My Winamp Has Gone Ape!

Yesterday, in order to get my playlist posted for everyone to see, I put my winamp on random. Yes, I gave this little media player freedom of choosing what songs out of 4882 music files that I would listen to. Bad decision.

Yesterday it decided that Christmas in April was the thing. OK, the sad thing is that it didn't bother me to listen to Winter Wonderland or for that matter December. I listen to that disc in July and I really don't care. I was kinda upset that it didn't toss out Mistletoe and Wine. I mean I really need to have that song stuck in my head, along with the 30 other Cliff Richard songs that reside there!

Today it's decided to play full albums.

Oye!

I've heard Days of Future (fucking) Passed. (Can I just say I do not really love this one Moody Blues CD and that Nights in White Satin is no where near my favorite Moody Blues song)

Ah...Breathe deep the gathering gloom....watch lights fade in every room

Thanks Graeme, I needed that at 7 a.m.

After winamp finished torturing me with that one it moved on to Annie Halsam's Dawn of Ananda, which sadly I don't have in it's complete form. I also found out that one of the few tracks that I do have is flawed. Grrrr.

I'm frightened of what it might come up with after this. It's certainly not being very random.

I'm so glad I'm going to Pittsburgh later, because then I won't have to sit around and listen to the weirdness that my winamp is subjecting me to.

Covered Bridges Revisited

I needed to get out and walk today, so I took my youngest nephew to Mingo Park so he could see the covered bridges. Those would be the Henry and the Ebenezer Bridges. I also made him walk the 2.5ish miles between the two. He was none to pleased about that, but I didn't care, I had the Muvo loaded up with some tunes and I was enjoying my walk.

Of course the trip was not without pictures.

Playlist Time!

It's that time again.

I'm posting my Winamp Playlist and you can request up to 5 songs at a time. I'll send them to you via YSI or Sendspace, so make sure you have your email in the comments, so I know where to send the songs. I'll leave a comment back here when your files have been sent so you know that you can request again.

Heres my playlist

Remember, it's polite to say thank you!

Because if you don't, Justin and his trusty jackass will trample you!



Bet you thought I meant Marie when I said jackass! Let's not be insulting to the donkey, m'kay?

Top 5 On Friday - Week 69

From the music lovers @ Music Memoirs

Top 5 songs that "answer" the musical question: Where do we go from here?

Herman's Hermits - Sea Cruise

Elvis Costello w/ Anuna - Long Journey Home

Bernie Barlow - Down By The Sea

George Harrison - Crackerbox Palace

Justin Hayward - Promised Land

Thursday Thirteen

1. Only about a month until the Gary Puckett concert in Hersheypark! I'm not a huge Gary Puckett fan, but my sister is, so we're going to make the jaunt. Plus, her son Michael and I really want to go to Hersheypark and Hershey Gardens.

2. I have more vistors guides in my house. My nephew was in Harrisburg and for some reason he brought me the Pittsburgh guide. I think he was trying to tell me something. Now if he would only pay for gas.

3. Just when I think I've got the worrying under control, something else happens and I can't force the thoughts from my mind.

4. They are replacing the water lines or something of that nature in front of my house this week. This means I can't park in front of my house from 7:30 - 5:00. Sadly my work hours are 8-4 and I only have a 7 minute drive to work. ARGH!

5. I'm losing all interest in Curves. This is so not a good thing, because if I just come home from work, I'm apt to plop myself down at the computer for the rest of the evening.

6. I forgot to order photos from the Palace Of Gold when I made my last order from snapfish.

7. It dawned on me this past Sunday that I really just like the Islander Buffet at Wheeling Island. Gambling doesn't really do it for me. (I always lose) Though I have to say there is something appealling about the whirring sound of the slot machines.

8. I have a coupon for a free appetizer at a local restaurant, but it isn't good on Friday or Saturday, the two days when I'm most likely to go out to eat. Grrr.

9. My body has a nasty habit of waking up a half hour before the alarm and then since I know what time it is, I can't catch that last half hour of sleep during the week.

10. I won't be able to sleep in on Sunday this week, because I'm a lector at the 8 a.m. mass this week. Come to think of it, I'm the lector next Sunday at 8 a.m. too. ARGH! No sleepy for me!

11. The concert season that's fast approaching sucks. Pittsburgh is getting nothing worth seeing and the dates when the other artists that I love are playing that are within driving distance seem to be on days when I can't go.

12. Very soon I'm going to have to go through all the stuff I've got from those vistor's centers and decide what weekend trips I want to make. I can't make too many, as I doubt I'll be able to afford gas and a rental car very soon. I do hope I get to make the trip to Jersey in Sept. I've got the weekend after Labor Day flagged on my calender.

13. No matter how hard I try to keep The Moody Blues out of my mind, I can't. And curiosity did kill the cat. I found out that Justin Hayward's wife Mariemutt (the ugliest woman on the planet) briefly dated George Harrison. Now I have one more reason to hate her. OK, feel nauseaous when her name is mentioned.

Hump Day Hotties

It's Wednesday? Already?

Thank goodness!

I'm going to forget that Tuesday happpened and I'm going to concentrate on something that will relax me, like the hump day hunks. (On a side note, I slept a bit more last night)







So if any of you are having a rotten day, or had one and still haven't recovered from it. Take a deep breath, and stare at some prettiness.

This is me

Don't ask. I may tell you.

Sleep Alludes Me

I need one good night of at least 8 blissful hours of sleep. I don't know why I can't seem to get it at least on the weekends, but no. It's impossible.

I'm by nature a night person. I can't go to bed earlier than 10 o'clock unless I'm sick. Unfortunately last fall my body was forced into waking up at 5:30 a.m. and for some strange sick reason, it's never been able to get off that schedule. If I wanted to get those blasted 8 hours I'd have to be in bed by 9:30. I don't think that's going to happen.

Why?

Every tv show that I really like comes on between 9 and 10.

CSI, Law and Order, Criminal Minds.

All in the 9-11 time frame.

Mind you I'm addicted to any of the shows, but if I start watching one, chances are I'm not going to go to bed in the middle of it.

Which leads me to my problem of being completely drained after work. At 4 o'clock I drag my butt to Curves and try to go around 4 times, because I don't want my butt to grow larger than it already is. After I get home, I'm so tired I don't want to do anything except stare mindlessly at a computer or tv screen. But I can't go to sleep. If that makes sense.

Too drained to do anything I need to do, but not tired enough to go to bed for the night. That's wrong on so many different levels. Now will someone try to push me off to bed at 9 o'clock tonight?

Random 10 - Week 52

From those music lovin' ladies @ 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)

Elton John - Philadelphia Freedom
John Lennon - Mind Games

These two songs were played at Wheeling Island yesterday

Manfred Mann - Come Tomorrow
Herman's Hermits - Meet Me At The Corner Down At Joe's Cafe

2 songs that I bought at AllofMp3.com this weekend.

Elvis Costello - Miss Macbeth
The Zombies - Smokey Day
The Hollies - Carrie Anne
Three Dog Night - Joy To The World
Sally Oldfield and Justin Hayward - Let It Begin
The Doors - Love Her Madly

These were songs my winamp through at me this weekend.

As for the picture, The Suspension Bridge in Wheeling.



As always if there is a song on this list that you'd like, let me know and I'll try to upload it for ya.

Construction Season Has Begun

Ah yes, the cones and barrels were out today. Interstate 70 was a sea of orange and white from Washington to the WV line, or so it seemed. And with that sea of orange and white comes the one sign that I hate the most: "Use both lanes to merge point"

ARGH

No. No. No.

Essentially what this sign is telling people is to pass anyone that had the good sense to get into the lane that is open and cut into that lane at the last possible minute, causing traffic to slow down to a crawl and me to add at least 5 "fuckers" to my trip.

And let me tell you I got my 10 in today. For the most part that word only pops up in my vocabulary at times of extreme frustration (read: driving) or when I feel the need to be silly. Recall the intercourse the penguin skit from Monty Python.

That said, I'm so looking forward to a not so blissful construction season. Let's see how much I can sound like a drunken fishwife by Labor Day.

The Camera Was Out Today

I took my old camera around with me today, because I wasn't sure if it was ever going to stop raining. Thankfully it did and I went off to Washington, to do my senseless shopping.

On the way back I took the long way, detouring down a country road to show my nephew a covered bridge and I stopped along the road to see the animals at a farm.






For the rest, go to my photoblog

Coupons Are The Root Of All Evil

I have a Dots coupon in my inbox right now, and though I haven't found anything I really liked at that store since last summer, I'm going to print it out and drive to Washington later today to see what's new.

Basically, what I'll be doing is wasting gas that I don't have and probably money that I don't have as well.

Yay!

But that's what impulse buying is all about, right?

Plus its an excuse to go to the mall and out to eat. And I love going out to eat, even if it's just to Waffle House or Cici's Pizza buffet.

By this time tomorrow I'll be at least 40 dollars poorer than I am now. No wait...by this time tomorrow I'll probably be in Wheeling, so double that to 80 dollars poorer. But at least I'll be having fun. (Oh and I might have some new clothes!)

Give It A Listen

I discovered a new artist this week. Actually not a new one but new to me. Her name is Lene Marlin. She's got 3 albums to her credit and from what I've heard they are all lovely.

I'm sharing the first song of hers that I heard. It's called Sorry and it's from the album Another Day



Let me know what you think.

Top 5 On Friday

Care of the music lovers @ Music Memoirs.

Top 5 songs that are made to measure. (about measurements, distances etc)

The Proclaimers - 500 Miles

Erasure - 2000 Miles

The Moody Blues - Long Summer Days

Cliff Richard - Thousand Miles To Go

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Inch By Inch

Cats and Mysteries

I'm an avid reader as most of you know by now. Romance, fantasy, mystery, you name it, and I'll probably read it, or try to.

I'm reading Pawing Through The Past by Rita Mae Brown



I love books where the author gives the cats a real personality. This one gives all of the characters pets personalities. I'm only about 30 or so odd pages into the book and I'm hooked. It's part of a series of books about the the cat Mrs Murphy and I know I'm going to want to read them all.

I rank these books up there with the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series, which is my very favorite series.

So if you're looking for an entertaining, fun read, go find this book. I think you'll enjoy it.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen tangible things I can't live without

1. Pantene Brunette Expressions shampoo - This stuff is wonderful. I haven't had a bad hair day since I started using it. I don't usually like to spend a great deal of money on shampoos, but this one is worth every penny.

2. Yves Rocher Force for Lips and Eyes - A lip/eye cream that works better than any lip balm in the world.

3 My cell phone - Not that I use it much but it's almost always at my side.

4. My Creative Muvo mp3 player - No, not the expensive one that I bought at Christmas. That one still has yet to be really used. I'm ashamed of myself for that. But it took almost a year before I really started to use the Muvo.

5. My computer - If I'm home, chances are the computer is on. I may not be sitting in front of it, but it's on.

6. My clock radio - I still have the same clock radio that I had when I was in grade school. It's still alive and functioning. It wakes me to bad music, which is a guarantee that I will wake up each day. (Just to turn it off!)

7. Bernie the Beretta - My 1991 Chevy. I love the car more than I will admit to. Because if I do, she'll become tempermental and break down. (Much like Greta the evil Grand lemon..I mean Grand Am)

8. My ancient feather pillow - I have 4 pillows on my bed, but there is one, that's as old as Methusala (sp) that I've had forever and I can't sleep well without. I even take it with me on trips if I can.

9. Wet N Wild Cosmetics - I have a weakness for expensive Makeup (Mary Kay, Yves Rocher etc) but you can't go wrong with the stuff that only costs a few bucks, and I love new makeup!

10. My photo album - I have a white album that consists of all the pictures of people I've met and my concert photos etc. I like to have it about when I feel crappy, as a pick me up.

11. My Book Collection - My many smut and not so smutty novels that keep me alive.

12. My CD Collection - Without them the muvo and my computer would be a lot less interesting.

13. My Herman's Hermits bootleg DVD - A friend made me this DVD and it's worth it for the impromptu version of Nights In White Satin that Peter does mid-concert. It brings me such amusement to watch that!

Hump Day Goodness

It's time for the hunks to come out and play. Don't I wish!

The first part of the week is over, but there's still a few more days to go until Friday and some prettyness is in order to keep me sane until Friday at 4 o'clock when I'm free for 2 days.



The lovely Mr. Costello.



The ever adorable Mr. Noone.



The sexy Mr. Jones.



Get my tongue off the monitor, Mr. Hayward.

Simple Pleasures

Viamarie tagged me to do this meme.

Name ten of life's simple pleasures that you like most, then pick ten people to do the same. Try to be original and creative and not to use things that someone else has already used.

Photography
Daydreaming
Playing with my pets
Weekend drives to anywhere but here
Cheesy pop music
A good book
Making a mix CD
Watching the waves of the Atlantic crash into the beach at Atlantic City at least once a year.
Windmills
Waterfalls

I won't tag anyone but if you want to do this meme, leave a comment so I can come and see your answers.

A Note From Peter Noone

They said that Peter Noone sends a personal note to everyone that joins his fanclub. I expected a form type note. You know, nothing special. I was wrong. Very wrong.

My mum was telling me what was in the mail as I was driving home from work yesterday, and she mentioned that I had a little card. I had no idea who would send me a card. Most of my friends don't do cards, except at Christmas. So I was baffled.

When I saw it was from Santa Barbara, CA, I started to grin. I knew who it was from. I opened the envelope to find the cutest thank you note from Peter Noone. He thanked me for joining the fan club and scribbled a cute little drawing on the card.

How sweet.



Again, you don't get anything sweet like that from the Moody Blues...

~snarls~

But they'll take $35 bucks from you and give you a website. Sorry Moodies, Peter is sweeter and he posts on his own forums. (And he's quite snarky too)

Not Enough Time

That 4 hours I had off on Friday wasn't enough to relax me. It went by much too fast and I spent so much of my weekend worrying about things that I have little to no control over.

I don't know why I did this except that I'm a natural born worrier.

I worried about my car, which hasn't had any problems, but since everyone's car has had issues lately I figured mine will too, because it will suffer envy from the attention that the other cars have received.

I'm worried about this whole "teeth" situation of mine. I went to the dentist last Thursday and he said my gums have improved a great deal in the last 3 months. Of course, after he scraped away at my teeth I've had nothing but problems since. And he mentioned the gum specialist again, which sent me into a frenzy of worry, because my issues don't seem to be going away. And though I love my dentist, he's not really talkative about what's going on in my mouth. (Was that enough TMI for you?)

I worried about whether I'd get anywhere for a short vacation, even though I know I'm at least going to Hershey in 2 months to see Gary Puckett.

Of course I worried about money because I never have any.

And then the big one, I worried about my damn weight. I hate the incredible bouncing scale that goes up then down and then up.

Anyone have any prozac or something that they can give me to stop my incessant worrying?

Random 10

The Music Memoirs ladies want to know

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 had a weird weekend of music.

Cliff Richard - In The Country
Justin Hayward - Right Time, Wrong Place
Ringo Starr - Stop & Take The Time To Smell The Roses
John Lodge - Summer Breeze
Herman's Hermits - Little Miss Sorrow, Child Of Tomorrow
Semisonic - Sunshine and Chocolate
Matchbox Twenty - Last Beautiful Girl
Tom Jones - You Can Leave Your Hat On (Please don't ask about this one. I'm not sure myself)
Fleetwood Mac - Seven Wonders
The Moody Blues - I'll Be Level With You

Most of these were songs that I used for mixes I posted at an LJ community. (except that damn Tom Jones song that was in a mix I downloaded. At least it wasn't Sex Bomb!)

And the picture? The tulips in my backyard

Happy Easter

I got this in my email awhile back.





Have a blessed day everyone.

Unsure

I just downloaded this CD



David Gilmour's On This Island.

I haven't figured out how I feel about it yet. I guess that's because I have such a love/hate relationship with Pink Floyd. For the most part, Floyd is just a trifle too weird for me. Though I admit to loving A Momentary Lapse of Reason



and a few other tracks from that era. I think perhaps I liked those because they sounded Moody-ish.

So I decided to snag a copy of David's new CD because he has a pleasing voice, and well I was feeling like a sheep. He's David Gilmour, this disc has to be brilliant. Right? Erm.

So far I've listened to 2 of 10 songs and I'm not impressed, I'm not excited, nor am I baffled by weirdness. What am I? Bored.

This Heaven and Where We Start are trying to send me back to bed for the day. I have to say I'm glad I just sampled this album, because for me it isn't worth 20 dollars. I'm not sure it was even worth the time it took to download it. But I'm going to give it a full listen before I send it to the recycle bin, because there may be at least one gem hidden on it.

It Just Doesn't Seem Right

This Holy Week is off kilter for me. I didn't get to any services at all, through some fault of mine and some fault of the wacko situation of my family. There's a Byzantine church about 3 blocks from my home and usually on Holy Thursday I go sit in the church for awhile. I didn't get to do that.

One of our former priests has a parish in Avella, PA and on Good Friday we'd go with another family to night prayers. This year, the older son has a girlfriend, and my parents weren't up to being out late so at home we stayed.

I don't quite feel like it's about to be Easter. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow after I've been to church. I used to be much better about going to church. I was much better at doing a lot of things, but I've become a bit lazy.

I think it's time for a change. It's a time for new life and things to come into bloom. I think I'm going to bloom this year too.

Top 5 On Friday

Another meme from Music Memoirs.

Top 5 Songs And/Or Albums That Get You Going

First up the songs:

Erasure - Don't Say You're Love Is Killing Me

Duran Duran - Electric Barbarella

Elvis Costello - Monkey To Man

Justin Hayward - I'm Sorry

Oingo Boingo - Not My Slave

Next the albums

1. Erasure - Wild!



2. Duran Duran - Greatest (Because all DD albums getting me going, including Thank You which gets me going to the bathroom to toss my cookies, cos it's so bad!)



3. Madonna - Like A Virgin (Vintage Maddy is the best!)



4. Elvis Costello - Punch The Clock (I want to bop around the room to this CD)



5. Pet Shop Boys - Nightlife (There's nothing better to dance to then this CD)

Thursday Thirteen

13 Things That Keep Me Sane

1. Books - Nothing like a little fantasy to help me escape the drudgery of life.

2. Music - Sometimes even the worst music keeps me from dying of boredom or killing someone or going off the deep end. Of course sometimes, songs like Mistletoe and Wine can be the cause of me going off the deep end.

3. Long Drives - I was always a little happier when I had a longer drive too and from work. I don't know why, except that it gave me time to wind down after work was over.

4. Road Trips - The possiblity of taking off for parts unknown and known can give me the strength to soldier on. Only 2 months until the Gary Puckett concert!!!

5. Eye Candy - When all else fails look at something pretty.

Like this



6. My pets - The beauty of animals is the unconditional love that they give. They are far more loyal than any person I've ever met.

7. My family - Funny, these people are a double edged sword. They can help keep me sane all the while making me insane. That takes talent, I tell you!

8. A good movie - When time and my short attention span permits, a good movie can relax me into sanity. Funny thing is this, one of my favorite films is nearly 3 hours long; Van Helsing.

9. Shopping - Spending money is good for the soul I tell you.

10. Meditation/Prayer - Quiet time communing with the higher power takes away stress.

11. Writing - I don't do this very often anymore. I can get lost in telling a story when the mood strikes me. Sadly I've burned myself out and right now, my creative bursts are few and far between.

12. Naps - A litle shut eye can always make life better.

13. Monkee episodes - I don't have nearly enough of them either. One day I'll buy the DVD box sets. Of course, then I may just have too much joy in my life, and that's not allowed to happen.

Another Cliff Richard Song In My Head

It was bad enough at Christmastime when Mistletoe and Wine decided to reside between my ears 24/7 but now there's another song moving in.

Cliff sure knows how to pick catchy songs.

I've found myself singing this damn tune at random points during the day, and let me tell you I'm thankful that there wasn't anyone around when I burst into song. My singing curdles milk.

So I've decided to share my trauma with all of you.

I command you to download this song now!

Cliff Richard - Climbing Up Mount Everest

Hunk Day!

Yay it's Wednesday! A little birdie told me I may only be working til noon on Friday, so I have something to live for right now. And to help me survive the next few days, I'll need the help of the hunks to get me through.


Vintage Peter Noone! Too cute!


George Harrison is eternally a hunk in my book.


I've been staring at this picture of Justin Hayward since yesterday afternoon.


Mmmm. Elvis Costello, nuff said.



Cliff Richard looking gorgeous and I guess Olivia Newton-John can be the honorary hunkette for the guys, right?