It's Time For New Music

I was at Amazon yesterday doing random searches for things that might amuse me in the coming months. Boy did I find a lot of stuff. Lots of stuff. It's possible that I could singlehandedly help the music industry out of it's slump.

Here are some of this fall's offerings that will probably make their way into my collection.

The Very Best Of Diana Krall - Release Sept 18



Suzy Bogguss - Sweet Dreams - Release Sept 4
I've already heard this one. It's pretty darn good too.



Debbie Harry - Necessary Evil - Release Sept 25
I love the cover of this one. I think I would buy it for that alone.



Ann Wilson (Of Heart) Hope & Glory Release - Sept 11
I need to hear more of this one, because it's a covers CD with lots of special guests, but I can't deny that Ann still rocks hard.



Annie Lennox - Songs Of Mass Destruction - Release Oct 2
I can't wait for this one. I love Annie!!!



Loreena McKennitt - Nights From Alhambra (live)
I still haven't bought her last album. Bad me.



These all will be added to my Amazon Wish List. Cos there's Christmas coming up in a few short months. (ARGH)

Musical Randomosity

~ I bought my first truly copy protected CD. Let me tell you this, EMI, screw you. I had to download special software, but I ripped your copy protected CD and now the files will be on my mp3 player. I paid for that disc, I deserve to be able to do what I want with it.



If it weren't a Keri Noble CD that I desperately wanted, I would be so pissed off. As it is, I'm just mildly annoyed.

~ The Moody Blues are now the artist I love to hate. I've been listening to them more out of habit than love anymore. I think its possible that they've run their course. That makes me sad. However I just don't care anymore.

~ The new Matchbox Twenty is available for preorder on Amazon.



I can't wait for Exile On Mainstream, even though its a Best Of compilation. I heard there were going to be several "new" songs too. Yay! I love me some Rob Thomas. Oh and the song How Far We've Come is damn good.

~ Duran Duran...will they ever finish that new album they've been working on for the last 3 years. What a bunch of lazy wankers!

Take Me Back Tuesday - Week 136

From Music Memoirs

What bands from the 90's that have broken up do you miss?
Semisonic though I'm not sure they've officially broken up, but they haven't had a "real" release since.
Are Smash Mouth still around? I saw that Sugar Ray was doing a concert this year, but I think that I miss looking at the lead singer rather than listening to them, though I have to say I really loved that Every Morning song, even though it was played into the ground.

What was your favorite song from that decade?
There were quite a few good songs from the 90's
Semisonic - Closing Time
Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
Sarah McLachlan - Building a Mystery
Matchbox Twenty - Push
Garbage - I'm Only Happy When It Rains

What was your favorite album?
If I'm totally honest with you....




How did you feel about the whole "grunge" genre that popped up in the early 90's?
One genre that singlehandedly made an entire generation of people not wash or comb their damn hair and the music itself was vile with very few exceptions. I won't even start on my "Kurt Cobain was a talentless man" rant because it's not nice to speak unkindly of the dead. Suffice to say grunge = crap in my book.

What was your favorite 1 hit wonder of that decade?
Hands down it had to be Chumbawumba's Tubthumper. That one still gets stuck in my head every time I hear it.

* Note: Elvis Costello doesn't make the list, though he had some of his most awesome music in the 90's, I wasn't listening to him much then. Actually I wasn't listening to him at all.

Wandering Around In A Daze

This weekend combined with yesterday's trip to Pittsburgh for my father was just too much. I'm exhausted. I'm also so thrown off my routine I don't know how I'll get back on it.

Tired as I am, I'm going to try to go to Jack's because this past weekend was all about eating out and right now I feel like a fatass.

I'm scared to come out of this daze because I know when I do I'm going to be really depressed. The Atlantic City trip has been put on hold and that in itself will put me in a funk. No pretty lights until next year. ~sigh~

However that's a small price to pay for dad not having anything done other than the heart cath. We really expected them to be doing something a bit more evasive that would result in his not being able to drive for 4 weeks. That, thank god was not the case. He should be able to do his running around town by the end of the week.

I just hope that I can get through the day today without passing out cold on my desk from tiredness. At least at my brother's I got nearly 8 hours of sleep each night, but Sunday night I only got about 4.5 and last night about 6.5.

I'm just so exhausted. I don't know whether I'm coming or going. Someone please direct me towards my bed and give me a pillow.

And This Was The Day

~ Dad's heart cath was done and he's home now. Can I get a yee ha for that? They found 2 small blockages that they don't believe will affect anything so they didn't do the angioplasty. The valve that's not working properly is also not as bad as they thought, so they chose not to do open heart surgery to fix. All these are the pluses. The minus is he has a weak heart muscle and they need to find the proper medication for him. My dad is one of the lucky few that don't suffer from hypertension. His blood pressure is actually on the low side.

~ I'm extremely tired after being up at what we like to call o'dark thirty to take dad into the city of Pittsburgh. I need another weekend to get over these last few days.

~ I got everyone to Shadyside Hospital without getting lost or without printing up directions. I am officially the goddess of driving in Pittsburgh. Bow to my greatness!

~ Boston Market sirloin dip sandwiches are delicious. So are the mashed potatoes.

~ The cost to park in a hospital parking lot is insane even when you have a patient in the hospital. WTF? They cut you a break on by charging you only $3.75 when you are picking the patient up or there for outpatient/short stay surgery.

~ UPMC Hospitals are the cleanest and most friendly hospitals I've ever been in. The hospital my sister was in in December gave me the creeps.

Random 10 - Week 118

From 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)

This was my traveling music for the weekend...

Tommy James - Isn't That The Guy
Rob Thomas - Ever The Same
Dar Williams - Echoes (I love this song)
Plumb - Free
Justin Hayward - Celtic Heart
Toby Lightman - Real Love
Paul Stookey - The Wedding Song (There Is Love)
Elvis Costello - Who Are These People (Explicit Version)
Anggun - Still Reminds Me
Tom Petty - Big Weekend

And for my picture? My brother's cat BeeBee

I'm Home

I had a wonderful weekend. I almost had my mind off things that are going to happen tomorrow.

Today I went to IHOP for the first time. Mmmmm. Nummy. I hope that chain makes it to my area soon. We're supposed to be getting a few of the restaurants in the next year or so. Fingers crossed that Washington, PA will get one of them. Ham & Cheese Crepes are delicious!

After IHOP we headed to the Akron Zoo or as we were calling it, the Acorn Zoo. I've been to a lot of zoos and that one ranks up there as one of the nicest, right along with the Erie Zoo. The gardens there are spectacular. It was just gorgeous. Hopefully I'll be able to post some photos in the next few days, after things here at home settle down.

All I ask is that you keep my father in your thoughts for the next 24 hours. My fingers are crossed that whatever is wrong can be easily fixed and that he will be ok and home with us by the end of the week.

I'm In Ohio

I can't help but blog, there's a computer in the guest room. Wheeeee! Today we're going to go to Ohio's Amish Country, eat some good food, do some shopping and generally bum around the area. I've only been to my brother's once, when my hard drive crashed and I had him look at the computer to make sure it was nothing worse.

Tomorrow, I'm finally going to IHOP and then to the Akron Zoo. I love zoos. Zoos make me smile.

Oh I have to say I made it here without getting lost.

Can I get a "Yee Ha" for that?

I think so. I think I deserve a yee haw.

More later.....

Top 5 On Friday - Week 136

From Music Memoirs


Top 5 artists you loved in college.

I listened to some pretty odd stuff from 1992-1996 when I attended California University of PA.

1. Michael Crawford - Yes, that would be the Phantom Of The Opera. The only Phantom worth mentioning in my book. I loved musicals. I still do. The only difference is now I can't afford to go see them. Pooh!

2. Sarah Brightman - Dive and Unexpected Songs were the two albums I owed at the time. I loved the song Meadowlark, and well, everything on Dive. I think Sarah does really good new agey pop music.

3. Duran Duran - I didn't get into Duran Duran until The Wedding Album. After that it was just a bad thing. They became an addiction for several years. They aren't as huge a part of my musical life these days, but I still like them.

4. Erasure - I Say I Say I Say came out when I was in college. It was one of my favorite albums, and I was extremely happy to walk in a Sam Goody store and find the CD Single for Always. It brought me much joy.

5. Alison Moyet - Half of Yazoo and one hell of a great voice. I had to discover Erasure to discover her. It was definitely worth it. Alf has one of the best voices out there.

Mini Vacation

Suddenly the one thing I was looking forward too isn't all that exciting. I really wanted to enjoy the trip to Canton, OH that I'm going to take tomorrow, but I just can't now. I'm going to be a basket case the whole time.

At least I'm going to be staying with my brother, whose wife is a cardiac nurse, so she can reassure me that when I come home on Monday everything will be fine. Everything must be fine. Or as fine as it can be.

I'm just so damn tired right now. I've been getting to bed later. I've been trying to get stuff done.

But I am going to try to enjoy the 2 days that I'm away from home. However all I want right now is a few good hours of uninterrupted sleep, because no matter what I do, my body has been waking up earlier and earlier and I haven't been able to fall back to sleep. Maybe when I'm at my brother's where there's central air, I'll be able to zone out for a full 8.

I'll be leaving shortly after work tomorrow and staying until Sunday evening. My brother is a computer guru so I'll probably be able to post after tomorrow morning too.

When The Going Gets Tough

The tough get Prozac. Now pass the prozac. The dad situation is not too good. I'll be taking 2 vacation days on Monday and Tuesday because he's going to be having a heart cath.

They already know there's a valve that isn't working properly and they want to see if there are any blockages etc.

I don't know why this came as a shock to me. I was expecting something like this, really I was, but hearing it was like a blow to the gut. I saw the doctor typing in what was wrong with him, and I felt the air being squeezed out of me, because I knew that nothing he was typing could be good. When do doctors ever type good things into the computer? Especially cardiologists.

I should be used to this, right? Mom's been through it more times than I can count.

Right now I'm feeling totally numb. I refuse to cry. Crying is a waste of energy. It doesn't even do me any good, and believe me I'd know, I've spent more than my share of crying over the last few months. Crying gets you nowhere and nothing.

I'm not a deeply religious person, but right now if any of you send prayers our way, it would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully God hasn't forgotten my family and he'll make everything turn out well on Monday, or at least as well as they can be.

Take Me Back Tuesday - Week 135

From Music Memoirs


Back in the day before the internet ruled the earth and people went to malls etc...

What was your favorite record store?
Oasis Music, which was a division of the National Record Mart chain was my very favorite. It was a huge store located near South Park off Route 88. My CD collection grew large partially due to that store. I loved it to pieces and went there at least twice a month.

Are there any non-chain stores that you still frequent for your music needs?
When I'm in Pittsburgh I try to hit Dave's Music Mine on the South Side. They have a huge vinyl section in the basement of the store, plus they carry imports! That's a big Squee for a girl that loves music from Europe.

What was your favorite "find" at your favorite store?
I found a Duran Duran poster at Oasis back in the early 90's from the early days. I can't remember if it was Rio era or Seven & The Ragged Tiger era, but the poster was mint, and I paid only 50 cents for it!!!

Big Sigh

So much for all being well with the world. My dad had his doctor's appointment yesterday and the results of that visit weren't all that we wanted them to be. All is NOT well.

He's got Cardio Myopathy, and if there's someone that can better explain what that is, I'd be truly happy. I know it has to do with how well the heart is pumping. He has low blood pressure so the meds that they usually prescribe would lower it even more, so his doctor is sending him to a specialist "today" because she was at her wits end at what to give him to get this under control.

All of this makes me feel numb. I'm used to things being wrong with my mother, not my father. He's the older of the two, as well. Which means we really should have been expecting something to come along.

But who wants to think about that? I don't see my father as an 81 year old man, at least I didn't until yesterday. Now I do. Now I've got 2 parents to really worry about.

I went apeshit when the nurses in ER called him an "elderly" gentlemen. I don't like the word elderly much, I think I've mentioned that. (Even if its true)

Now I have to come to grips with reality, a reality that I really don't want to get a grip on.

Please keep my dad in your thoughts and prayers.

Random 10 - Week 117

From 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)

I was ripping some different music to my hard drive this weekend, so inevitably some of that was played. Plus there's the music I listened to on my drive to Washington on Sunday...most of which was accompanied by cussing, because my car CD player kept conking out, forcing me to listen to 99.3 The Pickle. (That resulted in more cussing or growling because that meant I heard someone doing their commercials)

1. Anggun - Still Reminds Me
2. The Monkees - Sometime In The Morning
3. Paul Stookey - The Wedding Song (There Is Love)
(I requested that one for my mother on Friday, because I'm a total goof)
4. The Farm - The Man Who Cried
5. Peter Tork - Giant Step
6. Paul McCartney - Mister Bellamy
(This song is so darn trippy)
7. The Beatles - You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
(One of my favorite Beatles tunes)
8. Herman's Hermits - Silhouettes
(That was on The Pickle)
9. Shamen - Destination Eschaton
10. Tommy James - Lupe & Joe
(I miss hearing this song on The Pickle)

And now for the picture..found on the Pickle website.



Fishy has silly knees. So glad I talked myself out of going. I would have just embarrassed myself, going all gaga over his silly knees. Stupid cute DJ. Stupid self that still has a stupid crush on the stupid cute DJ. ARGH!

ARGH I've Been To The Mall!

I wanted to get a few new things for my weekend at my brother's so I headed out to Crown Center in Washington.

A few hours later and about a hundred dollars charged, I'm home with two huge bags of clothes. Can you say, "SALE?" I gave equal amounts of money to the Macy's and Dots Gods, who should be sufficiently pleased.

I have some really cute outfits too, for this trip and hopefully my trip to Atlantic City next month. I still need to get to Rue 21 because after last week's Pittsburgh trip, I've got a huge love for that store.

As you might have guessed, I love clothes. I always have. That combined with CDs have been my downfall over the years.

I try really hard not to buy out the stores, but you get me into a good department store or other shop and I see things that are super cute and I go on a binge. Worse still, B. Moss is going to be opening at Crown Center this week. ARGH! More cute clothes.

It wouldn't be so bad if I had someplace to wear them, but my job is super casual, jeans and t-shirts casual. I really need to find places to wear all my new clothes. And this is why I really need a date. However since I'm not going to get one of those, I'll just have to think up more places to go.

Saturday Stuff

~ I can't believe I ordered the two new Elvis Costello Best Of compilations on BMG. I told myself I would not to this, but they had a sale and I got them both for about 7 bucks and that includes shipping. ACK! BMG is evil. It seduces me.


The First Ten Years: Seriously I'm probably never going to listen to this one.



Rock N Roll Music: Again..I think I ordered them because Elvis Costello needs the cash to put the twins through college in 17 years.

~ I'm reading a wonderful book by Theresa Alan.



Granted no one is like a real human being, but it's extremely funny. It's about a group friends in an Improv troupe and their struggles to make it. It has the token beautiful blonde...the token fat girl..a gay guy...cos these are becoming a token character too.

I'm always a bit confused by how writers always make the heroine breathtakingly beautiful or dowdy, or so she believes she is. Its unnerving at times. Oh and even the dowdy ones have jobs, or can afford to have an apartment or a house on waitresses wages. Where the hell do these women live, anyway?

Ah but I shouldn't complain, it's a good book. I just long for something that smacks a little of reality so I could feel that there was hope for me one day.

~ Speaking of romance, ok, speaking of someone I still wouldn't mind hooking up with. Fishy is going to be in Smithton in a few hours. If I had courage, which I don't have, I would go just to say hi and to see how he would react to seeing me in the flesh as opposed to being crazy email girl, whose voice he knows without my even saying my name, even after 4 weeks of radio silence. "I'm the only one that calls him Fishy, besides his goddaughter" or so he said at one time.

But I know I won't go, for two reasons:

1. I don't want to be disappointed by him. If I planned this, I'd get my hopes up that he'd meet me and he'd realize I'm really a normal girl. (Well as normal as I can be) Our friendship would resume. Life would be happy again. My email box wouldn't be lonely anymore and I could listen to Pickle again in the morning.

2. All the pent up emotion would come washing through when I saw him and I'd either burst into tears or hit him. Both things aren't a good idea or a good way to make a first impression.

So you can see my dilemma and you can see why I'm going to be sitting on my butt at home or safely working out at Jack's. I don't think I could stand it the results of either of those reasons.

Top 5 On Friday - 135

This week's Music Memoirs Top 5 topic brought to you by a Pickled Herring. My brain thanks that Fishy too, because after the week I had, there were no creative topics to be found in there.

Top 5 musical acts you would travel more than a hundred miles to see.

The first 2 are artists that I've traveled 100 miles or more to see.

1. The Moody Blues: All but one time that I've seen them has been in a venue in another state. I've seen the guys in Youngstown, OH; Cincinnati, OH; and Atlantic City, NJ.




Would I travel that far to see them again? In a word, NO. I love them, but that love has been waning lately.

2. Gary Puckett: I went to Hersheypark to see him last June. Great show too. Gary is a total sweetheart



What a bunch of goobers. Would I travel to see Gary again? Yes. I had wanted to go to the show in Lancaster, but there were too many bands with him that I wasn't keen on seeing to spend about $55 for. Personally, LAR Enterprises, needs to bring him to The State Theater in Uniontown.

3. Elvis Costello: I would love to see him in a friendly venue, as opposed to any of the rat holes in Pittsburgh.


This photo was taken at his last appearance in Pittsburgh, with the camera I smuggled inside a bra. Muhahaha!

4. Nick Lowe: I want to see Nick terribly. He's coming to Philly. Three words. I HATE Philly. I'd travel to see him anywhere but there.



Nick is one fine looking old geezer. Wait. He's younger than the guy in the first picture. Something is wrong here.

5. Grey Eye Glances: I want to see this band so badly, however they stick near Philly too. Damn them! Driving through Philly is only done when I'm headed to Atlantic City!!!



Jennifer Nobel is my idol. If I were in that phase of life where you try to emulate celebrities etc. I think I would want to try to look her. I would probably fail miserably, but I would try.

Honorable mention: Paul McCartney, I would travel to see him if I could afford the ticket. Diana Krall, I would travel to see her, if her hubby was with her.

Stuff...Stuff...and Stuff

~ Someone please make the DJ stop showing up in my dreams at night. I don't want him there. At least this time I know why he was there, because my CD player conked out on me again last night and I listened to 99.3 The Pickle on my way home from fridge hunting. In doing so, I know that Mr. Fish is going to be in Smithton on Saturday morning. Don't worry, I'm not going, I'm not that foolish and I'm not that masochistic.

~ Dad's home from the hospital. Yay! They found nothing wrong. Grrrrr. My mother was put through hell for nothing. However nothing is loads better than something. But why just because someone is old, do they rule out the obvious. That the heat got to him and the quick change in temperature combined with not eating right, made him pass out.

~ I'm so sleepy right now I don't know how I'm going to stay awake for the rest of the day. I've had a bunch of late nights and last night I managed to get into bed before 11, but that didn't make me any less tired today.

~ I need to go to Jack's tonight. No exercise in 4 days is not good for my butt, especially in weather that makes me retain water like a sponge.

~ Found a fridge at Lowe's last night that's suitable for the family and under $500. I think an 18.2 cu ft. will do nicely. I don't care as long as it's got a decent freezer! Will return there on Monday after my dad's doctor's appointment to buy it.

Dad Update

There is still no word on what might have caused him to black out and fall on Monday. They've run every kind of heart test imaginable. Nothing so far, but yesterday's results aren't in yet. So today's another day of waiting and wondering.

We're all nervous because the tests yesterday were for Stroke symptoms as well as heart.

I remember when I walked into the ER and asked about my father on Monday and they said the last ambulance brought an elderly man awhile ago. I wanted to deck the nurse. That elderly man IS MY FATHER!

I hate that word. Because I don't think of my dad as being elderly. Occasionally we'll call him an old fart, but not elderly. That word just sounds nasty to me.

He's in good spirits and hasn't had any episodes since his spill on Monday. He wants to come home and we want him to come home too. I hope everything is clear so life can return to normal soon. This is too much craziness for me to handle. My mom is actually worse then he is when she's in the hospital.

Pray for our sanity my friends, pray for our sanity

Take Me Back Tuesday - Week 134

From Music Memoirs

I know. I'm a day late and a dollar short this week. Things were crazy yesterday though.

Are there any bands that you like now that you didn't like when you first heard them?
Most of the bands that I like from the 80's I didn't like then. It took The Wedding Album for me to obtain my deep and misplaced love for Duran Duran. In the 80's I hated them. They were overplayed and obnoxious. Now they wish they could get some airplay, however they are still obnoxious.

What bands that don't record anymore do you miss the most?
Oh there are so many. Oingo Boingo is high on the list. Glass Tiger is another one, though they still tour. So many of my favorite 60's bands aren't recording anymore. It would be fantastic to hear new material from Herman's Hermits or The Grass Roots. All you get from these people are those independently done live recordings. Blergh.

Did you ever buy an album by an artist you didn't necessarily like but because everyone else had a copy, you had to as well. If so, what was it.
In a word yes. I've done it twice and I'm ashamed of both albums. I own a copy of Michael Jackson's Thriller on vinyl ~shudders~ I also own a copy of Nirvana's Nevermind. BLERGH! I have no idea why I bought that one, except that I was caught up in the wave of bad music that started in the early 90's. I hate Nirvana with a passion that cannot be described. I will say one thing, I don't have that cassette anymore. It got tossed in the garbage, where it belongs, because I find Nirvana's music, and I use the word music very lightly, to be garbage.

Travel Plans

Believe it or not I'm still trying to get to Atlantic City this fall. I can't be sure it's going to happen, but I was on every website known to man for good deals on hotel rooms. I found Hotel Reservations today when I decided to give it another go at finding a reasonable rate.

All I can say is wow! I did get a better rate than I was finding on my own. The site was easy to use and like many of other travel sites, offered deals on flights, cars and even vacation packages.

Being the type of person that harbors delusions of fantastic vacations, I decided to do a lookup for rates on Las Vegas, which is my dream vacation. I got rates as low as $410 for airfare and hotel accommodations! Round trip, airfare! That's fantastic! It's better than some of the deals I've got through AAA. I think it was better pricing than what I saw one a few other sites too.

I know for Atlantic City, The Hilton Casino never came up at all in any of my searches, and it was the best rate by far for Sunday and Monday, which are the days I'd need the room for, if we go.

The best part is that the site is easy to navigate. Plus it offers discounts on hotels and flights etc all over the world. Not that I'd have any use for international travel, but one day. One day, when I get brave and decide to go to London or Dublin, or let's be more realistic, Toronto or Quebec.

I know that I'll probably use this site when booking my trip to Atlantic City in September, assuming that all goes well with my father in the next few days.

I checked on their rates for car rentals too, though nothing comes up for my area, other than the rental places near the airports, but from what I'm seeing their rates are very competitive too.

So I must file away for further use. I've already written the phone number down just in case. I don't know why but I always end up with questions and thankfully, you can talk to a person if you need to with this site. Reservations can be booked online or by phone. That's a plus for people that don't like to give their credit card info to a website too.

Now if only I had the money to take an awesome vacation, and if only my dad were home from the hospital so I could stop worrying.

Can I Just Say, ARGH!

Yesterday at about 12 o'clock I get a frantic call from my mother. My dad fell at our local grocery store and they were calling an ambulance.

So my frantic self called the boss, left work early and drove down there to check on him. It seems he blacked out and fell, smacking his chin on the buggy.

We sat in the emergency room at MVH for 4 hours before they told us they were going to admit him at least for overnight observation. He's on a heart monitor, because they feel that at his age, it should be something with his heart, never mind that he's prone to inner ear trouble, that he had a skin cancer removed from that area and that it was in the upper 80's yesterday and he had no business being out and about in the middle of the day, except that he was on a grocery store run for my mother.

The grocery store runs will be changing in a week or so. I'm going to go a little bit further into debt and buy them an appliance that they've been needing for a year or more now. I don't care anymore. I really don't. Everything will work out somehow. I'm not sure how, but it will.

Mom's still a mess. She's used to being the one in the hospital, not him. It's just all a muddle.

And did I mention that they found nothing wrong with him? Except that he cut his lip and bruised his shoulder?

So if I'm a bit scarce online...know that I'm having a mental breakdown. I need a shoulder...in fact my whole family does right now.

Random 10 - Week 116

From 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)

I was listening to a lot of 60's stuff this weekend along with my usual weird stuff.

The Monkees - Laugh
Donovan - Jennifer Juniper
The Moody Blues - Nights In White Satin (ARGH!!)
Justin Hayward - Troubadour
Herman's Hermits - Mrs Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter

Next...5 songs from Hairspray...A MOVIE EVERYONE SHOULD SEE!!

Welcome To The Sixties
Good Morning Baltimore
You Can't Stop The Beat
I Can Hear The Bells
(The Legend Of) Miss Baltimore Crabs (tee hee)

And as for the picture...A Chihuly Glass sculpture at Phipps



It looks like rock candy doesn't it?

Weekend Recap

Saturday:

I had a wonderful meal at The Union Grill in Washington, PA, which is located directly behind WJPA's studios. How did I not know that? I worked a block away from there for several years during college. Oye! I'm foolish.

The only bad thing I can say about the place is it's pricey. A little too pricey for the type of food I can get at Red Dawg's or Meloni's. Still it was good, and since I wasn't paying, I'm not complaining.

The remake of Hairspray was awesome. There wasn't a bad moment in the movie. John Travolta, who is one of my least favorite actors, right above Tom Cruise, was fantastic. Queen Latifah was a true queen. Oh and Christopher Walken rocks my socks.

The music and costumes were perfect. I wanted to nab some of those early 60's dresses. They were so gorgeous.

Walked 5 miles at the walking path. Can I get a woot? Please?

Sunday:

My sister, the youngest nephew and I headed to "The Burgh" today to go to Phipps. Lordy was that a mistake. CMU aka the richy rich uni from hell, had something going on and Phipps was a madhouse of obnoxious soccer moms and no it alls. The flowers and the Chihuly glass exhibit were gorgeous...but the people ruined the experience.

However it was great to see that this was the same glass used to make those fantastic chandeliers at the Borgata in Atlantic City.

We ate dinner at Mad Mex in Oakland. One word, YUM! I had a Thai Curry Burrito with tofu. The burrito was full of rice and peanuts and pineapple and oh was it scrumptious. It was washed down by an ice cold Corona. Double yum.

We all took a ride on the carousel in Oakland and then got a pina colada bubble drink.

If the people hadn't been so obnoxious the day would have been perfect.

Pictures will follow in the next day or so.

Monorail Cat!

Itchy has taken to sitting in the most unusual places in the house. Last night this is where I found her.

In between having fits of worry of her falling off and toppling to her death...Nah...she's jumped from the fridge to the floor, the distance is much shorter from here...I ran for the camera. Yeah, I'm a really good cat mommy. My kitty's in a precarious position and I run for the camera. It's a good thing I knew she wouldn't hurt herself and that she has pretty good balance, considering her shape is so darn round.

She was the perfect monorail cat.

The rest of the pictures that I took are here. Check them out and have a gigglefest, at her expense.

Lunch & A Movie

Today is ladies day. I'm going to The Union Grill in Washington, PA for lunch and then to see a movie. I'm not exactly sure what movie, yet, but I'm going to see a movie! Woot!

I'm looking forward to a day out with someone that isn't family, and that's not to say I don't love my family to pieces. I do. I love them dearly. Most of the time. Lately a few members of my clan have made me want to clobber them with sticks.

It's been a bit too much togetherness in our household lately. Way too much togetherness.

An afternoon away from everyone should make that a little better. At least, I hope it will. There's way too much tension right now. Between the vacations that didn't happen and car issues (not mine for once) and financial issues (everyones) it's really been a lousy summer.

Maybe these next few weeks will signal a change and that the last few weeks of summer will be better than the rest.

I can only hope. I can also hope that Hairspray is a funny movie, because I think that's the one we're going to see today.

I signed up for PPP!

I just signed up for a payperpost account. What's that, you ask? It's a blog network that allows bloggers to make money by posting for advertisers on your blog, and I don't mean having a block of ads posted on my blog. I'll be posting about real websites with services that I can relate to and maybe you will to.


The first time I read about these sites, I was hesitant, but Valbee is doing it so I thought, what could it hurt? I need some extra money. Don't we all? So I figured why not sign up?

I can choose how much extra money I make. This could be vacation money or money for those bills that creep up on me without notice every month and make me frustrated. Who knows? The only way I'll find out is by giving it a shot, and that's what I'm doing.

Ah...extra CD money. That's enough to motivate me. Actually money for rental cars motivates me too. Money to pay off bills is another motivator. Can you tell money motivates me? I imagine you can. Plus it's money made through writing, and I love to write and research. So this could be a great opportunity for me.

If you think you might like to make some extra money too, there's a sign up link in this post and on the sidebar of this blog. Just give it a click and you can sign up too!

Well I Preordered It

What did I preorder you ask?



The Pattie Boyd autobiography. I have to read it.

Who is Pattie Boyd?

For shame.

Pattie is the first wife of George Harrison who then went on to marry Eric Clapton. I believe the second marriage shows signs of poor judgment on her part, but that's neither here nor there.

I can't wait to read it. I'm sure Pattie has quite a few tales to tell, because the 60's were one wild ride for her.

Butterflies

For the last two or three days the area around my office has been surrounded by butterflies. I've seen just about every kind of butterfly that is native to Southwestern PA in the last few days.

I also couldn't resist bringing my camera to work to get one or two or...well 20 or 40 pictures of these beautiful creatures.

The Monarchs seem to be the hardest to photograph. They seemed to sense whenever I was about to snap a picture.

I did manage to get 3 pretty shots though. Most of the pictures that you can see if you go to my flickr page are of a lovely black butterfly and a yellow and black butterfly.

Yes, I'm easily amused. Stop laughing and go look at the pictures!

Top 5 On Friday - Week 134

From Music Memoirs

Top 5 Nighttime songs (songs about evening or things related to the evening)

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Nighttime

Justin Hayward & John Lodge - Nights Winters Years
(This is my favorite song from the album Blue Jays)

Erasure - Man In The Moon
(Gorgeous track from the album I Say I Say I Say)

Gordon Lightfoot - Song For A Winter's Night
(This song makes me sigh, a lot)

Paul McCartney - Goodnight Tonight
(cuteness overload)

~ song samples will be provided later in the day.

Busy Weekend Coming Up

It looks like for the next 3 weekends I'm going to have some stuff to do. A friend of mine called me last night and I'm doing dinner and a movie on Saturday. That's cool, assuming I can sit through the movie. I have a very short attention span for things like that these days. I can't even seem to watch television anymore.

Sunday I'm going to Phipps to see the butterflies and carousel in Oakland. I'm hoping to get some coffee from Crazy Mocha and perhaps dinner at Mad Mex.

The following weekend I have church things to deal with as well as hopefully getting to the Aviary or one of the Zoos.

The week after is my weekend trip to Canton to see my brother. Which I'm looking forward too, because everything else about this summer sucks. Nothing that I wanted to do has been done.

I bought a new bathing suit awhile back, and I've never gone anywhere to wear it. Not that I want anyone to see my fat ass in the bathing suit anyway.

I wanted to go to Idlewild once this summer. I doubt there will be money for that unless I unearth a windfall sometime in the next few weeks.

Then there's the trip to Erie that got put in the can.

Oh and the 2 zoos. I haven't been to Ohiopyle either.

~sigh~

And people wonder why I've been depressed.

At least some of that's about to change a little. Yay! I could use a few busy weekends. When I'm busy I don't have time to think and thinking is what makes me depressed these days.

I Feel Like A Fool

I caught PH online today on google. So out of the blue, I IM'd him.

He actually responded, too.

Amazing.

Yes, I'm ready to give up on the friendship thing there. I know it's a complete waste of my time, but I do hold out hope that maybe he'll grasp the meaning of friendship and know that I'm not harboring any desires to jump him. At least not anymore.

However it does seem quite wrong of me to be typing at him while listening to WJPA instead of WPKL. Ah well, such is life. I haven't listened to The Real Dill Pickle Morning Show in weeks. And I'm not about to go back to that habit any time soon, because it just makes things worse for me. Mind you, attempting to chat with him does too, but what can I say, I continually grasp at straws, plus I keep hoping one day he'll surprise me.

So far he hasn't. Which is why I really feel like a tard for kinda putting him on the spot, but then again, he wasn't answering my emails. I guess that's telling me something, huh.

The sad thing, is now I really don't want to go to The Grass Roots concert in Oct, because I don't want to see him. I don't want to hear him, because I'll just end up feeling hurt at the end of it all. That's just sad because I have 3rd row center seats for the concert.

Would someone please tell me how to get him off my mind, or at least how I'm going to get through that show without heckling him?

Sitting And Thinking

Just some random thoughts that have crossed my mind in the last 24 hours.

~ There's a reason I only fill up 3 times a month. I only work 8 minutes from my house, however my wage isn't that much, and since I'm up to my gizzard in debt, I can't afford the extra cash for gas. If I worked at the mall which was 20 + miles from home, I think I would have just killed myself, because it wouldn't be worth what I was being paid versus what I had to pay to get there.

~ I don't quite understand a person who sends a random email and then won't respond to the one I sent. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, PH!

~ Need to get Bootsie to the vet for her shots. That's another $50 I don't have, but thankfully August is a 5 week month which means...an extra paycheck next month! Woot!

~ Made the arrangements for the rental car for my trip to Canton, OH to see my brother in 2 weeks.

~ Just realized, I haven't read book 5 in the Harry Potter series, but I've read book 6. Uh. Not sure how that happened. Not sure I care about reading 5 or 7 anymore. I'm heartily sick of Harry Potter.

I will say though that if I were 18 again I would so have the hots for the little redhead that plays Ron Weasley in the films. He's such a cute kid.

~ There is much stuff that is needed for the house...new tv stand...area rug for the computer room....new comforter set for my bedroom and I haven't a clue how I'm going to wangle it all in the coming months, as shortly after my vacations wrap up (assuming I go on one), I have 3 birthdays that are family to worry about and at least 1 other birthday and Christmas. ARGH!

~ I think I prefer walking to strength training. Why? Because its so damn hard to get your cardio on whenever all the elliptical machines are being used, and I hate the treadmill.

Take Me Back Tuesday - Week 133

From Music Memoirs:

Pick a person or a few people that you'd like to tell something in song.

Tell us who they are...and what song you've chosen for them, and why.

Fishy Fishy Fishy...have I got a few songs for you.

The Byrds - I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better
~ After what you did, I can't stay on, and I'll probably feel a whole lot better when your gone.

Unfortunately..though that's how I should feel...it's more like this.

John Waite - Missing You
~ In your world I have no meaning, though I'm trying hard to understand and its my heart thats breaking down this long distance line tonight,I ain't missing you at all

To my boss: The Go-Go's: Vacation

Vacation...all I ever wanted. Vacation had to get away.

Can you guess who wants to use some of her remaining vacation time soon?

To Jennifer: Blondie - Call Me
(cos I'm worried about you, silly)

~ Call me (call me) on the line
Call me, call me any, anytime

I was lazy yesterday

I don't know if it was lazy or frugal, but for whatever reason, I stayed home from the walking path and Jack's Total Fitness yesterday.

I think it was a combination of both. Both places are a good 4 - 5 miles from my house, which means going there uses up gas, gas which I can't afford. Seriously, I think a horse would be cheaper at this point. My last almost fill up was $25 and depending on how many times I go to exercise, I end up filling up about 3 times a month. If I go out that's even more.

I can't take that.

I can't take sitting home either.

It's a vicious circle.

And laziness kicks in after 8 hours at work. Once I get home, I have little motivation to go to the gym, but I usually manage to make it there 3 - 4 times a week. Last week I did 4 days and one day at the walking path doing 5 miles of walking.

So all in all, I guess I'm not that lazy, right?

Small consolation. I'm not really lazy but I'm broke. GAH!

Kittehs Everywhere

I think Muthcka was the only kitteh, that didn't have his picture snapped this weekend, and that's because he's a cranky kitty.

Here are my furry feline friends....


Oogie, aka Kitler looking not so pleased.



This is Bootsie's WTF expression. She uses it a lot.



Itchy is glad I didn't snap another picture of her rolly polly belly.

Random 10 - Week 115

From 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)

Most of the songs are pulled from the Zen that was on Random Play as I walked. It's funny that some of the songs were hitting how I felt most of the weekend.

Anggun - Still Reminds Me
Anggun - Devil In My Mind

(I love this lady's voice. I discovered her quite by accident several years back when her debut album came out.

Keri Noble - Talk To Me

Natasha Beddingfield - We're All Mad

Paul McCartney - Fine Line
(One of my favorite songs off Chaos & Creation In The Backyard, which is far from my favorite McCartney album)

Cliff Richard - We Don't Talk Anymore
(Perhaps he can update it for me. It's so funny, we don't email anymore)

Warren Zevon - Accidentally Like A Martyr
(I love me some Warren)

Cheap Trick - All Wound Up
(I was kinda, but not in a good way)

Fleetwood Mac - Monday Morning
(GET THIS SONG OUT OF MY HEAD)

Marillion - Kayleigh
(I haven't listened to this in yonks)

And the photo? My shameless cat Itchy

Weekend Recap

It's been a good weekend. Got some stuff done. Had some good food. Shopped a little.

~ Saturday

Yummy Mexican food for dinner from The Three Amigos in my little hamlet of Charleroi-On-Mon. Stuffed Pablano Peppers = Mouth on fire, but they are also tasty. So is the sweet corn bread. Oh and did I mention half price margaritas? Helluva good dinner.

I walked 5 miles at the walking path, doing my best to sort some issues out in my head. It didn't work, but hey, I walked 5 miles!

Did the laundry. Can I get a woot for that? I hate laundry.

Watched a fantastic comedian on of all places the Christian network. Paul Aldrich is a dang (cos it's a Christian comedian) funny guy. He's proof that I can laugh til I pee myself, even without the use of profanity or too much sexual innuendo. Seriously, this guy is worth checking out.

~ Sunday

Went to the Mart of Wal to stock up on the week's lunches. I am keeping Kraft and the South Beach Diet people in money, I swear. Bought one naughty thing. Saw pigs in pancakes in the frozen food aisle. I couldn't resist, damn it. I just couldn't.

Set off to Washington Crown Center, growled in a nice way at Fishy's general direction. Spent $34 I don't have on clothes that I don't have any place to wear. Can you say impulse buy?

Ate dinner at Red Robin. Oh how I love Red Robin. My sammich was the bruschetta chicken with parmesan garlic fries. My stomach was having orgasms, I kid you not. Oh and my drinky poo? Freckled lemonade. Bliss. (Oh that's strawberry lemonade, with huge chunks of strawberries) All in all, better than sex. Not that I'd know anything about sex.

Walked another 5 miles at the walking path. Still did not rid my head of the worries and other stuff that has been floating around that vast empty area inside my head.

Composed an "I'm a tard" email to the fishy one...I'm hoping he'll take pity on me and send a note back. Bets are on now that he won't. That's where my money is anyway.

I AM A TARD

I was clearing out all my emails this morning...and I went to my gmail account which I very seldom use and low and behold there was an email from...Fish, you know, He-who-should-be-flushed-down-the-toilet.

Hangs head in shame.

The childish girl in me has been avoiding him for 2 weeks and last Friday he sent me an email about a Nick Lowe article. AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL TODAY!

FUCK!!!

He sent me an email without my even sending him anything. He saw something and thought about me and emailed me, in the old style of 9 words or less but still he saw an article and was kind enough to sent it to me, knowing that it was about someone I like.

I feel kinda small right now. Really really small. Worse still that email came and if I'm right I had that freaky dream about him calling me the next evening. Damn, why haven't I checked my flipping gmail in over a week.

What do I do? He probably thinks I wasn't speaking to him and I wasn't, but I didn't want to not be speaking to him, I was doing what I thought was best. Because I want a friendship out of this, or at least an email buddy, and I haven't a clue what he wants, but one thing for sure it isn't the same.

But lordy...I do miss him.

Perhaps I should be the one flushed down the toilet.

~sigh~

Once Upon A Time:

Walking was a cathartic thing for me. Anything that was wrong in my life could be hashed out in my head during a nice 2 mile walk. Well I walked 5 miles today and I was near tears the whole time.

My mind is stuck on two things, a certain person who should be flushed down the toilet and finances. Thinking about both brings about a fresh bout of tears, and with the right song, I'm a watering pot.

I keep telling myself I'm fine. The finances are working themselves out, slowly but surely without too many sacrifices. I also tell myself that I've gone 2 weeks without turning on 99.3 The Pickle, which means I haven't heard Fish...erm He-who-should-be-flushed-down-the-toilet, in 2 weeks. No I lie, my CD player conked out the other day and I popped it out in time to hear one of his commercials. I growled at the radio like the immature child that I am, and shut the car stereo off.

Anyway what does it matter that I have no extra money and I live from pay check to pay check, just barely, and the one person that I truly hoped would be at least a friend has flung that back in my face?

Money and friendship don't matter, right?

Damn it all, I'm one depressed little girl right now.

I WANT A HUG!

Another Lazy Saturday

I think all my Saturdays are becoming lazy ones, at least through the next few weeks. Again, I'm really trying to get a firm grip on my debt situation. I need to be able to handle it better than I am right now. At this point I really don't have much extra for myself to put away for anything. Nada. Not if I want to live like a normal human being. And I refuse to give up life because of bills. I can also thank my parents for still helping though they really shouldn't have to.

I'm going to do the laundry, read, and go to the walking path in Monessen and do 5 miles. My legs will hate me, but that's tough, cos I'm in no mood to go to Jack's. That's a Sunday thing. Plus I need to sell the first born I don't have so I can get a tank of gas. BLERGH!

Such an exciting life I lead, is it not? It makes me wonder how I can stand all of this sometimes.

If I had some gumption, which at this point I don't, I'd start cleaning again. But I've still got VHS tapes coming out of the wazoo and nowhere to take them or anyone wanting them, and I'm not keen on sending some of them to the garbage.

I do have one goal for this lazy Saturday, and that's not to spent the vast majority of it in front of this stupid computer.

Top 5 On Friday

From Music Memoirs


Top 5 bands that make you wonder "where are they now"

1. Semisonic: The lead singer, Dan Wilson was supposed to do a solo album, but so far I've seen nothing, and I loved his vocals. And though they only had one hit, they had several albums. Looking at the website Dan co-wrote the song Not Ready To Make Nice with the Dixie Chicks. Hmmm I think I love him all the more, even though I'm not a country fan.


(click to buy @ Amazon)

2. Billie Myers: She did the song Kiss the Rain, and Am I Here Yet (Return To Sender). I think she's had one more single not too long ago in the UK. I love her voice and I want more damn it! And I'm sick of waiting.


(click to buy @ Amazon)

3. Cause & Effect: They were a Depeche Mode type sounding band from the 90's. 2 albums wonders...they made some good pop music though.


(click to buy @ amazon)

4. This Picture: And indie band from the 90's that had two albums, right now I can't even locate one of them on Amazon. They had a really mellow sound. I loved them for a brief time when I was in college, but it appears they have now faded into obscurity.

5. Figures On A Beach: A new wave band from Detroit. 2 albums and they were riding the obscurity superhighway, with nothing on the web to show that they existed, except one CD still can be found on Amazon, but no band info anywhere.


(click to buy @ Amazon)