After making no headway, I decide to drop everything and drive to my friends house to see the newborn. There on the porch of their house, mama was rocking the infant looking radiant in the spring afternoon (both mother and daughter were radiant). I sat there and got to hold her while hearing all about the child-birthing process. Everything went swimmingly and there was nary a complaint about the whole experience.

Not yet 6 days old, a quiet 9 pound baby girl. Full head o hair. Perfectly content in the nook of my arm, stretched out with the occasional pawing outward. Apparently she has none of her father’s features; he has resorted to saying, “She has my sense of humor.” and i’m sure these things will surface as she sprouts.

I’ve had great friends who have had kids before, but this little one, this one I feel might be the one that warms me most. Perhaps it’s because I enjoy the company of her parents so darn much. They’re great individuals, and an inspiring couple.

The McRib is back!

The McRib is back! The sign under the golden arches read. But really, did the McRib ever leave us? Ever? Especially those that had one, I’m sure there’s some molecular remnants that will be with us, forever.

Just random how fast food was a theme twice this week.

Speakin of vittles, time to steam broccoli and make some rice.

The barber wasn’t there.

Today I gathered my gumption to get the beard whacked, and Tiny Tina wasn’t there. Perhaps this is a sign that I should brave it out and see how long I can stand it.

I’m a bit concerned about Tina though… she never takes the day off. I know that her daughter is with child… hopefully there have been no complications.

The sign did say, “Come back Friday! Wait for me!” (emphatically might I add). Funny how it seemed like a message just for me, telling me to keep it together and brave the meeting I have with clients tomorrow. I know Tina though, and she can convey genuine compassion. That sign was for everyone.

To be honest, I don’t mind the unruly face fur, in fact, I enjoy tugging on it and rubbing my fingers through it, and it tickles my ear. It’s good for the ponderous moments.

It’s almost like a pet, my beard.

So in lieu of the clippers, I decided to take myself further into Kentucky to visit Best Buy. I had three things on my list, all video games. They had none, and their information about release dates was wrong. I wandered through the aisles and nothing leapt into my hands.

This was certainly unusual. I used to leave with a lighter wallet whenever I went to Best Buy – but the feeling I had was distasteful. Foreign.

Gladly leaving, I decided to grab some vittles at Schlotsky’s for a sandwich and pizza. I wish there was a Schlotzsky’s Deli closer to me. As far as chain medium-fast food goes, it’s a winner.

I drove back across the river as the warm gray day spat drizzle.

The Underground Railroad Museum construction was looking formidable on the riverfront, next to the completed baseball stadium that will open for the first time next month. This place was also foreign, but in a good way. As spring approaches and the construction wraps up, I’m sure it will be a splendid riverfront.

Twarted all around, I decided I could do my work in the evening from home and continue my quest for the videogames I played in St. Louis.

Going to the local store, the doors were propped open to let the 55 degree air in.

I was greeted and asked what I was looking for, and I rattled off my list.

Yeehaw. 2 out of 3 aint bad… and I picked up a few used games that saved me a few bucks on stuff I didn’t need anyway.

They sit next to me on the couch, still in their plastic wrappings. I got suckered into The Truth About Cats and Dogs on the tv and cooked up some stir fry.

The dialog from the movie perks up my ears, “Did you ever look at yourself in the mirror and your face becomes shapes… not good or bad, just shapes.”

Why yes, as a matter of fact, I have. Why the long face, folks would tease. And now I sit, tugging on my beard, realizing that as shapes go, I’m certainly exhibiting them. Not good or bad… just shapes.

Time to play video games and hope that Tina is available on Friday…

Soulard Mardi Gras

So I just got back from St. Louis last night after a weekend of Mardi Gras.

Weekend rewind: I left Cincinnati at 6pm on Friday night with clear weather. Once I got to east St. Louis, a slight blizzard was in progress. The highways inched along and I took the fast lane to my friends house in the ‘dog town’ neighborhood.

We quickly said our hellos and settled into the couch for an evening of good stuff and video games. I became the party star. (Nintendo has a way of making the winner of a game feel so special with monikers like that).

Saturday, the snow quickly vanished and we headed down to the french district after a good ol breakfast. Slushy streets filled to the brim with drunken folks of all types.

Three men with beards, beads and smiles

Worked the bar door for a while, telling folks whose bladders were too full that they had to wait in line.

Afterwards, a quick drink at the bar and we were home early evening. The next 36 hours we would eat, watch movies (Lilo and Stitch and Monty Python and the Holy Grail), play video games (I once again became party star) and drink soda. Well, I had beer.

As evening came, I was planning to leave, but in all honesty, I never get to sit on the couch and play video games with people I like hanging with all too often… So I decided, after much calculation – that one more night couldn’t hurt.

The drive back was cake yesterday, and I had blue skies lighting my path.

I want to be in awe.

Rewind << August 2002

I sat there, a bit befuddled by the whole psychotherapy tip, studying this man who was to help me sort through some “issues.”

I don’t see myself as smart, but I don’t see how a series of conversations will change the way I think or feel. But some tools, some tools would be nice to keep myself in check if I find myself in a rut.

The psychiatrist understands of course, and suggests that I can always explore medication to keep myself “in check” – but his intial impression was that it would be unnecessary.

“What do you want?” he asks. Of course, I ask myself this all the time when I’m not occupying myself with work or whatnot.

My mom had asked the same question over a fiercely emotional coffee some weeks back and I spouted off things freely. My answers had not changed.

“I want to be in awe.” I said.

A chuckle, “Perhaps you’re setting your goals too high.” he replied quickly.

Fast forward to last week. The snow covered my street. Everything was blanketed and quiet and bright. Blue skies had emerged after the grayness to reveal this idyllic scene. I keep coming back to that moment.

I sat on my front stoop waiting for my ride to work.

I should be in awe, I said to myself.

I _was_ in awe, I hate to admit, when I was traveling. When I would emerge from the dark dormintory and make the quick block to the jobsite. The sky was blue, but everything seemed more grand. Clouds had radical formations. The range on the horizon begged for exploration. The air was bright.

I dig my job

So it’s 3:33am, and I’m just wrapping up little details on a site we’re launching this week at work. I could blather on about how I loathe working this late… but honestly, I feel like an elf (albeit a tall one) gettin stuff ready for happy recipients. I dig my job.

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