Thursday, March 31, 2005

26 Things!

It's that time again.

Time for the photo scavenger hunt.

For those of you too lazy to click my photo link...



Here is the list

Direction
Used
Carry
Falling
Permanent
Connection
Unfamiliar
Silence
Pile
In/Out
Amazing
Sometimes
Everyday Can't Live Without
On the Move
Holding Back
Out of Control
Awe Inspiring
Just a Sample
On the Edge
Do You See What I See?
All Grown Up
What The?
Making It Official
In Two's
Unfinished Business

This will be the second time that I'll be participating in this scavenger hunt. I can't wait to get started. This list looks like fun.

So who else is going to join in on this one?

And Love With All Your Might, Before It's Too Late

May the lord and any other person out there save me from the growing fondness I have for Mike Pinder's somewhat depressing...somewhat pervy lyrics.

And because Mr. Pinder is sticking in my head today I'm going to share one of his songs with you. Just because.

The Moody Blues - My Song

This is however one of his more "normal" songs. It's also the song that contains the lyric in the title of the post.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Rob Thomas!

What the heck have you done to your hair!!

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

He's still gorgeous. I still love his music, especially Lonely No More, clicky here to see the video.

But can we have a moment of silence for the gorgeous hair that was clipped off.

Rob, you are not a sheep! No shearing!

Things I Miss

This is not a feel sorry for me post. This is just a list of things I wish I had time to do etc.

1. Make mix cds for friends: I used to do this all the time. I would make a new mix each week. Now I'm lucky I make one a month. I'm very sad about that. Making mixes was always a source of enjoyment for me.

2. Shopping: The mall was a second home for me for so long. You know what happens after about 5 years working at malls? You never ever want to go there again.

3. Ohiopyle: This is a state park about an hour from my house. I went there in July of last year and never got back. It's so beautiful too.


The falls at Ohiopyle State Park Posted by Hello

4. Concerts: And If I don't get to see a certain band this summer, I will be the most impossible to live with human.

5. Reading: I'm becoming a slacker when it comes to books and I have too many sitting around to do that.

6. Vacation: Yes, I went to Atlantic City twice last year, but what I really miss are the vacations I used to take when I was in school, when we'd have more than a weekend to spend somewhere.

7. Shawnee State Park: Another place I went as a kid. Lady Starlight...do ya think maybe this could be a Sunday jaunt if we erm...rent a car this summer? Especially if we are skinny and sexy and have bathing suits.

(OK..the Music Whore is suffering from delusions now)

8. Pymatuming State Park: Another odd vacation spot. While looking for some info to explain this lovely park, I found pictures that more than explain it.

Go check out The Wilson's Pics

The carp in the lake are something to behold.

Vinyl Kings

The Music Whore is whoring another quasi Indie band.

Thank you CD Baby!

Do you like the Beatles?

Well yes, I do.

Well then you have to listen to this record



Vinyl Kings are comprised of backup musicians, so to speak. The list of musicians and bands the members of this group have worked with is quite impressive.

The music they make is even more so, especially if you like the sound of The Beatles Rubber Soul and Revolver albums. See they are a tribute band of sorts, but they make Beatle-y pop music without covering the Beatles. Bless them.

Their first album A Little Trip is a loving tribute to the Fab Four and listening to the samples on the page, I would have to say it's the best tribute I've ever heard.

Anyone that wants to listen to something new, while still retaining the simplicity of the 60's can't help but love these records.

My recommendation from A Little Trip - I Think I Know. Click here to find a sample of that song.

And from Time Machine click here to hear Your Turn To Shine.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Take Me Back Tuesday

It's time for another wacky meme from Music Memoirs!

Name 5 funny songs.
I'm going to try not to list the songs I used on my "silly" songs Top Five a few weeks ago. Silly/Funny are they almost the same?
The Beatles - Hey Bulldog
The Monkees - Gonna Buy Me A Dog
Erasure - La Gloria
Herman's Hermits - Henry the Eighth
Ringo Starr - No No Song

Name 5 songs whose lyrics never fail to make you say 'Is that what they really said?' (Clarification: songs with amusingly mishead lyrics. Example: Revved up with a douche, another runner in the night - is actually 'revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night.' This is one of the most commonly misheard lyrics from Blinded By the Light.)
John Denver's Take Me Home Country Roads..which my mother always sang Take Me Home Country Rose.

But I'd like to add two songs where you just wonder what the hell they were saying in the first place.

The Monkees - No Time
The Monkees - Going Down (There's a verse sung so fast that unless you have the lyrics in front of you, you'll never know what Micky Dolenz was singing)

No I lie..3 songs.

What the hell was Curt Go Bang..erm Cobain..singing in Smells Like Teen Spirit? On second thought, I really don't want to know.

(Can you tell I have no respect for that man or his music...or what he tried to pass off for music)

And then there's a song called Lucille by Kenny Rodgers...Shall we sing "You picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel?" Sounds like more fun to me.


Name 5 Weird Al Yankovic parodies.
Amish Paradise (My personal favorite)
The Saga Begins (Another great one...a parody of American Pie)
This Song Is Just Six Words Long (A parody of Got My Mind Set On You)
Smells Like Nirvana (The only way I like Nirvana...in parody form)
Like A Surgeon (Cutting for the very first time)

Monday, March 28, 2005

Holidays = Evil

Why are holidays always the most evil days of the year?

Well there are several reasons.

1. Family gatherings -- instant argument without a can.
2. Too much food --- ends up on your butt and thighs the next day.
3. Picnics --- weather permitting.
4. Church!!

Church is the one part of Easter that was really just bad. And though most of you may not know it, I'm a fairly decent practicing Catholic.

I hate going to church on holidays though.

Why?

It's hard to avoid the choir and our folk choir. Both are vile horrible crimes against music.

The folk choir complete with acoustic guitar, bass and tamborine pissed me off royally yesterday. More so than the choir usually does, and of the two ensembles, the choir is the worst.

How did the folk group piss me off?

They sang Hosanna from Jesus Christ Superstar before mass.

OK, saying that they sang it is giving them a compliment that they didn't deserve. They murdered a perfectly beautiful Andrew Lloyd Webber classic, that wasn't suitable for the ocassion anyway.

Why wasn't it suitable?

Show of hands for the people that have ever seen the musical Jesus Christ Superstar or the movie.

OK, I know a few of you have.

Am I not right in saying the musical ended on Good Friday.

Yes, I am.

Hosanna was the Palm Sunday song.

Grrrr!

Idiots!

So to the music ministry of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in the hamlet of Charleroi on Mon: DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!

I'm telling you, it made my ears bleed.

Note to self: some people only go to church on Christmas and Easter...I think I should go every week..but not on those days.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

The Tush of The Hayward and Other Signs Of The Apocalypse

A good friend of mine sent me this today.

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

It isn't often that you get to see that. I think he's afraid to show us his bum.

But let me tell you, it brightened my day. In fact, I have to say that more than once I thought about reaching into my monitor to goose it. (Too see if he'd squeal)

Another nice surprise today was this:

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

A picture of Lodgey from 1983 without a shirt! Damn him for not taking that jacket off for the camera!

Two rare occurrances, captured on film!

Now if you don't mind, I have to wipe the drool off the monitor before the 4 horsemen stop by.

Happy Easter!

For now I just want to say Happy Easter to those of you that celebrate the holiday.

Again, it's more than just a day to eat brightly colored eggs and extremely fattening chocolate eggs that are filled with even more fattening stuff inside.


Easter Bunny

But bunnies are cute...especially with baskets.

and chocolate ones are really tasty.

Easter Surprise Chocolate Bunny

And it's fun to color eggs

Easter Egg Smiley Egg Painting 2

But try to remember that there is something more to it....

Happy Easter

Saturday, March 26, 2005

Weekend Music

Sometime you have to have some fun music to keep you going.
(That would be when I put The Moody Blues away for awhile, because, well, they aren't fun...unless it's Don't Need A Reindeer or Send Me No Wine)

So for the weekend....I'm going to bring you a few fun songs to keep you going through the holiday weekend

Jimmy Buffett - Another Saturday Night

Barenaked Ladies - Another Postcard

Kirsty MacColl - In These Shoes

These three songs will stay up for a few days. Enjoy!

The Perils of Walmart Shopping

Walmart is hell. I used to think that my hamlet of Charleroi on Mon was hell, but I was wrong. Walmart, all of them, hell!

Do you want to to know why Walmart turns a profit? It has nothing to do with loads of shoppers coming in and buying all the stuff with prices rolled back and stupid smiley faces everywhere.

No!

Why Walmart turns a profit lies in something more nefarious. More annoying. More time consuming than anything else.

They refuse to let employees work!

Why would you have 30 + registers and only have 10 of them open on a Friday night? A Friday night before a holiday, no less!

That Pisses Me Of

To make matters worse, I had ice cream on my shopping list.

Grrr

All the lines were at least 5 or 6 deep, and there wasn't a buggy that wasn't filled to the brim in any of those lines.

Grrr

And that's just the check out.

Moving through the aisles was just as bad, because the people who were working, were putting up stock.

What business stocks shelves during the busiest time on the weekend!

Mad

So while shopping you trip over other customers, employees and merchandise and then when you are ready to check out...you wait in the line from hell!

After one trip to Walmart, I'm ready for Bedlam!

Friday, March 25, 2005

Top Five On Friday

Ok, here's my 2nd musical meme of the week, brought to you by Music Memoirs.

Top 5 "Live" Songs. (This could be songs from live albums or songs that are better performed live)

1. Elvis Costello - I Want You
This song is passionate in its studio version, but when EC does it in concert it's almost, no, it is orgasmic. (I'll hunt down a live version for you later. I don't have one on my hard drive right now)

2. The Moody Blues - The Story In Your Eyes
Justin Hayward's guitar work on this song is always incredible. I have to agree with Moody Mistress on that one. The version I'm posting here is from The Night At The Red Rocks CD.

3. Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf
Yes, this song is cheesy 80's music at its best, but I hate to tell all of you scoffers out there this, but Duran Duran are a credible live band. I've seen them twice and both times I went thinking that the show would be terrible. Both times I was wrong. This uber long version is from the Tower Records show from May of 93. This version was released on the Too Much Information single and the whole concert was bootlegged at one point. (I know, cos I have it)

4. The Moody Blues - Talking Out Of Turn
I can't ignore Lodgey, this song and Steppin in a Slide Zone are two of his best songs done live This mp3 came from the Wantagh New York show on June 13, 1997. I wanted to post the Atlantic City mp3..but damn if I couldn't find that this morning.

5. Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me
All you have to do is listen to their CD At Budakon or any of the other live CDs that are out there, to know that this song is fabulous live. I was lucky enough to see them once back in the mid-90's. They are a fabulous band and Robin Zander is hot! (Had to get the lust out on this one)

Thursday, March 24, 2005

I need to treat myself to something

I'm not sure what yet, but I want to treat myself. Most of the time when I treat myself to something special, it's clothes, but I don't want to spend money on clothes that I likely won't be wearing for long.

5 lbs down...25 to go...til I hit the 125 that I want to be at.

But after a week of hellish work, I think I deserve a cd or something.

Right?

OK, maybe I'm looking for an excuse to spend money, when I shouldn't. But I can't help it!

I want stuff!

I love stuff!

Stuff is what makes the world go around.

I need some musical stuff.

Do you need some musical stuff?

I think you do.

So while I'm contemplating spending money on some new tunes, you can have one.

Erasure - Don't Say You Love Me

It's from the new album Nightbird that anyone and everyone should own.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

To Blog or Not To Blog

I've never done the proverbial "Why Do I Blog" post. So I thought today would be as good a time as any to explain some of my reasons.

~ Venting is a damn good thing, and every so often we all have to do that. I'm pretty sure most of my family prefers that I vent quietly online than at them.

~ I can share what's going on in my life with friends that are harder to keep in touch with. Mind you sometimes it would be nice if those friends would leave a comment when they stopped by. It's not as though I don't know they've been here. (IP addies tell all, you know)

~ It's a great way to share my obsessions with the world.

Muhahahahaha! You knew I had to have a nefarious purpose, right?

I want to spread the love of Elvis Costello, The Moody Blues and Duran Duran to the world!

Actually I want to share my love of music with the world.

Some people think The Moody Blues are a crap band. They are allowed. I don't agree with them, but they are allowed. Just as I think Nirvana was a crap band. I hated them always.

Just because you see the Moody Blues on this blog, doesn't mean that they are the only band I listen to. I have ecclectic taste, and I listen to most anything.

Elena asked me to post a photo of my CD Collection. Miss Tay had asked to see it awhile back.


Part of my CD collection Posted by Hello


More CDs..Look there's my Justin Hayward collection! Posted by Hello

Now I dare anyone to question my screen name of Music Whore.

Oh and that's not all of the CDs either, but I think it's enough for now.

~ I want to share the photos I've taken. Share meaning, if you like them. Right click away. Enjoy! I usually have all my photos uploaded through hello so if you click on them, (like the cd collection shots) they grow to their normal size.

So all in all, blogging is like sharing a piece, albeit a small piece, of my life with strangers.

The parts I share maybe personal, silly or general in nature. But blogging is a little way of sharing a bit of who I am with you.

Random Stuff

First the meme that I promised Misty I'd do.

You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
There's only been one book that I ever hated so much that I wanted to burn it: Stephen King's The Dreamcatcher.

Yuck!

And I'm not the type that will stop reading a book, when I don't like it. I usually carry on in hopes that it will get better. This one did not.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
No, I can't say I have. Though if there were any, Lestat from the Vampire Chronicles probably would have been it. Now if we were talking TV....well that would be a whole other story.

The last book you bought is:

The Music Of The Spheres by Elizabeth Redfern (It's out of print and I bought it at the dollar store)



The last book you read:
It was some old harlequinn. I read so many I can't really tell you.

What are you currently reading?
Love, Dad by Evan Hunter

Five books you would take to a deserted island.

Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (The Unabridged Version)



The Phantom Of The Opera - Gaston Leroux (I've always loved the story. It's better than the musical)



Interview with a Vampire - Anne Rice



The Vampire Lestat - Anne Rice



The Queen Of The Damned - Anne Rice



Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?

Elena because she's always passing along memes for me to do.

Lady Starlight because she's my sister and I said so.

Brandie, because she's another book whore!

~ Still sick of the morning shift! Not sick of the money...just the shift. I wish the morning girl would get over the flu ASAP!

~ I need need need to be able to get some new CDs soon. I'm waiting until I've paid off a few bills before I buy any. Plus I need to know when tickets are going on sale for a few shows that I WILL attend this summer.

No one needs to ask what band right?

~ The diet is progressing. Who knows, maybe I'll be down 10 lbs in another week. Oh how I wish that were the case. I wonder if there's a chance I could lose 20 lbs or so by July?

Try not to laugh too hard.

~ When will the icky weather stop? Snow that didn't happen until late in the season..rain forever it seems. Where's the darn sun?!?!?!?! I knew I should have gone into hibernation this year!

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

One word --- ARGH!

I seriously have had enough of the morning girl at work calling off. Not that I mind the extra cash. I love that. I love that to pieces. Maybe I'll be able to get those 2 Grey Eye Glances CDs I want. (Plus help with the vacation costs this year)

Still, I have worked about 8 days for the morning girl.

8 days.

We've both only been working for about 2 months..give or take a week on her part.

It snowed...she called off. Now she has the flu.

ARGH!

Plus I can't say no, when I know the poor girl is sick. But crikey! Take some vitamins!

And now to soothe the savage beast that I've become, some screen caps from one of the newer clips at Yvonne's kick boot-tay Moody Blues site.

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

I feel a bit more calm now, but I still don't want to go to work at 7 a.m. tomorrow.

Take Me Back Tuesday

It's time for one of the Music Memoirs memes!

1. What one artist would you like to travel back in time to see in their "hey day?" And Why?
There are so many and they all are from the 1960's.
I'm going to give the two obvious answers for me. The Moody Blues and The Beatles, both for the same reasons.

Reason 1. Would love to see both bands when they were fresh and young.
Reason 2. The magic of those years can't be captured now.

2. If you could go back in time to buy one musical related item that you wanted, but didn't purchase at the time, what would it be?
I would have purchased The Moody Blues - The Other Side Of Life in the 80's when the album first came out, rather than waiting almost twenty years to acquire it. My love for the band probably would have started much sooner.

You have no idea how many times I held a copy of that album in my hands and put it back, because I only knew 2 songs from it. (Your Wildest Dreams & The Other Side Of Life)

3. If you could travel back in time and give any artist/band a piece of advice, who would it be and what would your advice be?

Can I give a few artists some advice?

1. John Lennon: Don't sign any autographs in Dec of 1980. (I might also add, don't marry Yoko Ono)

2. Justin Hayward: Don't date women your drummer introduces you to. Don't buy that pink shirt. Wear more leather.

3. John Lodge: RECORD MORE THAN ONE SOLO ALBUM!!!!!!

4. Paul McCartney: Don't try to be friends with Michael Jackson!!!

Monday, March 21, 2005

Beatles Films

There's nothing more entertaining then one of the Beatles films. I love everyone I've seen. (Let It Be, being the only one I haven't watched.)

Help! is my absolute favorite, but since I still have yet to acquire the DVD version of that one, I'm settling for Yellow Submarine. It's been awhile since I've seen this one, and the copy I have now, thanks to my friend, Jennifer, is the remastered edition, which I've never watched.

I think tomorrow night will be A Hard Days Night and then Wednesday Magical Mystery Tour. I'm scared to play my copy of Help! because the tape is stretching and I don't want it to die yet. At least not until I have another copy.

There's something timeless about the films and the music. I think that's why I love Yellow Submarine so much. So many wonderful songs filled that movie.

And Help! was just hysterical. When I first got my VHS copy that I paid 70 dollars for back in the 80's (an insane amount for a video, I know), I played it so many times that I knew the entire script. I could recite it word for word.

I'm insane, I know, but such was my love for the Beatles. If I had a good copy of that movie, I'd probably still be able to do it.

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Tell me you don't want to sing "Ticket To Ride" right now?

OK, just me...

Which is just further proof that I'm insane and insanely in love with the Beatles.

Now do any of you have a favorite Beatles film?

Sunday's my funday

I thought I'd share a few of the photos I took on the grey gloomy day I spent at Wheeling Island. For awhile I almost thought I was in Atlantic City. Then I realized there was no ocean outside, just the Ohio River and there was definitely no Boardwalk.


Wheeling Island Posted by Hello

The inside of the gaming center/casino is decorated with an island feel. There's a huge waterfall fountain inside.


Another shot of the waterfall fountain. Posted by Hello

Now here's a picture of the artwork on the windows above the main entrance.


The windows above the main doors to the gaming center. Posted by Hello

But now for what you really want pictures of: THE CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN!

OK...chocolate fountains!

There was a white chocolate and a milk chocolate fountain. And I took pictures of both, cos I'm loony!


Both fountains. Posted by Hello


The chocolate fountain. Don't you just want to dive in? Posted by Hello


The white chocolate fountain, for those of you that prefer white chocolate. Posted by Hello


My dessert.  Posted by Hello

OK, I ate more than those 2 strawberries and marshmallow, but I'm not going to show you that! Oh and the buffet was pretty reasonable, $12.49 on Sundays. Not bad and the food was yummy.

I bet Justin Hayward and John Lodge would taste good covered in chocolate....

Ooops thinking out loud again.

Oh and here are a few more shots outside.


A final shot of the hotel. Posted by Hello


The entrace to the racing center, I believe. Posted by Hello

I probably should have posted these on my photoblog, but I figured I'd share them with everyone.

Sunday, March 20, 2005

I'm off to lose some money ....

And play in a chocolate fountain.

No, really. I am. I'm going to play in a chocolate fountain!

Or at least partake in a chocolate fountain.

Anyone in the PA area that hears of a group of women diving into a small chocolate fountain...well, that will be my sister, my friend, Jennifer and me.

Who knows, maybe I'll even win a few dollars. (Gas money for the trip home, maybe? Money for a new outfit from Kaufmann's?)

And then I wake up!

Anyway, look for another update later, with a report on my winnings or losings and any pictures I've taken of the mischief we've gotten into today!

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Busy Busy Busy

Finally a weekend where I can really go out and about! Yipee!

Tonight I'm off to buy my dress for Easter and have some dinner at The Waffle House in Washington, PA. Nummy!

Tomorrow, it's Wheeling Island for a little bit of tossing money away and some yummy buffet. Do I care about my diet these two days?

Hell no!

Well, maybe just a little, but I think I deserve to enjoy myself too and this weekend I'm going to enjoy a little! I have all of next week to work anything extra off. Plus, I read today, sometimes it tricks your metabolism if you eat at the bare mininum of calories and save some for later in the week. I'm all about that, and I don't intend to be too bad.

Here's hoping I find a pretty dress for next Sunday! (And bigger hopes that I don't get lost driving to Wheeling tomorrow!)

Friday, March 18, 2005

I got my CD!

Finally, after 10 days of waiting I received Painted Pictures by Grey Eye Glances in the mail! Woot!



And hopefully this week I can order another disc or two. Once I sort out the finances and all.

I have a huge list of CDs I want. I only wish you could have a wish list at CD Baby!

Another on my must have list.

Daughter Darling



The lead singer, Natalie Walker has been compared to Sarah McLachlan, and for me that's a good thing. Especially since it all sounds like Sarah and Delerium. Check out the band's website and check out the CD! It's gorgeous! Really Gorgeous! And Natalie is from Philly! So give some kudo's to a PA girl with talent! Even if she's from the other side of the state!