Lovely Fridays

Today has been lovely, so far, despite the fact that it started at 3:15, this morning. I hear scoffs of disbelief. ‘Tis true! Fridays are early days in our household; to be at work by 5 am, we must force ourselves out of bed at 3:15, take showers, feed dogs, and drive the 40 miles to our place of employment. Now, I am not required to be at work until 7:15. So, what did I do this morning? I took a nap in the car. That’s right. Out in the parking lot, my car is littered with a pillow and a blanket that I used to catch some more sleep before starting my day a second time. Before this happened, I sent The Boyfriend off to work. He sent me a dirty look.

Another reason that today is lovely is the fact that the local outdoor summer concert series begins, this evening. We plan to saddle up the horse leash the dog and walk down this evening with a soft-side cooler filled with adult beverages, pick our spot on the lawn, grab a pizza from the local pizzeria and enjoy the music and the company of our friends. Hopefully, the dog will behave, once again. We have been taking him on excursions to the softball field – church league softball, yay! – and he does quite well. He’s laid back and enjoys the attention from everyone. There are normally a lot of dogs at the concert series, and he is good about “making friends” with other dogs. He is scared of bigger dogs, though. On our walks, I reassure him with whispers of, “Some day, Guinness. Just you wait!”

The final loveliness of the day is knowing that almost every single member of my family will be together, tomorrow afternoon. We currently stretch around the globe, starting in Japan and finishing eastward in Boston. I think that we will only be missing two of the first cousins and their families.

Here’s an interesting Friday Fact about me – a rundown of the numbers in my family (can you tell that our origins are in Ireland and Catholocism?):

• two people (my grandparents) had
• nine surviving children (my mom + my aunts and uncles), who had
• sixteen grandchildren (me, my sister + our first-cousins), who have had
• thirteen great-grandchildren (my nephews + my first cousins, once removed)

Wow. That’s thirty-eight people that entered this world just because my grandfather preferred a Rose over a Daisy. I’m really excited that our family’s newest addition, baby Gabriel, will be around the family for the first time. We can be a bit overwhelming, at times. Let’s hope he likes us!

A Letter To Me

I’ve had some issues with Brad Paisley songs in the past, and I know I’m not alone. However, I keep hearing his “Letter to Me” on the radio, and I like it. Here are the lyrics and here is a video (because Brad Paisley is worth watching – he’s got a cute grin). If you haven’t heard it and are too ornery to read the lyrics, it’s about an adult who thinks about what he would write if he could send a letter back in time to himself at age 17. It’s got some sweet and funny lines, but the PS gets me every single time. I know it’s coming, and every single time I hear it I choke up.

Listening to it, yesterday, on the ride home made me wonder what I would like to tell myself at age 17. In 10 years, what kind of perspective have I gained? Here are some things:

• Stop stressing out so much about getting into college. You aren’t conceited about your grades, but you know they are good – you’re going to be valedictorian. If you can’t get into college, who can? Relax and enjoy it.
• Take your sister and her friends to lunch, more often. Remember how you always wanted seniors to take you? She does, too, and her friends will think you’re awesome. Be nice and do it.
• Have the guts to ask that policeman what he’s implying when he stops you for no good reason other than the person who is riding in the car with you. You know he’s implying something that is racist and just plain wrong. Call him on it. What’s he going to arrest you for? Stand up for yourself and stand up for your boyfriend.
• Pay attention to that Valentine candygram you get. It will be important to you, later.
• Talk to your dad. You’re right about it, but you should remember that it’s just as hard for him as it is for you.
• You aren’t as fat or as ugly or as dorky as you think you are. Trust me on this.
• My PS would be exactly the same as Mr. Paisley’s, take out “Rita” and insert “Carol.”

What would you write to your 17-year old self?

(New) Music to My Ears

I’ve been stuck in that rut of listening to the radio, all the time. Since The Boyfriend and I commute, together, we sometimes don’t click regarding music preferences in the car. He would prefer a silent stereo and talking with me. Really, who wouldn’t? I, on the other hand, like to sing along with the music, flip radio stations, talk, accept phone calls, fix my hair, and search for sunglasses while I’m in the car (driving). Our compromise is that sometimes I get to listen (and flip) the radio stations.

We can both agree on the classic rock station or the plain ol’ just rock station. That’s good, normally. What about when I want to listen to The Dixie Chicks, though? Or Nick Cave? Or Bon Jovi? Or even plain ol’ Cake? We disagree at these times, as he says all of that is dumb. I don’t make false claims about the superiority of my music tastes, because I’ve heard from lots of people that it totally sucks. However, I like it and that’s what matters to me.

To solve this problem, I went to the internet. Imagine! Novel concept. Luckily, I found about $50 worth of iTunes gift cards that were lost in the crap on my desk hidden away for a musical rainy day. I also found two copies of Paste magazine underneath the laundry baskets that have been on the couch forever because I don’t like to fold laundry and that’s my little slice of laundry heaven (The Boyfriend does the heavy lifting and basement stair navigation). The coolest thing about a Paste subscription is the free disc of new music they send with each issue. I loaded issues 40 & 41. I set out on the enjoyable quest of filling my iPod with new music.

One day last week when I was in the car by myself (which was probably a Monday), I was listening to the local NPR station. They play this stuff they call “Adult Rock” during the non-newsy rush hours. It was my lucky day because they were featuring a live R.E.M. show. I fucking love R.E.M. and have ever since my best-friend-in-sixth-grade (Megan) let me listen to her Automatic for the People CD as soon as she got it. They are a band that I don’t keep up with like I used to but are always in the background of my mind. Anyway (sorry, I’m very wordy today), I iTunes-ed R.E.M. to see if they had a live CD. I saw them at my very first ever concert (the 1996 Monster tour) and love them live. Happily, Michael Stipe reads my thoughts and they put out a live album a few years ago. Snap! Onto the iPod it went. I’m currently loving it. Especially the protest songs. There aren’t enough protest songs for this war and this generation. These two are really great, though:

• Final Straw – R.E.M.
• I Wanted to Be Wrong – R.E.M.

Also, sometime last week, The Boyfriend and I watched “Into the Wild.” During the opening montage, I remembered that the whole soundtrack was done by Eddie Vedder. Solo. I immediately said, “I’m buying that.” I love him. Love him. I love this soundtrack, too. Speaking of protest songs, it has some good ones, too:

• No More – Eddie Vedder
• Here’s to the State – Eddie Vedder (which is not available at Amazon)
• I’m a Patriot – Eddie Vedder (which is not on the soundtrack, but I love this song)

Apparently, the art of protest songs is alive and well. I think it sucks that these songs aren’t overplayed like some of the crap on the radio.

On Monday morning, my shiny green iPod nano with the pink Breast Cancer Awareness cover was rip-roaring to go with new music. I really liked most of the Paste CD samplers. Here are some of my favorites, though:

• Good Night Girl – Nadas – sort of reminds me of Joshua Radin
• A Cheater’s Armoury – Hanne Hukkelberg – It’s got a really great haunting feel.
• I’ve Got A Thing For You – Jim Bianco – Creepy and sexy at the same time.
• Top Drawer – Man Man – A totally bob your head kinda song.
• Ocarina – Birds & Batteries – Kind of Postal Service-y
• Swimming Pools – Thao – I love the sound of this, there’s a banjo and great voices.
• Broken – Tift Merritt – I think she was on Fresh Air, recently
• Pretend – Shelby Lynne – Simple voice, pretty melody, sort of a sad song.
• Gravedigger – Willie Nelson – Who doesn’t love Willie?
• Academia – Sia – Reminds me of Frente! at first, but much cooler and with more depth, later. (It also reminds me of a love note Mare would write.)
• Ghost of Goodbye – Ford Turrell – Sort of Ryan Adams-y

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. That to which I’m listening. How about you? What’s in your eardrums, these days?

Sing out, ring out!

Jason and I got invited to a holiday concert that’s happening, this weekend. At first, I thought, “Eh, another holiday concert. Big deal.” Then, I checked out the Voices of Kentuckiana webpage and got really excited. Voices “is a voluntary, not-for-profit community chorus. VOICES is Kentuckiana’s fully inclusive, self-affirming chorus. Our membership is inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and heterosexual friends. VOICES is organized to provide the opportunity for gay, lesbian and supportive others to sing together.” How awesome does that sound?

I’m also intrigued by the fact that this isn’t billed as a traditional holiday show. There is an international twist to it, which should be fun. I love Christmas songs and look forward to hearing songs from other traditions.

Can I also say that it rocks that the Kentucky Arts Council supports this group? Finally, something I can appreciate that my tax dollars support. Yay!

Hopefully, as part of the deal, Jason and I will get to have a nice dinner in a fun part of the city, too. It’s too bad that my friend Nick, who says I never come to visit her, can’t be bothered to stay in town for our visit!

Lions and Tigers and Bears!

Since I’m trying to get back in the swing of actually writing about my life and its events, I thought today would be a good day to re-start, since I did something fun last night.

People often say that my mom and I are a whole lot alike. Last weekend, at a family wedding, people even commented on how much I resemble the young woman my mom used to be. Luckily, these comments don’t bother either of us. We are a lot alike, and we’re finally at a point where we pretty much get along all the time. There was the requisite rough patch when I was a sulky teenager, but we have a good time together, now…almost like we’re friends, but if anyone mentions the fucking Gilmore Girls I’ll smack them.

Anyway, mom and I got invited by some family members to go to this week’s edition of the Summer Classics series at the Kentucky Theater. I love this kind of stuff and I hear the announcements on WUKY every week and think about how much I want to go. Since my friends hate old movies and my mom rarely wants to go to Lexington during the week, I normally don’t get to go. This week, though, was The Wizard of Oz. My mom’s favorite movie. Maybe my favorite movie. It’s a family favorite all through the various aunts/uncles/cousins, etc.

I’ve seen The Wizard of Oz countless times, at least once a year since I was born. What made last night special was that it was on the big screen, in a refurbished theater that probably showed it, originally, in 1939 and…wait for it…we were ENCOURAGED to sing! Did these people not know who was in their midst? For one, I’m a girl that can’t help but sing if she knows the words to the song, and you’d be hard-pressed to find songs that I don’t know the words to. For another, it’s my mom’s favorite movie. I had to tell her to quit saying all the lines, there would have been no way to stop her from singing.

In short, I loved it. My aunt commented, after the movie, that she would look down the row at me and I would just be beaming. It was fun! I got to sing, I got to yell, “Run, Toto! Run!” I clapped at my favorite part of the movie, when the lion falls over backwards, asleep in a field of poppies. The crowd cheered when Uncle Henry smacked Mrs. Gulch in the rear with the gate, gasped when Dorothy couldn’t get into the storm cellar. The little girl next to me had never seen the movie and cried out when the flying monkeys cart Dorothy away to the castle. It was just an excellent, excellent evening, made even better by the fact that I got to explain to my mom what the “Friends of Dorothy” booth out front was.

Next year, I’m lobbying for The Sound of Music.