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I love when the thistle is in bloom, all the butterflies come out to play.

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 songs by one of your favorite artists

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

We all know I have a lot of favorite artists. Most of you know my favorite songs by Elvis Costello, Duran Duran, Erasure, Oingo Boingo and The Moody Blues. You probably even know my favorite songs by The Beatles (hint: Nowhere Man) and The Monkees, so I want to pull out a favorite artist I haven't used in an meme like this before.

MIKA!

My top 5 Mika songs

1. Big Girls (You Are Beautiful)
2. We Are Golden
3. Lollipop
4. Lover Boy
5. Good Gone Girl

BTW Mika does a fab cover of Sweet Dreams by The Eurythmics.

Oh and I basically picked Mika because I wanted to post this picture!

I Just Don't Understand

Why are people making such a fuss about Obama being on The View today?

Must all politicians be on shows that are totally dignified? Not that The View is undiginified, at least if Elizabeth isn't there. However I'd actually pay good money to see Obama put that stupid Republican wingnut in her place.

The average American doesn't watch political shows. I know I don't. They make me angry enough to throw my TV out the window. People watch The View, and maybe just maybe people will actually pay attention to what the man has to say.

See I'm one of the few people that actually think President Obama is doing a decent job considering the mess W left him with.

Perhaps I should ignore all of this. I don't want my blood pressure to go up any higher than it already is.

Doctor Who Ramblings

I've been reading a few of the BBC Doctor Who books, so I still have The Doctor on my mind.

There's one thing from this series that bugs me and it is about my favorite character, Rory. Oh yes, Rory, I would kidnap you and keep you as my very own given the chance, but that's not the point.

In The Eleventh Hour, we find out that Rory is a nurse. This is kind of odd as most of the companions in the new series are LOSERS! Take a look at the occupations of most of the companions, Martha Jones aside. Even Amy is a big Loser. It is just a shame that no one could create another strong female companion like Sarah Jane.

But I wasn't talking about them, I was talking about Rory. He seems so second class in some of the episodes, like he's brainless and I don't know about how nursing is in the UK, but you can't be a dumb bunny and be a nurse in the US.

I'm just glad that the series ended with them married, because I think that might make sure the companions aren't always humping the Doctor's leg.

Also, we are left pondering Riversong. I wonder if the writers ever paid attention to the first series. The doctor was a GRANDDAD in that series. So yeah, he had to be married.

Doctor Who canon can be so confusing sometimes.

Tuesday Tunes

A few either or questions from Music Memoirs today

Musician's/Band's biography or Musician/Band's biopic: I'll take the biography any day. I'm not a big fan of movies and I'm even less of a fan of movies about musicians, because they seldom get it right.

Discovering a new band or rediscovering an old band: Rediscovering an old band. It is usually easier on the wallet, plus, I really haven't been finding a whole lot of good new music to listen to these days. It really makes me want to pull out old CDs or listen to The Pickle.

Listening to the radio or watching Mtv Listening to the radio wins over Mindless TV anyday. They don't even play music on that channel anymore. Now in the 80s when the station started, my answer would have been just the opposite. So much for being cutting edge, Mtv. You suck!

Concert photos or a magazine spread: Magazine spread. How many times can you see the same people wearing the same smelly clothes? I love having memories of a show I attended but I really like magazine pictures better.

Monday Stuff And Nonsense

Well I've been working on the whole weight issue again. I hate talking about exercise and diet. It annoys me, most because the people that really get into stuff like that are batshit insane. I am down a few lbs since the I was back at the doctor over a week or so ago.

As for my blood pressure, it has been up and down. I've been mostly betwen 131 over 80 to 143 over 86. I'm still working on getting that down before my visit with the primary care doctor from HELL in August. Thank god for those blood pressure tests in grocery stores etc. I'm keeping myself monitored. I'm also really trying to avoid salty food.

~sigh~


On a happier note, I could finally sleep last night. Yay for those storms that cooled the temps down to a more tolerable level. I actually slept under the covers instead of on top of them with my face to the fan.

Woo hoo!

Drools

This season's Doctor Who really had such a pretty cast. There was really someone for everyone to drool on while they flitted across the universe in the Tardis.


Matt Smith, though a bit geeky, has that strange cuteness that will capture the same kind of fangirls that squee over Jim Parsons' Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. (Yeah, I'm one of those fangirls)  Karen Gillan, well just look at her. Her long legs and boyish figure will ruin every little girls' body image for the next few years. (Why can't I be that thin and leggy?)

My favorite from the cast, however is Arthur Darvill, who played Rory Williams, the boyfriend of Amy Pond. All I can say is, damn, he looks good in a suit.

Drools.

So, like I said before, there's something for everyone in this last season of Who. Oh and the episodes were pretty damn good too. The 2-part Finale was the best one EVER!

Ever Wonder Why You're Reading Something?

My friend, Mary, gave me a huge bag of books that she had already read. I happily accept all books, as most of you know.

It was mostly Nora Roberts, whose books I love, a James Patterson, and one V.C. Andrews.

I read all of the original books when I was in junior high, because that was the thing to do, but once the lady died, I didn't read the ghost written books, which make up the bulk of her writing.

What was the first book I picked up from this pile of books?

The damn V.C. Andrews book, Heavenstone Secrets.

If I were V.C. Andrews I would haunt my family and that ghostwriter until they stopped. Yes, her books were creepy. Yes, they were filled with incest, but they were all well written and you really wanted to keep on reading.

This is garbage.

Yet I'm halfway through and I must finish it. And like The Twilight Saga, I will have to read the next book, because I'm crazy like that. I can only hope I find Secret Whispers in a Goodwill Store or some discounted book place!

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 songs that you think of when you hear the word "old"

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

1. The Monkees - Your Auntie Grizelda: This song really makes me think of a very prim and proper old lady.

2. Three Dog Night: Old Fashioned Love Song: This is also an earworm.

3. Gordon Lightfoot - Old Dan's Records: I love this song, and I also love that Gordon still plays this one regularly in concert.

4. Glass Tiger - Ancient Evenings: One of my favorite 80s bands and this is a stunning song.

5. The Beatles - When I'm Sixty-Four: I don't know, something about the two remaining Beatles being over 64 makes me think old :(.

Missing Mondays on...erm..Thursday

My mom and I were talking about restaurants the other day. Hmmm, and I wonder why my waistline is always EXPANDING! We got to talking about things that have changed in a lot of restaurants and that's how we got to talking about salad bars.

I think every fast food chain had a salad bar in the 80s.

Wendy's had a crazy awesome salad bar. Burger King had one too, and you could either make a salad on a plate or in a pita!

Please say that someone remembers this?

Then there was Rax. Oh how I miss Rax Roast Beef and their salad bar with the best cream of broccoli soup.

~sigh~

I think those salad bars prompted places like Ponderosa to expand their salad bars to the gi-normous food bars they have now.

Do you know what?

I liked the small salad bar that we had in our local Ponderosa when I was little. I also liked when you walked cafeteria style to get your meal there and at the similar York Steak House and they handed you a little black bowl of salad greens with your choice of salad dressing.

Everything is so much bigger now, but I'm not sure that its so much better. Something has to suffer for our gluttony. I guess its our waistlines and quality. What do you think?

And Life Gets So Random

~ Hungry Girl from previous post said she didn't delete my comment. OK, HG is forgiven. Apparently I'm crazy. I still know that my post vanished from the site. Maybe facebook ate it. It doesn't explain it totally but ah well. The internet is a crazy place.

~ Read an article about aspartame that non-sugar sweetener and frankly I think I'll take sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Aspartame causes bloating and there was even mention BRAIN TUMORS. Yeah...I think I'll take the extra calories. Don't believe me? Read this.

~ For any of you locals, go to Eat N' Park and try the Baked Bruschetta Chicken, it is really good and filling!

~ This heat is really getting disgusting. Even on a day when it was only about 85, it was impossible to sleep last night. I needs sleep people!

~ White Collar on USA is quite possibly one of my favorite summer shows. Psych is my favorite but this one is definitely number 2. I wonder how much of my love is based on the hotness of Matt Bomer? Hmmm.

~ Elvis Costello is releasing a new Best Of. Hmm.. I think I'll pass. Unless he tosses in something rare that I don't have.

~ Did I mention I took my blood pressure at Shop N' Save on Sunday and it was down. 137 over 87. Still a bit high but not as bad as it was at the doctor's the past Friday.

Hungry Girl Can Kiss My Butt

You know that chick that is all over the morning talk shows with her helpful hits at eat this instead of that.

Well she posted something on facebook yesterday about a promo McDonald's was going to run but obviously changed at the last minute and I left a comment, and she deleted it.

See McDonald's was going to give out samples of the new smoothies, which are really good btw, but they changed their mind.

I realize that McDonald's was wrong not to notify people who obviously were going to share that with a mass emailing, but the company did give a coupon for a free small smoothie in one of the inserts in the Sunday paper. I can't remember if it was the USA Today mag or the American Profile mag. Either way, they are giving you a whole free smoothie, which is better.

I essentially mentioned the coupon and said I'd rather have a whole smoothie then one of those little sippy cups.

And she deleted my post!

Oye vey.

And it doesn't take much to send a correction email, companies do it all the time so can Hungry Girl.

Hungry Girl and your peeps, I am no longer a fan.

~ Edit: received a notification from Lisa aka Hungry Girl that she didn't delete my comment. Hmmm funny, logged into the HG facebook page, saw the post and went through 263 comments and mine wasn't there. Oh and proof that I'm not the CRAZY one, I had a notification that facebook that there was a comment from that post, so I clicked the link and my comment was gone. Yeah. I know I'm nuts, but I'm not that crazy.

Political Rant

I'm so sick of republican ads that say we're sick of the government bailing people out and then showing a GM logo.

Uh, yeah, I know the government gave lots of money to GM, but if they didn't, chances are by now, there would be NO GM! The company would have likely had to go through the other type of bankruptcy, you know, the one were everyone loses their jobs?

And why is Obama getting the full blame for bailing out Wall Street? That was done when erm, he was just elected.

Then there are these a-holes known as The Tea Party. Maybe they should have one, in the middle of the harbor, only let's throw them in instead of some perfectly good tea.

What I don't grasp is that, we all said that Healthcare Reform was important in the election, when we got it, we bitch and moan. It makes absolutely no sense to me.

We don't want the global markets to collapse throwing the whole world into a recession, but when we bail out the banks, we bitch and moan.

WTF do we want!!!

Things To Do

It is Sunday and unlike the lyrics from that old Bangles tune, it isn't my fun day. I'm always playing catch up on Sunday, because Saturday is usually my play day.

What am I doing today?

1. Laundry: If I don't get one load done, it will be unmanageable in a matter of days, especially with this heat.

2. Grocery Shopping: Good lunch meat sale at Shop N' Save. Fat lot of good that's going to do me as I probably shouldn't eat any of that. Boo!

3. Take Dad To Dinner: If this man doesn't get his once a week restaurant fix, he pouts. No joke! It doesn't matter where I take him, I just have to take him to dinner. Today I'm thinking Eat N' Park.

4. Sort through old clothes for Goodwill. Make a trip there. Stay clear of the book aisle!

5. Start using that damn stepper I bought years ago. It may be too hot to exercise outside but at least there are fans in the living room.

6. Upload the many pictures I've taken in the last few weeks to flickr. I do have pics from my trip to Scenery Hill on my page now as well as pretty peacock pictures from Critter Country.

Yesterday Was A Bad Bad Day

Let's see:

My blood pressure was 158 over 118 going into the doctor and then 160 over 100 at the end of my appoint.

I have mild cervical dysplasia.

The blood pressure thing has me freaked out. (Health issues always freak me out, ask Bilbo)

In May when I went to the gyne my pressure was 125 over 66, which is normal. All of a sudden its taking some huge jumps.

I know on the third of July I was 150 over 80.

I know all this has surrounded the colposcopy that I don't know how I'm going to pay for, what with my deductible and all.

Now I have to go to my primary care doctor, who I hate with a passion next month. Hopefully the scale will be trending downwards, as I need to lose weight and hopefully that will help my pressure.

But until then I'm a nervous wreck and that's not good for the BP

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 songs that come to mind when you think of the word "sexy"

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.


1. The Moody Blues - Deep: OK there's nothing sexier than Justin Hayward singing that he wants to go deep. This song can definitely leave a girl breathless. There's a great guitar solo at the end as well.

2. Paul McCartney - Hi Hi Hi: If Paulie makes the sounds he does on this song in bed, its no wonder ladies are still lining up to go to bed with him. OK, I'm sure its mostly the bazillion dollars he has, but still.

3. Def Leppard - All Night: For much the same reason I chose the McCartney track, but this one is better because of Joe's gravely voice. This song is pure sex.

4. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - I Want You: This song is so creepy and sexy at the same time. Its also one of my favorite Costello songs, that rocks when it is played live.

5. Madonna - Vogue: I don't really know why this song is sexy, maybe its more the black and white video and maybe because the song is not as obvious as her others.

Proof That Cats Are Out For World Domination

I have a psycho kitty. No not all kitties are psycho but my Skimbleshanks is. He must have attention at all times and by 3 a.m. he must be lonely and he always tries to wake me up. I usually give him a good petting and send him on his little kitty way, but not last night.

Last night he was really feeling playful.

And he gave me a swat!

In the damn eye!

I think I called that little kitty every name but his own.

My eye still hurts.

I swear my cat is crazy.

Oh and sunlight really hurts

Todays Moment Of Squee

I got a copy of Hope Tarr's Twelfth Night in the mail today from the author. I was so excited to win that book. Hope is one of my favorite Harlequin authors. She writes for the Blaze line which is what most guys would call "girl porn" or "smut."

Whatever you call it, her stories will heat things up.

I also got a signed cover for one of her other non-Harlequin historical romances.

All of that makes for a big ole squee, right?

Yes, but that's not all. If you go to Hope's webpage you will see that my review of The Tutor is posted on her site. Click here to see it.

My book blog is A Chick Who Reads.

So how is that for a moment of squee?

Tuesday Tunes: Week 141

Gosh I haven't done my own meme in months. I'm just not in much of an meme-y mood these days, but I think I have a good topic this week.

Tell us about a music related item that is now obsolete that you miss.

I really miss cassette tapes. Sure they were very disposable, but they were really fun when you wanted to put something together for a friend. Oh how I loved the mixtape. It was much nicer than the mix CD and it could hold more songs. (Unless you are making an mp3 CD)

I used to make mixtapes all the time. Any time I went in the car, I had my walkman and about 30 cassettes. I guess it makes a case for iPods etc, but making playlists just isn't the same. There's nothing fun about it.

I also loved my boombox. Not many of those around these days.

Why?

CDs are almost obsolete now.

What I find funny is that vinyl is making a comeback in some areas.

Woot!

However the vinyl albums you will find today cost about $8.00 more than the CD.

GRRRR.

I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to the music industry the consumer is supposed to bend over and take it.


You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

Missing Mondays

I was looking through my flickr albums yesterday and I realized I haven't been to Pittsburgh in a year! At least not for a fun trip. I'm not even sure if I was in the city for work much last year.

I miss the city. I miss Phipps Conservatory. I miss The National Aviary. I miss The South Side and all the shops and restaurants.

I have a car now, but my weekends are always so crazy that going to the city always gets pushed back. Heck I've not been to the casinos in over a year. I can't remember when I was last at Wheeling Island, and I've never been to The Meadows which is only a half hour from me, and the Rivers, though its supposedly gorgeous, is in such an awkward spot that I have no desire to go there.

I've missed two Christmas displays now, as I haven't made it to the city for the holidays since 2007.

This is where I heave a big sigh.

I may have given up clubbing years ago, but I still love Pittsburgh, and I really really really miss the city and all the bridges and fun things to do. (and places to eat)

I Feel Accomplished

I managed to get a load of laundry done.

I did the grocery shopping.

I took dad to dinner.

I took a 2 mile walk.

And I didn't kill anyone at Walmart.

I think props are in order there, especially for the last one. Walmart is a scary scary place. I only wish there was a way to avoid going there. Sadly there isn't because some stuff is just way to cheap there.

Now if only I could get some cleaning done. But I don't think I'm going to be that accomplished. I'm tired and tonight two of my favorite summer shows are on, "Scoundrels" and "The Gates."

I look forward to curling up on the couch and vegging for 2 hours before the work week starts.

Oh and I'm about halfway through with a review of a really odd techno album that I'm not sure if I love or hate.

Doctor Who Series Five

I know the series wrapped up weeks ago in the UK, but we still have three more epis to air here in the US, and being the lazy girl that I am, I haven't watched them, even though they've resided on my computer now since each aired.

I really am impressed with Moffatt's Who. I think he has proved himself more than capable of keeping the show on top. I'm anxious to see if his finale of the series is any better than the miserable ones RTD handed out to us.

This series has really been great. In Tennant's time, there were always several episodes that really were downright boring. (Well except in the last full season, cos Donna Noble rocks my world).

But this season...Ahh...Vincent and the Doctor! That was brilliant and beautiful and I cried! I cried over a Doctor Who episode!!! The only other episode that came close to that was The Butterfly and the Wasp! I guess it is because I love the shows that involve history. The Last Days of Pompeii, Victory of the Daleks and The Shakespeare Code, all count as favorites of mine.

Oh and why the hell can't I have legs like Karen Gilan

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 songs that help you beat the heat

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

1. Grey Eye Glances - Snow

2. Phil Collins - I Wish It Would Rain Down

3. Annie Lennox - Cold

4. Brad Paisley - Water

5. Katy Perry - Hot N' Cold (Get this song out of my damn head!!!)

Now someone stop the temps in the 90s and 100s! Like NOW!!!!

Thursday Thirteen

I haven't done one of these in awhile. So here's my 13:

13 of my favorite independently owned restaurants

1. Salatino's Riverhouse Cafe, Charleroi, PA: Great comfort food and Italian food and the get some great local bands on the weekends.

2. La Fiesta, Charleroi, PA: Authentic Mexican. This doesn't taste like Chi-Chi's my friends.

3. The Red Caboose: A tiny little stand for your order, hot dog and burger stand. The prices are dirt cheap and the food is really great!

4. Red Dawg's, Rostraver Twp, PA: A great local sports bar with a better menu than some of the bigger chains. They make one of the best Reuban sandwiches I've ever tasted.

5. Meloni's, Uniontown, PA: Probably the best small Italian place I've ever been to.

6. Pasta II: Bethel Park, PA: A wonderful Italian restaurant that always has an hour wait for tables, but the food is so worth it.

7. Little Bamboo, Rostraver Twp, PA: Really awesome Chinese/Japanese food.

8. Later's, Wheeling, WV: Crepes anyone. OMG THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!!! Plus it's mascot is a Alligator who's motto is "Eat or we both starve!"

9. Good N' Plenty, Lancaster County (I think its near Bird in Hand but I can't remember): Amish cooking. Family style seating if you like. Fun times and full bellies.

10. Hartville Kitchen, Hartville, OH: This one is run by the Mennonites. I love these people with freaky religions, they cook chicken really good.

11. Seaside Cafe, Tropicana Casino, Atlantic City: I have 2 words for you, Deli Omlette.

12. My Girl's Korner Kitchen, Charleroi, PA: A very cute little diner type place, only open til 6.

13. Rialto Cafe, Greensburg, PA: More fab Italian food.


You guys would think I was Italian by my restaurant choices, but I'm not.

Let's Talk About Music

I finished my review on Purple Tree yesterday. I love the reviews that I don't get paid for doing? Why? If I want to write a short review, I can.

But back to Purple Tree.

If you like bands like Pink Floyd, Oasis, The Beatles, and The Kinks, you definitely want to try them. The guitar work is very like Floyd and on occasion boarding on Black Sabbath. (Yeah that kinda threw me too). The vocalist, David Perry, has a very youthful sounding voice, almost girlie at times, but not quite a bit like Peter Noone or in more recent years, Ian Brody from The Lightning Seeds.

The album is called The Final Prophecy, which made me inititally think the album was going to be all deep and thoughtful, but it really wasn't, so that gets a yay in my book. I don't like to think too much when I listen to music, I like to listen and enjoy.

You can listen to the album @ Purple Tree Music. I recommend listening to Happiness (The Ending Day) which a really gorgeous tune. If you want to read my review click here

Randomosity For A Tuesday Morning

~ I've never been so happy to be at work, but woot! AC!!! I can breathe!

~ I'm working on a review by a band that sounds like Pink Floyd meets Oasis and then has a party with The Beatles and Herman's Hermits. Its weird in a good way.

~ I'm reading New Moon and I don't know why. Probably insanity.

~ Got some blueberry coffee yesterday at Target

~ Blogger ate Bilbo's and Mike's comments from my last post. Blogger apparently didn't get any hot dogs over the weekend.

~ Popchips are awesome but insanely inexpensive for potato chip like noms.

~ Is it wrong of me to want to stay at a hotel for a night or two just so I can read in comfort?

~ The heat is making me feel blergy again. Or BLERGHY...or just plain ICKY!

~ It sucks that it was too hot this weekend to go to Ohiopyle. I want to see water, other than the Monongahela River please. I'll take the Yough or any small lake in the Laurel Highlands or even that big one in Erie please.

Target + Bath & Body Works + Me = Bye Bye Money

Ok, I hit the last day of the big Bath And Body Works sale. I picked up some Wallflowers plug-ins and other pretty smelling stuffs. I really think I own one of almost every body spray the company makes. The exceptions are Sweet Pea and Wild Honeysuckle.

After that I went to Panera Bread and had Tortilla Soup and a Half a Cuban Panini. Yum!

Target sucked the rest of my cash. I found 3 pretty t-shirts that are good for work and casual outings. I also got some of the legs for the itso cubes I so love. Oh and I did pick up a book, because I can't go to Target and not purchase a book. It is a sickness I tell you, a sickness.

Now I really need some quality time to rearrange the furniture and read.

I had 4 days off, but I got no reading done at all, as there was so much other stuff to do.

Oye and vey!

However, I have been listening to my b-day mix non-stop for the last 4 days so that is a plus!

Feeling Blerghy

There's nothing worse than having a birthday and your youngest nephew's graduation party within a day of each other. Not to mention having a colposcopy on your birthday and finding out your blood pressure is high.

Oye and vey.

All I really want to do is be left alone for awhile and I can't seem get through anyone's heads.

Just leave me with my books please. I need to chill and decompress.

I do want to thank all of you for the b-day wishes and cards. You guys really made my day, which was less than stellar.

Today I'm going to celebrate the fourth by going to Critter Country Animal Park and having a hot dog or two.

Hope you all have a great holiday or Sunday, depending on where you live.

Pondering A Sale

My gran has an old set of Pyrex dishes. They are turquoise with gold trim and in excellent shape. My sister-in-law would like them.

I've done some research on ebay and the dinner plates alone sell for about $6.00 a piece and dessert plates for $5.00. Cup and saucer sets around $10.00.

I'm not sure if there's a service for 8 or 12, but I'm going to have to look into it. If I could sell them that would certainly be a help especially as the set looks to be worth a couple hundred dollars and it is nothing that I'd personally use.

So the question is, do I sell them or don't I.

Mind you my brother and his wife are finally getting the dining room furniture out of the house which is probably worth a pretty penny.

~sigh~

I wish I knew some antique dealers.

My 36th Birthday Mixtape

~ Comment if you are taking or want to say happy birthday
~ Don't share my b-day mix link, m'kay. It's not nice to piss off the b-day girl.
~ Enjoy the music

I was going to post this in the morning but tomorrow morning is going to be a less then pleasant part of the day. So enjoy the music!

Artist: Various Artists Genre: Mixtape Tracklisting: Elvis Costello - Man Out Of Time Hugh Grant - Pop Goes My Heart The Moody Blues - Your Wildest Dreams Dolly Parton - Better Get To Livin' Erasure - Sunday Girl Marillion - Kayleigh They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul Duran Duran - New Moon On Monday Keri Noble - Talk To Me Mika - Blame It On The Girls Grey Eye Glances - Halfway Back Nick Lowe - I Trained Her To Love Me Steve Winwood - Back In The High Life Matchbox Twenty - Last Beautiful Girl Herman's Hermits - If You're Thinkin' What I'm Thinkin' Oingo Boingo - We Close Our Eyes Gary Puckett & The Union Gap - Lady Willpower Judd Starr - Please Penny Spandau Ballet - I'll Fly For You Olivia Newton-John - A Little More Love Roxette - Church Of Your Heart Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - The Waiting David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes The Monkees - That Was Then, This Is Now Over The Rhine - How Does It Feel (To Be On My Mind) The Monkees - Daydream Believer Tommy James & The Shondells - Sweet Cherry Wine Cliff Richard - Miss You Nights Cheap Trick - Had To Make You Mine Diana Krall - Narrow Daylight Eric Clapton - I've Got A Rock N' Roll Heart Lady Antebellum - Slow Down Sister Paul McCartney - Mull Of Kintyre The Beatles - Think For Yourself Elfslut's 36th B-day Mix (180 MB) Comments: I was putting this mix together and I came back as I was uploading to last years mix. I giggled at how some songs overlapped from year to year, which goes to show I do have some favorite songs. There are a few artists I added and took off, not because I don't love them, but because it was too hard to say only one song touched my life. Seriously, go download Gordon Lightfoot's entire catalog, he's brilliant. Oh and Elvis Costello's Man Out Of Time, is my favorite Costello song and Imperial Bedroom is freaking brilliant. Krall's Narrow Daylight is also one of the most beautiful songs I've ever listened to. Feel free to ask me about my choices.

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 songs that make you feel independent!

Oh and if you are so disposed

Top 5 musical things you would give your meme mistress for her birthday, which is July 2

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

OK, so what 5 musical things would you give me!! I want to know.

Here are my 5 songs that make me feel independent.

1. The Beatles - Free As A Bird

2. Keri Noble - Watch Me Walk

3. Tom Petty - Free Fallin'

4. Roxette - Joyride (I'm not sure why this song makes me feel independent but it does)

5. The Monkees - I Wanna Be Free

I'll be back later today with my 36th b-day mix for you.

If It's Not One Thing

My grandma's house (aka my house) has been the bane of my existence since it fell in my lap 2 years ago.

I tried to get it insured a few months ago, and now I've got the report from the insurance company.

The house has a bad set of steps and I don't know that I can afford to get them repaired so that I can keep the policy.

Grrr.

It is also one more expense that I don't need. This isn't a house I ever plan on living in, but right now, with the housing market as it is, I don't want to sell it.

It is a nice little house, but I don't want to get less than the price of my car for it.

Grrr.

And I have that procedure tomorrow.


ARGH..

I'm a nervouse wreck.