MANIC MONDAY- WIND

I have been a little lax in my Manic Mondaying and I thought people may have begun to catch wind of that fact. However, as the word today is Wind (he he), I thought I would do a special shuffle with songs that have something to do with wind. If I can pull it off, that is. I also wanted to do a meme that With Love, Fat Girl had up that was all about Harry Potter. I promise this will be my final Potter post.

1. Butterbeer or Pumpkin Juice? Butterbeer, without a doubt. I like beer. I like root beer. I think I would like butter beer. Nice creamy beer is never bad. Pumpkin juice would taste too much like pie filling I think. Pie filling is good but beer is better.

2. What's your wand? The Elder Wand of course

3. What would be your Hogwarts house? I’ve been sorted a few times by a few different hats, although we know there is really just one. Every time I come up Gryffindor

4. If you were an animagus, which animal would you be? A bear cub and I would never grow to full size.

5. Which character do you resemble best? I don’t seem to recall any Black Jews in the Potter world. In fact, I recall very few Black characters at all. The only one I remember at all is some boy. I also don’t recall any Latina characters, I kind of look like them sometimes. I’m going to have to go with Padma Patil (Ron’s date to the ball in Goblet of Fire). Indian is as close as it gets for me.

6. What position would you play at Quidditch? Bludger without a doubt. My aim is no good and I’m not particularly fast but I have a heavy hand.

7. Pet? Scabbers or whatever that rat’s name was. It just figures my petwould be some evil little shit.

8. Which teacher is your favourite? Professor Trelawney for sure. She is a total dip, although she has a little power here and there. She cracks me up and the main characters have very little use for her. She is 90% comic relief.

9. What would your patronus be? Giant Mr. Snodgrass (plecostomos) I don't think anyone else has had a fish so mine would be super cool.



10. Which disgusting Bertie Bott's every flavoured bean would you be willing to try? I might try a meat flavored one just so I could see what it would taste like

11. Which Hogwarts room would you love to visit? The headmasters office, provided I get to use the pensive of course.

12. Favourite Harry Potter moment? The one at the end of book seven where...just kidding. I am going to go real classic and say when the letters flew into the cabin in book one.

The Wind songs are here and boy oh boy are they easy.

1. Catherine liked high places/ High up/ High up on the hills/ A place for making noises/ Like whales/ Noises like the whales. The Wind, PJ Harvey, Identified by Brooke.

2. After all the jacks are in their boxes/ And the clowns have all gone to bed/ You can hear happiness staggering on down the street/ Footprints dressed in red. The Wind Cries Mary, Jimi Hendrix. Identified by Johnny Yen.

3. In the chilly hours and minutes/ Of uncertainty/ I want to be/ In the warm hold/ Of your loving mind. Catch The Wind, Donovan. Identified by Mom.

4. How many roads must a man walk down/ before you call him a man/ How many seas must a white dove sail/ Before she sleeps in the sand. Blowin' In The Wind, Bob Dylan. Identified by Mom.

5. I listen to the wind/ To the wind of my soul/ Where I’ll end up well I think/ Only God really knows.

The songs from last week are as follows:
1. Down in the cellar in the Boho zone/ I went looking for some sweet inspiration/ Oh well, just another hard time and with Negro affectations. The Boho Dance. Joni Mitchell

2. I just wanna fuck bad bitches/ all them nights I never had bitches/ Now I’m all up in that ass bitches/ Mad at your boyfriend ain’t you. Fuck You, Dr. Dre

3. Well showing how it used to be/ So hard/ This hard /Used to get those kicks for free/ But now I’m towing the line. Multiply, Jamie Lidell

4. Oh we could rock/ Or we could bomb/ Or we could try/ Like super hard. Let’s Run, Le Tigre

I MIGHT READ IT AGAIN- DEADLY HALLOWS POST

Don't worry, there are no spoilers here.

At about 10:30 this morning I was awakened by the doorbell. Tony opened the door and came back with a package. "The mail lady told me to enjoy my Harry Potter," he said. "I wanted to tell her it wasn't mine but I didn't." I thanked him and I was suddenly wide awake. It was reading time.

I sat in bed and read. I went out to the living room and read while watching the World Series of Pop Culture. I took a break to go out for brunch. I came home and read. I read for a long time. At about 9:30 I took a break to make some dinner. At 10:28 I was done.

Now I can go into the world and not worry. I was afraid that if I waited too long I couldn't help but have the ending spoiled by someone. Now I can go into every conversation without hesitation. I can open every blog and read every newspaper. When I hit stumbleupon on my browser I don't have to worry. It's all good.

FOODIE FRIDAY- STUFFED MUSHROOMS

It has been a few weeks since a proper Foodie Friday and I felt it was time to bring out one of my staples that I surprisingly haven’t posted yet. I’m talking stuffed mushrooms.

-1 container large mushrooms, (you can do it with the regular ones but that is a lot of stuffing action) washed, stems removed and diced
-1tbsp olive oil
-1 stalk celery diced
-1 medium onion diced
-2 cloves garlic diced
-1tsp rosemary
-¼ cup bleu cheese crumbled (can be made without or with more, brie also tastes mighty good in these)
-3tbps vegetable stock for stuffing and ½ cup for cooking in
-¼ cup (if I remember correctly but I could be totally wrong) cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

-Preheat oven to 375
-Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan
-Add onion and cook about 5 minutes
-Add celery and garlic cook about one minute
-Add mushroom stems and rosemary, cook until tender, about 5 minutes
-Stir in bleu cheese and cook about 1 min until well blended
-Add bread crumbs and cook for about 1 min
-Add 3tbsp vegetable stock and stir until ingredients make a nice paste type substance (you may need to add more crumbs or stock as this is all from memory and I haven’t made them in over a year)
-Spoon filling into mushroom caps placed in a large baking pan
-Pour stock into baking pan making sure the bottoms of the mushrooms are well covered
-Put in oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes
-Baste with stock a few times during the cooking process to make sure they are nice and juicy
Enjoy

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about my work. Sometimes I don’t feel I do a very good job of explaining what it is that I do. Basically I teach a Customer Service Certification course at a workforce development focused non-profit and manage a contract for the state making sure our files are in order. However, my class and contract are part of a much bigger whole. It is an important whole and it doesn't get talked about very much on here. A prospective film person did a pro bono video for us and I figured I wanted to share.


1. Down in the cellar in the Boho zone/ I went looking for some sweet inspiration/ Oh well, just another hard time and with Negro affectations

2. I just wanna fuck bad bitches/ all them nights I never had bitches/ Now I’m all up in that ass bitches/ Mad at your boyfriend ain’t you

3. Well showing how it used to be/ So hard/ This hard /Used to get those kicks for free/ But now I’m towing the line

4. Oh we could rock/ Or we could bomb/ Or we could try/ Like super hard.

5. I know what you want/ The magpies have come/ If you know me so well then tell me which hand I use. Yes, Anastasia. Tori Amos. Identified by Brooke.

I NEVER HAVE TO READ IT AGAIN

I finished War and Peace the other day. I was thoroughly unmoved. Although the book certainly had its strong points. Tolstoy was examining relatively recent events that shaped his world and he did so with grace. I actually found the War sections of the book more interesting than I thought I would. Regardless, I was more drawn to the Peace parts and the interconnections between various families. At the same time, I didn’t find either topic particularly moving. I much prefer Dostoyevsky's proletariat people to Tolstoy's aristocrats. If you haven’t read this book and plan to please be aware that there are some spoilers ahead. They come very soon in-fact. Stop reading unless you don't care.

In the footnotes of one of the first chapters, I was told that Pierre and Natasha would be the main characters in the book. Knowing how Russian Literature of the period tends to work, I assumed that this meant they would be love interests. I wasn’t surprised to find that the entire book led up to them getting married. The sad thing was that their marriage seemed to ruin both of them as interesting people. However, since they get together at the end of the book, you don’t have to suffer through much of their downfall.

Natasha was a trip in her own right. A beautiful wonderful girl whom everyone loved, she found her stimuli in singing, dresses, boys, and the occasional hunt. She was boy crazy from the beginning and, I believe, was about 9 or so when the book started. I think the boy was at least 16. I don’t really remember; it was thousands of pages ago. I think Pierre was in his late twenties at the beginning of the story. I know that differences in age were a different story in those times and that in some places they still aren’t as big a deal as I think they are. Even so, it grossed me out and made me hope that my supposition that they were to be wed would prove to be false. Throughout the book this girl did nothing but talk about boys, fall in love with Borris, go to balls, fall in love with Andrew, wait for Andrew to return, fall in love with some other Prince whose name I can’t remember but he got limbs cut off and then died, fall into a deep depression because Andrew left her, Reunite with Andrew on his deathbed and rekindle their affection, mourn his death (which was necessary so her brother could marry his sister), and fall in love with/marry Pierre (Andrew’s best friend). Those happenings took about seven hundred pages.

The other eight hundred pages were about the Napoleonic wars. While that information was relatively interesting, I could have read a history book and been spared some of the fluff. Then again, I wouldn’t have got the philosophical discussion about the nature of man and the nature of war. The idea that I found the most fun was how the people who plan for and execute wars never are truly in charge of them because victory depends primarily on the mood of the people on the front lines. It is a rather obvious premise, but interesting to explore nonetheless. The discussion of why certain battles were won and others lost was also of interest. Those looking back on history claim to see the planning and foresight that goes into turning the tides of war and tend to give generals too much credit and ignore all the chance occurrences that truly drive the course of action. It made sense to me.

I could have got all that in about three hundred pages or so. Maybe four if I want a lot of detail. No matter, I’m done now and I never have to read it again. After my first attempt succumbed to boredom I was determined that my second would be a success. I refuse to be conquered by another piece of literature. I will not have another Ulysses.

I am now reading The Areas of my Expertise, by John Hodgeman (sorry Monica I know I was supposed to give it to you). Something totally made up that I don’t even have to read in order sounded pretty good. It is.

1. Down in the cellar in the Boho zone/ I went looking for some sweet inspiration/ Oh well, just another hard time and with Negro affectations

2. I just wanna fuck bad bitches/ all them nights I never had bitches/ Now I’m all up in that ass bitches/ Mad at your boyfriend ain’t you

3. Well showing how it used to be/ So hard/ This hard /Used to get those kicks for free/ But now I’m towing the line

4. Oh we could rock/ Or we could bomb/ Or we could try/ Like super hard.

5. Waiting/ On a Sunday afternoon/ For what I read between the lines/ Your lies. Interstate Love Song, Stone Temple Pilots. Identified by Johnny Yen

PITCHFORK POST

The Pitchfork Music Festival:
Three (although I only went to two) days of awesomeness (and some disappointments as far as music quality goes). But all in all an awesome time. Monica got me a ticket for my birthday which was totally awesome. I would have gone anyway though.

Friday:
I go pick up my tickets so that I can sell my Friday ones to Morgan and Cheryl because I don’t care about Slint, Gza, or Sonic Youth. Apparently I should care about Sonic Youth because “if I knew then I would know,” but I don’t know so it doesn’t matter. I then go home and chill out to prepare for a weekend of fun.

Saturday:
I wake up later than I planned but early enough to get there by 5pm to see Iron and Wine. I was actually early enough to see Grizzly Bear and I am glad I was because what a fun group of guys. I need to get some of their music and listen to it. They had great harmonies and made funny faces while making the harmonies. I could see their faces because we had the most awesome spot right up against the rail on the left side of the stage. Ah yeah. Iron and Wine was up next. I had been a little afraid that Iron and Wine would be too chill to put on a great show but boy oh boy was I wrong. That concert was AWESOME. Sam has a beard for the ages; the album cover with little birds nesting in it is an accurate representation. A poor lady stood for hours trying to get a picture with him but didn’t. Then it was time for Clipse. They aren’t the greatest Rap group I have ever seen but they can certainly rock a mic and put on an excellent show. The little white kids knew every word and were incredibly into it. I enjoyed myself as well.

Sunday:
Sunday was THE DAY. I was incredibly excited for two bands, although I was disappointed by both. Band one was Brightblack Morning Light which, as Tony said “doesn’t even make sense.” They are a group of ridiculous hippies with sticks and feathers and hippie smells. Yes, we were close enough to smell them. The problem was that their equipment wasn’t working and their set-up took too long and they only played for about 25 minutes and things weren’t even working during that time. They were still fun though. Then we headed over to the main stage to stakeout a spot for Of Montreal. Jamie Lidell was playing before them and Monica said he was supposed to be good and I was excited even though I knew nothing about him. His set started and I had a new hero. The man was INCREIBLE. His voice was like Jimmy Ruffin had a baby with Prince, Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder. The only thing was this baby came out white and scruffy complete with gold smoking jacket and turban with streamers coming of it. Needless to say I wasn’t expecting the voice when I saw him. He was a literal one man show. It was just him and his sound board. He mixed tracks by laying down vocal pieces and created complex beats. He had energy like you wouldn’t and that voice was awesome. I think he may have been the highlight of the festival and that is strange because Of Montreal is easily one of my favorite three bands. I’m not saying Of Montreal didn’t put on a great show, because they did, but I would have liked to see them play longer and play older stuff but I shouldn’t have expected that given the constricts of a festival. As Tony put it, “they put on an old fashioned rock show,” they had costumes, theatrics, jumped all around, and the lad singer got mostly naked. That’s what it’s all about. After the show Tony and I walked around and sat down to listen to half of De La Soul before I had to head home and sleep before my class this morning. We should have stayed though because after De La Monica and co. got backstage and met Jamie Lidell and Of Montreal. Crap. Oh well.

All in all, it was a great festival. I am a new shade of pink, but it is fading into a nice brown. I have the worst farmer tan in history and have a glasses tan to boot. At least I wear my glasses all the time so people don’t notice the big line down the middle of my face.

1. She’s a witch of trouble in electric blue/ In her own mad mind she’s in love with you/ With you. Strange Brew, Cream. Identified by Mom.

2. Down in the cellar in the Boho zone/ I went looking for some sweet inspiration/ Oh well, just another hard time and with Negro affectations

3. I just wanna fuck bad bitches/ all them nights I never had bitches/ Now I’m all up in that ass bitches/ Mad at your boyfriend ain’t you

4. Well showing how it used to be/ So hard/ This hard /Used to get those kicks for free/ But now I’m towing the line

5. Oh we could rock/ Or we could bomb/ Or we could try/ Like super hard.

THE JENA SIX

I don’t know if you remember the case of the Jena Six. I first heard about them around December of last year. I remembered once I read abou them again, but it struck me how I had forgotten about it for so long. Here‘s a summation of the situation taken from the transcripts of a Report on the Jena Six by Jacquie Soohen, from an upcoming feature documentary by Big Noise Films.:

In September, a black student asked to sit under a tree where the white students sat; the next day three nooses were found hanging from the tree. In October, a black student was beaten for entering a private all-white party. Later that month, a white student pulled a gun on a group of black students at a gas station, claiming self-defense. The black students wrestled the gun away and reported the incident to police. They were charged with assault and robbery of the gun. No charges were ever filed against the white students in either incident. Then, in late November, someone tried to burn down the high school, creating even more tension.

Four days later, a white student was allegedly attacked in a school fight. The victim was taken to hospital and released shortly with a concussion. He attended a school function that evening. Six black students were charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, on charges that leave them facing between twenty and one hundred years in jail. The defendants, ranging in age from fifteen to seventeen, had their bonds set at between $70,000 and $138,000. The attack was written up in the local paper as fact, and DA Reed Walters published a statement in which he said, "When you are convicted, I will seek the maximum penalty allowed by law."

The first of the Jena Six has been found guilty of aggravated battery and conspiracy. He is set to be sentenced July 31st and is facing 22yrs.

My favorite part of the Soohen transcript, which you can read fully here, was a comment by Barbary Murphy, the town librarian. “We don’t have a race problem. It’s not black against white. It’s crime. The nooses? I don’t even know why they were there, what they were supposed to mean. There’s pranks all the time, of one type or another, going on. And it just didn’t seem to be racist to me.” Maybe it is just me, but nooses are never just a prank. Nooses in this scenario certainly aren’t a prank, they are a threat. For the town librarian to be that ignorant of history is just a bit disturbing.

The black students attempted to stage a non-violent protest a few days after the nooses were hung. The school responded by calling the police and the DA. District Attorney Reed Walters told the students, “I could end your lives with the stroke of a pen.” He made good on his word.

I’m not saying the students shouldn’t be punished. In my experience suspension and expulsion are typically the result of in-school fights. Occasionally charges are brought but I haven’t ever seen anything this severe. Although the charges were reduced for the young man who has been convicted, other students still face attempted murder charges. In reading the transcript of an interview with the parents of the Jena Six I learned that the aggravated battery charge (which involves a weapon) was based on the use of a tennis shoe as a weapon. Some of the students are still in jail because their families can’t afford the incredibly high bail that was set. It also appears that some incredibly shady courtroom dealings (like the court appointed lawyer working with the DA) were going on in the first trial and the family plans to appeal but can’t afford another lawyer.

It seems that crazy cases are popping up left and right, Genarlow Wilson, Shaquanda Cotton, and now the Jena Six. Who knows what else crazy is going on that we just haven’t heard about yet?

OBLIGATORY PLUG POST

As everyone knows I love TV. TV is a great friend to me. Lately, a new show has found its way into my world. This show is HBOs Flight of The Conchords. This show is so incredibly fantastic and wonderful I can't even tell you. Instead I'll have to show you. I tried to tell Monica about it and she was interested but when she saw it she became REALLY interested.

The band, Flight Of The Conchords, has apparently existed for some time and plenty of concert clips are available on YouTube. The clips have nothing on the show though. Everyone who doesn't have HBO should get it for the sole pleasure of watching these fantastic guys do hilarious things. Sometimes shows I love tend to get cancelled because people don't know how awesome they are. I doubt that will happen with this show because HBO usually gives programs a few seasons to get started. Plus, I have seen people caring about this program and there have only been 4 episodes so far. Just in case, I want to do my part to spread the word.

From the website the premise of the show is as follows:
Bret and Jemaine have moved to New York in the hope of forging a successful music career. So far they've managed to find a manager (whose "other" job is at the New Zealand Consulate), one fan (a married obsessive) and one friend (who owns the local pawn shop) -- but not much else.

This pretty much sums it up, except for the fact that they tend to burst into song a few times an episode. It also doesn't talk about how incredibly adorable Bret and Jemaine are. Then again, many people either don't care how adorable they are or will think I have lost my mind. Most of the time the songs are in their heads but sometimes they are legitimately singing. Their songs aren't just any songs either, they are wonderful hilarious insane songs that make you want to die and stuff. I can't wait until they incorporate "Albie (Racist Dragon)" into an episode. I wish I could show you more general clips from the show but most of the things you can embed are songs. The songs are particularly great though and I like to have some cohesion in my posts so here you go.

Now, before you start thinking how you don't like musicals or things where people randomly break into song you should just take my word for it. It's awesome. The clips are nice and short (about a minute and a half each) so it won't even take up too much of your time to indulge me.

1. If You're Into It. (Episode 4. Yoko. This episode is currently available for viewing on the website)
Bret wrote this song for his girlfriend Coco with the help of Jemaine. Bret's original version had been 2 hours of very off the wall things that Bret would do for Coco. You know, the typical climb the highest mountain kind of stuff. Jemaine pointed out that Bret probably wouldn't do most of those things and suggested he make the song more realistic. They talked about what Bret knew about Coco and decided they had enough material for a song. This is what they came up with.


2.Hip-Hopopotamus vs. The Rhymenocerous (Episode 3. Mugged)
Bret and Jemaine are in the process of being mugged because their manager had them out there bad and looking like obvious tourists. They thought about their rap identities and figured if the muggers knew who they really were they would not be mugged. The muggers just wondered why they were dancing and mugged them anyway.


3. She's So Hot, Boom (Episode 2. Bret Gives Up the Dream)
Bret gets a job holding signs to to supplement the bands income as they have not had any gigs. He gets really into signs. He also meets Coco. At this point, Coco is not yet his girlfriend but he sure does think she's hot. Boom.


4. Robot (Episode 1. Sally)
Murry, the band manager, has decided to make a video. Unfortunately his only video camera is on his cell phone. Ugh. The budget is a bit tight so they had to make costumes. Meanwhile, Jemaine tries to date Bret's ex-girlfriend Sally.


I hope you enjoy these clips a quarter of as much as I enjoy the show. If that is the case you will love them a lot.

To continue my obnoxious plugging of this great band I will give you three random songs by Flight Of The Conchords

1. The aforementioned Albie (Racist Dragon)


2. Part-time Model


3. Bowie Song

sorry for the many videos but if you have made it this far you obviously know these guys are incredibly hilarious and you are happy I included them.
Word.

MANIC 7

Manic Monday for today is 7. To check out other takes on the theme visit Mo

I was initially stumped as the topic has never before been anything other than a word. While seven obviously is a word, it is more so a number. I thought and thought about what 7 meant to me. The one thing I kept coming back to was Prince’s song “7” from the album lovingly referred to as symbol.

I have always loved this song. How can you not what with the awesome music and utter coolness that is Prince. When I saw him in concert back in 2004 he played the song during his acoustic set. I hadn’t really thought about the song being played that way but it worked so well. It was easily the highlight of the concert for me.

One of the things that gets me about this song is the many ways that it can be interpreted. There is the obvious Biblical imagery that harkens to the seven cycles of events in the Book of Revelations but Prince is never that simple. He then juxtaposes that interpretation with the idea that after defeating the 7 that we will come into an age of enlightenment full of education and peace. I haven’t read revelations for a while but I don’t think that is what is supposed to happen as all the good people are supposed to be gone and stuff. Then again, it has been a while since I read it.

I also have heard talk that the song refers to the 7 countries with nuclear capabilities (this is before North Korea became #8) and I kind of like that idea. With intellect and savoir-faire we can smite the possibility of global destruction. Sounds good, right? There are 7 Continents and I suppose if the label and separation of Continent was destroyed there could be a unifying global federation (like in all the future movies) and that could theoretically bring about an age of enlightenment. If we were no longer concerned about geographical divisions and had to work together as one world things would supposedly have to change. Of course there are many other 7s. Deadly sins, days of the week, wonders of the world, major world religions, dwarves; but I don’t think they make as much sense in the song. Maybe the deadly sins but I don’t know if Prince would be the one to talk about the downfall of lust. Maybe it’s just an awesome song that makes you want to dance.

Coincidentally, the single reached number 7 on the US Pop charts.

I was able to find a video of an acoustic version of the song from his 2004 tour (although it was from the Iowa show and not Mpls) for you all to enjoy. You can make your own conclusions of its meaning from that.



And now to reveal the songs from last week’s guessing game.

1. I think I’ll walk to the moon/ I don’t think I’ll be back soon/ I’ll take some water and time/ And I’ll be fine/ Yes, I’ll be fine. Walk To The Moon, Persephone’s Bees

3. Stop the bus/ I want to be lonely/ When seconds pass slowly and years go flying by/ You gotta stop the bus/ And get off here. Jackson Cannery, Ben Folds Five

4. Canyon girl/ ‘neath imaginary skies is beckoning/ in a fictional world/ I fear I got no business being in. Canyon Girl, Fruit Bats

5. Well I’m coming through your window/ I see your family there/ Well I’m the midnight creeper/ When I go creepin’ ya’ll better beware. Midnight Creeper, Eagles of Death Metal

That group of songs kind of makes me want to wear floods and small jackets. Maybe a rainbow belt and a polka dotted head band for extra coolness.

CAN I GET A GRADUATION?

I have nothing delicious to write about on this particular Friday although I did just consume a delectable albeit overpriced quesadilla at Macy’s. In defense of it’s over pricedness it came with a salad, but not much of a salad. Yet, once I was done, the deliciousness of the marinated mushrooms, poblanos roasted with onions and Chihuahua cheese made me feel better about the price. It was essentially worth it. Yum.

Last night I had a very strange dream. I was back at school and it was the day before graduation. There were instances of stress-filled debauchery everywhere you could turn. People were breaking down, hooking up, and throwing up around every corner. A large portion of the dream took place in the public restroom. There weren’t many public restrooms at school and certainly not any of this size. The way the doors were arranged made no sense. One stall opened into the next, people talked while handling their business, gender separation was out the window, and dogs were abundant. It was a strange bathroom.

One of the oddest things about graduation was that people from both my High School and College were there. A few people that I never went to school with at all were there. Regardless of that fact, we were all graduating. The weirdest thing was that I had no idea what we were graduating from. Even though the dream took place at a school I don’t think it was a school graduation. I remember shady snippets of the earlier parts of the dream and they were more focused on parties and celebrations of achievements but not scholastic ones. Maybe we were graduating from life?

I miss graduations. I miss having a set end date by which time you will have exhibited your knowledge of a particular subject or subjects and that learning will be recognized. People that come to see you will be proud and will shake your hand. They will be there for you and your achievements. You are the center of attention at graduation. I don’t care if you graduate last in your class there are always some who don’t graduate at all. With graduation, even being the worst is something to celebrate. Not so with life.

In the greater experience that is life, your achievements are rarely recognized. Or, if they are, only a select group of people care. Instead your achievements are expected and seen as part of growing-up. If you get a promotion or a new job people might give you a pat on the back and maybe a piece of cake but the same outpour of support, excitement, and adoration just isn’t there. Instead people are jealous. They wonder why it is you and not them that gets the cake. They wish you well on your journey while they contemplate taking your stapler. You know you have the good one.

I guess if I want that overwhelming positive feeling of achievement while embracing and saying good-bye to a stage of life I better get my butt back to school. Even so, I know it won’t be the same. For adults things are just different. Everyone has their own agenda and even when it comes to education they do it differently. I’m never going to live in a dorm again. I’m never going to another school dance. I’m not going to participate in any of those activities that bring people together because I can’t. If I could I don’t even know if I would want to. I’m done with that.

So what was my dream telling me? Was it saying I am ready for a change? Was my mind telling me that I have reached the point where this stage of life can teach me no more and I have to move on? Was it just a really random dream that was made up of all the other dreams I had over the course of a long night that got jumbled together between the tones of the alarm and meant nothing? I may never know. I just know it made me feel warm and cozy and part of something old on it’s way to becoming something new.

1. I think I’ll walk to the moon/ I don’t think I’ll be back soon/ I’ll take some water and time/ And I’ll be fine/ Yes, I’ll be fine

2. There lived a certain man in Russia long ago/ He was big and strong in his eyes a flaming glow/ Most people looked at him with terror and with fear/ But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear. Rasputin, Boney M. Identified by The Doc. Who is incredibly cool for knowing this insane mess.

3. Stop the bus/ I want to be lonely/ When seconds pass slowly and years go flying by/ You gotta stop the bus/ And get off here.

2. Canyon girl/ ‘neath imaginary skies is beckoning/ in a fictional world/ I fear I got no business being in

5. Well I’m coming through your window/ I see your family there/ Well I’m the midnight creeper/ When I go creepin’ ya’ll better beware

MOIST DOGS AND BEER

There is nothing like having a day off in the middle of the week to throw off your schedule. I am now wondering why I didn’t think to take today and tomorrow as vacation days. It would have made so much sense. Maybe I’ll take Monday? Maybe not.

I’m not complaining. I was happy to have the 4th off of work. It is what was supposed to happen. It allowed for some BBQing and that is something that I don’t get to experience too often. Our apartment has a very small back “porch” type area and we aren’t allowed to grill. There was a plethora of fantastic food to be had and more beer was drank that probably should have been possible. For most of the day there were seven people there. Three more showed up later but they didn’t drink much at all. I think there were 60 beers purchased and at least 50 were drunk. That comes to around 7 or so beers a person. It doesn’t seem possible that I drank that much because I barely felt a buzz but I also usually had a beer. I was there for 8 hours. I suppose anything is technically possible.

One thing that really can’t be beat is grilled corn on the cob. Corn was the real motivation for the BBQ. Other foods are just dandy but not much beats the deliciousness of a hot fresh off the grill butter covered cob of grilled corn sprinkled generously with chili powder. That’s the stuff to use people. Salt is for suckers. The meat eaters brought some meat and the boys from Ohio were pretty adept at grill-mastering. That meant that Jamie, our usual and “competent” grill-master got to spend more time chillin'. That’s how it should be.

There were dogs there. Jamie has a French Bulldog and Jaclyn has a Boston Terrier. The two are tremendous friends. They romp and play and are easily the most entertaining thing at any gathering. Unfortunately, their playing leaves them both relatively moist, what with the biting and licking and all, and they like to play underfoot. I am a little freaked out sometimes by moist dog. I know they don’t go around peeing on themselves but you never know. They had a whole yard to romp in and they romped under our feet on the patio. We moved the table into the yard to catch some shade (which terrified me because I know the yard gets poopy) and they romped under our feet in the yard when there was a whole patio to romp on. Dogs are funny. What attention whores they are.

Sometime soon I am going with Monica to find her a doggie. I am really looking forward to it. I am also looking forward to the day when Tony and I can get a dog. We have to get a different apartment first (I am 90% sure) and that is sad because our place is the absolute best. It has a dishwasher. Tat might not be major to some of you but that is big stuff to me. I’ve never had a dog. Tony has. I have my perfect dog in mind but Tony is more of the just find a good one and take it home type of guy. Because of my allergies I think I can be a little pickier and get the dog of my dreams. I hope I hope I hope I can get one eventually. How cute would I be walking this thing around? The Welsh Corgi is my friend. I would take a Cardigan (with tail) or a Pembroke (no tail see above). They are both utterly adorable.

Song 1 is the only one left after the first shuffle. Katrina is one the right track with Green Day. That should bring out the title.

1. Something’s on my mind/ It’s been for quite some time/ This time I’m on to you. Fuck Off and Die (F.O.D), Green Day. Identified by Monica.

2. I got a letter form the DMV the other day/ I opened it read it/ It said they were suckers/ They tried to tell me that my license was suspended/ I got offended for a minute then pretended. Mr. Officer, The Pharcyde. Identified by Monica.

3. I think I’ll walk to the moon/ I don’t think I’ll be back soon/ I’ll take some water and time/ And I’ll be fine/ Yes, I’ll be fine

4. Mommy had/ A little baby/ There he is/ Fast asleep/ He’s just/ a little plaything/ Why not/ Wake him up. Stay Up Late, Talking Heads. Identified by Mom.

5. There lived a certain man in Russia long ago/ He was big and strong in his eyes a flaming glow/ Most people looked at him with terror and with fear/ But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear.

MANIC MONDAY- INDEPENDENCE

The Manic Monday topic for today is Independence. To check out the other Manic Monday participants go visit Mo.

When I think about independence I think about growing up. I think about setting out on your own and not needing the watchful hand of your parents as much as you once did. I think of being able to take care of yourself in a mature and healthy manner. Then I think about all the people who think they are independent and aren’t.

Many people would define independence as not having to rely on others. I think that is a little far-fetched. We all have to rely on some things other than ourselves to maintain a comfortable life in this world. Even the independently wealthy have to rely on their trusts and their stocks and the market to maintain their independence. To be 100% independent you would have to live on land you own, grow your own food, make cloth from your animals, and sew your own clothing. While that type of independence was once attainable, it just isn’t practical today.

I don’t think independence means only relying on yourself to make ends meet. That just isn’t the way our world is designed. Instead independence today has a lot to do with responsibility. It has a lot to do with “making it” and being well-organized. It doesn’t mean that you don’t ever need help. It just means that you can take care of yourself most of the time.

I remember many times when I thought I was independent but wasn’t. The most obvious example was my 18th birthday. I graduated from high school and turned 18 on the same day. I thought I was large and in charge. Despite the fact that I had been awake for 72 hours, my independent mind told me that I didn’t need a ride home after my all-night Sr. party. I was wrong and my car paid for it heavily. Then, when my parents and sister pulled away from my dorm I thought I had certainly arrived. I didn’t need anyone. Let’s ignore the fact that my housing, food, and education were being taken care of. Let’s ignore the fact that my grades Freshman year were less then ideal because I wasn’t forcing myself to focus as much as I should. I still thought I was in control. I did ok. But there were nights when I needed plenty of help.

Even after graduating and moving out on my own I don’t think I was truly independent. I needed a lot of help the first six months or so. I did ok. I eventually got a decent job and needed less and less help all the time. By the end of year one I could confidently say that I was independent. Looking back, I think I technically was. However, I wasn’t anywhere near where I am today.

I am now a master of balancing work and play. Maybe that is because as I have gotten older I don’t want to play as much as I used to. I like to think it is because I have grown up and know better. I am comfortable in knowing that, while my life might not be ideal it is still mine and that no one can change things for me. I have to do it myself. Sure, I know that if I fall on hard times people will be there to take care of me. I’ll always have my support network and I am more than grateful for that. I just like to know that it is relatively unlikely that I will need it. That, I think is the true meaning of independence.

Let’s guess that song!

1. Something’s on my mind/ It’s been for quite some time/ This time I’m on to you

2. Like the latest fashion/ Like a spreading disease/ Kids strappin’ on the way to the classroom/ Getting weapons with the greatest of ease. Come Out And Play, Smash, Offspring. Identified by Janeylynne

3. Now somewhere in the black mining hills of Dakota there lived a young boy named Rocky Racoon/ One day his woman ran off with another guy/ Hit young Rocky in the eye. Rocky Racoon, The White Album, The Beatles. Identified by Johnny Yen

4. Look at the sky turn a hellfire red/ Somebody’s house is burning/ Down down down down. House Burning Down, Electric Ladyland, Jimi Hendrix. Identified by Mom.

5. Deaf dumb and blind boy/ He’s in a quiet vibration land/ Strange as it seems his musical dreams/ Ain’t quite so bad. Amazing Journey, Tommy, The Who. Identified by Johnny Yen

It is quite possible someone could get this entire shuffle. If they do they are automatically admitted into the Cool Club.

STOPPING VIOLENCE

The past few days I have spent my mornings at the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention at a training on how to integrate violence prevention in social service agencies. I found some of the information to be very interesting, some to be entirely too obvious to talk about, and some to be downright strange. I thought I would highlight a few of these things.

One of the statistics mentioned was that last year there were 9 shooting deaths in the entire country of Canada (Not Fearing Change questioned this and she is WAY correct. I found 172 in 2004 and that was the most recent data I found in a 1 min search. I would think it has stayed in that range. Still far lower than the US but what kind of training center so grossly misrepresents?). While I don’t have the exact numbers, I would imagine there are more than nine each day in the United States (I would hope there aren't close to 200 gun deaths a day in the US but we could get there in a month easily). Obviously Canadian gun laws are far stricter than those in the US but, if you ask me, the number of lives saved is far more important than having the liberal gun laws that we have today. I firmly believe that if our founding fathers knew how the second amendment was being applied in modern society they would be enraged. One of the main goals of the training was to change the view of violence as a social issue to a public health issue, thereby ensuring more funding and widespread concern about violence in general.

Violence is a health issue. It is a killer and, if the state of Illinois can spend 9million on enforcing seat-belt laws, they can certainly spend a few billion on violence prevention training and education for the people who most need it. Everyone needs to be aware of these things but, like all education, it is important that we start early. Back when I was in grade school we got to middle school and were suddenly old enough to learn about EVERYTHING. We learned about sex, we learned about drugs, we learned about isms of all kinds. We didn’t learn about violence. At the same time, most of us already knew about these things. If education is going to work you have to teach children as soon as possible. Our facilitator recently worked with a group in the Netherlands to incorporate violence prevention education in their schools at every level. Last I checked the Netherlands was nowhere near as violent a society as ours. Yet, the society that needs the most education is getting the least.

Some of the things that I found too obvious to talk about were the numbers and types of violence that get reported in comparison to larger sample surveys done. It seems common sense to me that most of the violence that occurs doesn’t get reported. One of the reasons for that is that I feel the Center for Violence Prevention had a broader definition of what could actually be violence than I would. Sure, I get the difference between physical, emotional, and psychological violence. But I’m not going to report every person who I see yelling at their child in the supermarket because I am not trying to get in a fight. I realize that there are times when being a casual observer is not an option, but I also have common sense and understand what is and what isn’t my business.

The biggest thing that I found downright strange was our discussion of sibling violence. Yes, I know that getting violent with a sibling is wrong but our facilitator seemed of the mindset that there is no such thing as “they’re just being kids,” and I disagree with that. My sister and I fought. We didn’t fight a lot; we didn’t ever put each other in the hospital. When we did fight we would get in trouble and be punished accordingly. We knew fighting was wrong. It seemed tome that our facilitator thought that the world wouldn’t be ok until there was never a case of a sibling hitting their other sibling. Sure, that world might be ideal, but I don’t think it would be realistic. My sister and I now have an excellent relationship and we look back to some of the things that happen and can agree that they were instances of kids being kids. Maybe I am wrong about that. It just seems like that is what happens.

Staten Island Ferry, David Weinstone- This song got downloaded when I made a CD for someone who was moving to NY. I tried to include songs about all the boroughs. I never listen to this song and don’t have any other music by this artist. I maybe should because this song is ADORABLE.

Se A Cabo, Santana- Every time my students want to listen to my iPod (and I let them in my office) they ask me if Santana is Juelz Santana who raps some mostly horrible crap. I then hang my head in sadness.

Lag Time, Ani DiFranco- The guitar in this song is amazing. I wish I could attach it to the post and, even though I probably could, I don’t know how to and I don’t care enough to try.

MEME MADNESS

I got three tags the other day so here they go.

The first is an oh so flattering Rockin' Girl Blogger award from The Thinker

How cool is that? I also get to tag five rockin' ladies with it. I am going to tag some awesome ladies.

1. Mrs. Loquacious because she is a real nice lady who tends to ROCK out a bit. Plus, she was the first person I didn't know who left me a comment and that rocks.

2. I got to give one to my dear friend Monica because she always tells me about rockin' bands to listen to and she just ROCKS in general. Without her my instances of leaving the house would be even fewer and that would be quite scary.

3. I'm going to throw one to Blondie, and since Clark St. is real close, she might even catch it. She made me feel less nervous about turning 30 in a few years with her recent chronicle. Cheers to that, it ROCKS.

4. Mood Indigo was gone for a long time doing incredibly important work with The Africa Project but I am selfishly happy she is back because she ROCKS!

5. I also want to send one to Blog Antagonist because she writes one the three or four "mommy blogs" that I enjoy. She doesn't just post stuff about her kids that no one cares about. She has important and interesting things to say. She also recently took her eldest to a Fall Out Boy concert because they really wanted to go and that kind of move ROCKS.

The second is from Memoirs of a Fat Girl
INSTRUCTIONS: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so.
Classy & Fancy
[Cherry] Ride/
5of9erAiram
Memoirs of a Fat Girl
Almost Interesting Musings on Life

Select five people to tag: You, You, You, You and...uh...You

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I had just graduated from High School and was working at Learner New York (now NY&Co). I hung out with all the friends I knew I would keep forever (and now talk to very few) and switched from saying pop to saying soda because I didn’t want to get made fun of.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
I was finishing up my wonderful contract working with DCFS youth and getting ready to be the temporary Volunteer Services director. I am now again the temporary Volunteer Services director. If I am doing the same thing next year I might die.

Five snacks you enjoy:
1. cheese
2. popcorn
3. guacamole
4. yogurt w/various cereals and/or fruits
5. hummus

Five songs that you know all the lyrics to:
1. The Humpty Dance, Digital Underground
2. Sunshine Superman, Donovan
3. The Circle Game, Joni Mitchell
4. Disseminated, Soul Coughing
5. Tender, Blur

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
A million isn’t as much as it used to be so it isn’t going to last me very long. Maybe by millionaire they meant multiple millions? I took it literally. It's a little selfish but I give back every day at work so screw it.

1. Pay off my debts
2. Buy a lofty 3bed 2 bath condo
3. Buy a Smart Car
4. Take a year off to travel with Tony
5. If I have anything left (and there won’t be much after that vacation) invest it

Five bad habits:
1. cracking any joint that I possibly can
2. being a total slob
3. making decisions
4. finishing projects that I have started
5. not taking as good care of myself as I should

Five things you like doing:
1. cooking/eating fun and exciting foods
2. road trips with good people
3. sleeping in
4. all kinds of movies/ TV and video games
5. nothing

Five things you would never wear again:
1. culottes
2. sneakers with a heel (the maroon ones with a big sole don’t count)
3. shiny lycra (I’m talking about skating here people and maybe a few other times)
4. scrunchies
5. the crazy blue horizontal striped dress (but I’ll still wear it in the house)

Five favorite toys:
1. iPod
2. PS2
3. Cable
4. Scrabble
5. Monopoly

I was also tagged by Not Fearing Change for the 8 random facts meme. I think Monica tagged me with this or something like this but since I used her facts it wasn't quite right.

Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8.
Players should tag 8 other people and notify them that they have been tagged.

I am tagging the five "Yous" from above and also You, You and...um...You

Just the (Random) Facts
1. My second toe on my right foot is longer than my big toe but on the left foot the big toe is longer. I think if I can figure out why this is I will unlock my mutant toe power.

2. I am 5ft tall but think I am much taller. When I see people my height walking around I am always struck by how small they are.

3. Right now I am relatively damp because I ran across the street in a torrential downpour an hour and a half ago.

4. I used to have a severe SIMS addiction. It stopped because the downloads I had didn’t work with Nightlife and I got annoyed because new SIMS had bad hair.

5. Most of the time I would rather be sitting at home.

6. I have only 400 pages left to read in War and Peace thus completing my reading of the books on my bookshelf...I think.

7. I have just folded 50 brochures about my customer service training

8. I love lamp

This post has taken me about five hours to actually finish. I am too tired for random songs.

MANIC MONDAY- GRACE

I have never been a particularly graceful person. In all actuality, I am a big of a galumphing fool. I fall over quite a bit. I can’t dance, except for the most ridiculous choreographed routines. I am quite good at learning choreography. The only time I come even close to being remotely graceful is when I have a pair of ice skates.

Even on ice, I wasn’t the most artistic of skaters. I was more of a powerful skater. Not to say I didn’t have artistry. I certainly was one of the skaters who can “feel the music” and exert some sort of emotion in their movements. I truly loved what I was doing and it came through. In that sense, there was a sort of grace.

Although figure skating is typically seen as a graceful sport, off the ice there isn’t a lot of grace. There are rivalries, fake smiles, dismissive attitudes, and outright rudeness. There are also a few friendships scattered here and there but those more often occur between people who don’t compete against each other. Some friendly rivalries do exist. It always struck me that skaters who were supposed to be so graceful and so proper were some of the most horrible people I had ever met. I guess that is what happens when you are all alone out there.

I always tried to be graceful in winning and in losing. Sometimes I was more successful than others. It often depended on the grace of those who I was competing against. There were just a few people who I LOVED to beat. Those who put meanness out into the universe are certainly the ones who deserve to get a little smugness when they can’t be on top. Gracious? Maybe not. But virtuous all the same.

Now to reveal our songs from last week.

1. Well my name is Young MC and I’m cold rockin’ the house/ I came up into the place and now I’m turning it out. My Name is Young, Young MC

2. My baby’s always dancing/ And it wouldn't be a bad thing/ But I don't get no loving/ And that's no lie. Blame it on the Boogie, the Jackson 5

3. The creator of what’s now cliché/ Had some funny words to say/ all you little things are incomplete/ Why did he speak of us that way. The Repudiated Immortals, Of Montreal

4. Just before our love got lost you said/ I am as constant as the northern star and I said/ Constantly in the darkness/ Where’s that at/ If you need me I'll be in the bar. A Case of You, Joni Mitchell

MINI RANT AND EGGPLANT ROLLS

In looking at the articles Mom posted in the comment section in response to my post yesterday I got even more pissed off. This time my anger is directed at the media. I understand that it is the job of the media to print stories that are going to be of interest to people and that will elicit an emotional response. It is also their responsibility to make the facts clear. I wasn’t the only person who read that this beating happened at a Juneteenth celebration, not outside an apartment building near where the festivities were winding down. I am not the only person who interpreted the story the way I did because of how it was written. Don’t get me wrong, most of the things I said yesterday still apply. However, to suggest that this event was in the midst of the celebration is misleading and causes improper associations. Any responsible journalist would know that. Ok, rant done, let me talk about food.

On Tuesday I made these delectable Eggplant rolls. What a fantastic dish. The recipe made four rolls and I had a lot of extra filling leftover which I used (along with some remaining pesto) to make an awesome pasta dish. I suppose you could stuff the rolls more than I did but then they wouldn’t be as cute. You can also lay the extra filling out on the plate so it appears to delicately spill out of the roll and garnish with a few ribbons of fresh basil. Anything works. One roll and some extra filling was perfect for a meal.

-2 medium sized eggplants with the insides scooped out within about ¼ inch of the outside. Dice the insides
-1 ¾ cup small white beans or cannelini beans (the recipe I used called for kidney beans, which I used, but I think the white beans would be better)
-½ anise bulb diced (the recipe called for a fennel bulb but they didn’t have them at my store and although this is a different flavor I thought it would meld well with the dish and I was right)
-Few tbsp olive oil for various things
-5tbsp or so of pesto- if you are the type to make your own you already know how to do it and if you are not just buy some
-1 zucchini diced
-5 small tomatoes deseeded and diced
-3 cloves garlic pressed
-12 very thinly sliced pieces of Swiss cheese (cheese slicer thin not knife thin)
-Salt and pepper to taste
-12 toothpicks

-Preheat oven to 425
-Brush eggplant skins lightly with olive oil and bake for 40 min
-Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a LARGE sauté pan
-Add diced eggplant and pressed garlic and sauté for about one minute
-Add the tomatoes and sauté for about 25 min stirring often until eggplant is nice and soft. If eggplant stats to stick add a tiny bit of water to the pan but the tomatoes should keep things nice and mushy
-Remove eggplant mixture from pan and, while still hot, add anise and sauté one minute
-Add zucchini and beans to the pan and sauté for about 5 min.
-Add eggplant mixture to pan and cook to meld the flavors until the skins are done add salt and pepper to taste if needed
-Place about 1tbsp of pesto in each eggplant skin and spread it around
-Take three Swiss slices and line the skins with them
-Put a bunch of the filling mixture into each skin
-Fold the skin up like a taco and fasten together with three toothpicks
-Brush the outsides of the rolls with the remaining pesto
-Place rolls in a lightly oiled or buttered pan and bake for 15 min until the pesto is slightly crisp
Enjoy!

1. Well my name is Young MC and I’m cold rockin’ the house/ I came up into the place and now I’m turning it out.

2. My baby’s always dancing/ And it wouldn't be a bad thing/ But I don't get no loving/ And that's no lie.

3. The creator of what’s now cliché/ Had some funny words to say/ all you little things are incomplete/ Why did he speak of us that way.

4. Just before our love got lost you said/ I am as constant as the northern star and I said/ Constantly in the darkness/ Where’s that at/ If you need me I'll be in the bar.

5. Your mom is so fat/ How fat is she/ Your mama is so big and fat that she can get busy with/ 22 burritos when times are rough/ I seen her in the back of Taco Bell with hand cuffs. Yo Mama, Pharcyde. Identified by Monica

WHAT KIND OF CELEBRATION IS THIS?

I was quite saddened this morning when I read a story that a man was beaten to death at a Juneteeth celebration in Austin, TX. Apparently, a car hit and injured, although not critically, a young girl at the celebration. The driver got out of the car to check on her and was attacked. The passenger of the car got out to help the driver and was, in turn, beaten to death. The driver was able to get away.

I understand the anger that can ensue after witnessing a child being injured. I also know that there is no excuse in beating a man to death. What really tore my heart out was that this happened at a Juneteenth celebration.

People were there celebrating the fact that news of emancipation finally reached the ears of the people. Six months after the Emancipation Proclamation people were finally able to be “free”. For a celebration of freedom turn violent and destructive is a travesty. I realize that of the many thousands of people who were at the celebration, only twenty or so participated in this heinous act. That is twenty to many. The acts of these few people mar the celebration of thousands. Instead of being about celebration, the day becomes a day of mourning and regret.

A crowd of twenty falling upon and killing one man sounds like a lynching to me. That is a horrible thing to happen any day but was even more despicable on that day. It makes me wonder how many people celebrate because of what the day means and how many celebrate because it is an excuse to get out in the streets and act a fool. It makes me wonder if the fact that the man beaten to death had the last name Morales had anything to do with the willingness of the crowd to be so harsh. It made me wonder what that young girl will think when she hears about the incident years later; will she blame herself, will she care? It made me wonder so many things that I had no business wondering and shouldn’t have had to think about.

Why are people so full of anger, hatred, and disregard? I’m not stupid, or ill-informed, I could cite many many answers to the very question I just posed. However, I don’t want to. I don’t want to have to think of what in our society contributes to this kind of tragedy. I just want things to get better. I do my best to ensure that they do. I try to talk to people and make sure people understand. I am sure I could do so much more. Unfortunately, no matter how much I do, no matter if I laid down my life for the good of humanity, I don’t think things would change all that much. I don’t believe there are enough people out there who care about humanity and the strains that exist within our society that any true progress will be made anytime soon. I don’t want to feel this way. I want to have hope. Some days I even can se a light at the end of the tunnel. Then something like this happens, and it all goes dark.

1. Well my name is Young MC and I’m cold rockin’ the house/ I came up into the place and now I’m turning it out.

2. My baby’s always dancing/ And it wouldn't be a bad thing/ But I don't get no loving/ And that's no lie.

3. The creator of what’s now cliché/ Had some funny words to say/ all you little things are incomplete/ Why did he speak of us that way.

4. Just before our love got lost you said/ I am as constant as the northern star and I said/ Constantly in the darkness/ Where’s that at/ If you need me I'll be in the bar.

5. Love/ Exciting and new/ Come aboard/ We’re expecting you. The Love Boat Theme Song. Identified by Brooke.

FADE OUT AGAIN

It was a strange morning. Nothing quite fit. Although the train was arriving just as I reached the platform, which is usually a good sign, it didn’t quite pull all the way into the station and the doors remained shut. People began to pile up behind the doors, jockeying for position to get on first. I stood back in my normal position, expecting the train to pull up and match my stance. That never happened. Inside the train, I could see the conductor walking back and forth, back and forth, opening doors, pulling handles, and not letting anyone on. It was excruciating. Finally, the door to my left opened, although the one directly in front of me remained closed. I slipped into the car and made it down to the end past where the door was still shut, past he people I had been waiting behind. I sat in the single person seat, my favorite, and waited.

The conductor came and manually opened the closed door. I wondered why more people hadn’t moved to the open door like I did. I always wonder why it is that groups of people will only make a change if many people in the group all decide to change at the same time. Individuals have much more freedom to alter the norm. The people who had been waiting outside gave me an odd look. They appeared confused that I had managed to enter the train and make it to a seat before them as they were standing closer to the door than I. It really wasn’t that hard to do, I had the freedom of one. Plus, it was hot outside and the train had air conditioning. I wasn’t about to wait for a door that had to be manually opened, what was that about? Even once the conductor opened the door the train wouldn’t move. I don’t think the door wanted to close. People continued to file in, creating a standing room only situation. This is not a good development at the fourth stop from the start of the line. It was going to be a rough morning for some but not for me. I had my little corner of the train, I had my space, and I was ok.

After two more stops the train was officially packed. I politely sat in my seat, reading my paper, listening to The Bends, and smiling because I was glad that I chose to live so far north. I don’t mind standing on the way home from work but, on the way in, I need my peace. I need to come into the day alone. The conductor came on the loudspeaker and said our train was going to run express from Thorndale to Addison, which is a long way, people seemed relieved. They thought that skipping many stops would ease their commute. They contemplated a little more peace. They were wrong. Hoards of people swarmed onto the train at Addison, people were packed in like it was a 5pm train headed north to an evening Cubs game; poor people. I was ok.

As the train pulled into the Lake Street station, people jockeyed for position so that they could either get off or stay on with as little movement as possible. The one drawback to the single person seat is that you have a long way to go to the door on a crowded train. I sometimes fear that I won’t make it in time. I fear that the train will kidnap me and drag me unwillingly to Monroe. Now that Washington station is closed it is a bigger deal to miss my stop. Luckily, I made it out. I always make it out; I just fear that I won’t. It’s one of those unfounded fears that really has no consequences. Even if my fear is realized I will be fine. Regardless, it causes me a slight twinge of stress every morning.

As I got off the train, my album came to a close. Street Spirit (Fade Out) seeped into my ears. I approached the escalator and saw that it was not working. The person in front of me was walking slower than my natural speed making me feel like I was plodding along at a snails pace embedded in the herd and unable to break free. Why is it that walking up an escalator that isn’t moving is more difficult than walking up one that is moving? When the escalator is stopped, it feels as if the steps are placed at just the right intervals to make you uncomfortable. Yet, when moving, they feel just right. I felt trapped. In leaving my personal seat on the train I had given up my freedom, I became part of the herd. I focused on the shoes of the woman in front of me. I willed her to move faster. I hoped that I could break free. I couldn’t. I was stuck. In my ears the words came through loud and clear:

This machine will, will not communicate

These thoughts and the strain I am under

Be a world child, form a circle

Before we all go under

And fade out again and fade out again

We get a bunch of new, and relatively easy, songs today. Yeah!

1. Well my name is Young MC and I’m cold rockin’ the house/ I came up into the place and now I’m turning it out.

2. My baby’s always dancing/ And it wouldn't be a bad thing/ But I don't get no loving/ And that's no lie.

3. The creator of what’s now cliché/ Had some funny words to say/ all you little things are incomplete/ Why did he speak of us that way.

4. Nothing you could say would tear me away from my guy/ Nothing you could do cause I’m stuck like glue to my guy. My Guy, Mary Wells. Identified by Katrina

5. I would say I‘m sorry if I thought that it would change your mind/ But I know that this time I have said too much/ been too unkind. Boys Don't Cry, The Cure. Identified by Monica

I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN

Danielle tagged me with a meme that you are supposed to start off with, “How was I supposed to know”. This actually fits in well with where I was planning on going with my post today.

How was I supposed to know that drinking too much alcohol would be a bad bad thing? It seems like a question that shouldn’t be that hard to figure out. In all honesty, I was supposed to know because people told me. Unfortunately, I have never been one to pay too much attention to what I am told.

Given that, I should have known early on in life due to personal experiences. The first one was at the tended age of 3 I drank too much alcohol and acted a damn fool. It wasn’t the fault of my parents. They didn’t give it to me or anything. I just saw it and knew grown-ups drank it and I wanted to be grown up. So my friend and I drank some wine that was left in the cups of adults. We also wanted to drink coffee because that was something else grown-ups drank. Our coffee consisted of water in my plastic tea cups and brown marker for color. I don’t think it was very tasty. We then wanted to be mummies. Grown-ups aren’t mummies but it seemed like fun. We were discovered wrapped in toilet paper stumbling like fools.

I was reminded of this incident when I read that a two year old was served a margarita in a sippy cup at some restaurant. The parent noticed when the child started pushing away their apple juice and acting strange. She opened the cup only to find margarita. The kid got all sick. I would have been so pissed if I was that lady. It is one thing for your kid to take it upon themselves to drink. Another if someone forces it on them. What a stupid that bartender was. Who ever orders margaritas in sippy cups?

Another time, I thought I was drinking this sip of apple juice left on the counter by a family friend (I know, gross) but I just needed a sip to take some allergy medicine. It was scotch. It was disgusting. After these experiences, why did I want to drink? Why has it taken me to the ripe old age of 28 to be able to know when I should stop drinking? All I’m saying is that I should have known.

1. Well my name is Young MC and I’m cold rockin the house/ I came up into the place and now I’m turning it out

2. Whatever you want from me/ whatever you want I’ll do/ I’d try to squeeze a drop of blood/ From a sugar cube. Sugarcube, Yo La Tengo. Identified by The Doc.

3. Today is the greatest/ Day I’ve ever known/ Can’t live for tomorrow/ Tomorrow’s much too long. Today, The Smashing Pumpkins. Identified by The Doc.

4. When I look out my window/ many sights to see/ And when I look in my window/ So many different people to be. Season of the Witch, Donovan. Identified by, Brooke.

5. Father I/ Killed my monkey I/ Let it out to/ Taste the sweet of spring. Bliss, Tori Amos. Identified by, Brooke.

MANIC MONDAY- HEAT

To see other interpretations of the theme check out Mo.

When I saw the Manic Monday word was Heat all sorts of things came to mind. The song, “The Heat is On,” by Glenn Frey was one that just wouldn’t leave me alone. Many years ago, in one of the many ice shows I was in, a group that I was not a part of skated to that song. Although I wasn’t part of that performance, I think my group was on shortly after them because the song was deeply embedded into my head. Ice shows gave such wonderful memories. Oh, ice shows.

However, that is my no means my favorite “heat” memory. That has to come from the wonderful musical Guys and Dolls. Scene is in the corner barber shop. Nicely Nicely and Benny Southstreet are waiting for their boss, Nathan Detroit, to come in and tell them where the floating crap game will be held. However, instead of Detroit showing up, Lt. Brannigan appears instead with a message for Nathan.

Brannigan- Tell Nathan Detroit that Brannigan says he is not going to find a spot for his crap game because Brannigan has turned on the heat and Brannigan is breathing down everybody's neck.
Brannigan exits through the revolving door, Nathan Detroit comes through it
Nicely Nicely- Nathan, you are lucky. You just missed Brannigan.
Detroit- I am lucky. I missed Brannigan.
Nicely Nicely -He left a message. He said...
Detroit- I am not going to find a place for my crap game because everybody knows Brannigan has turned on the heat and is breathing down everybody's neck.
Nicely Nicely- That is what he said.

I know this may not seem all that hilarious but it was a really funny scene. One of the things I love about Guys and Dolls is that they rarely use contractions. This piece isn’t the best example of that, but the rhythm that contractionless speaking gives to the characters creates a mood that I have never got from any other film. The extreme formality of the language coming out of the mouths of crazy hooligans is hysterical.

I think this scene was one of the first times I was acutely aware of the term heat being used in this manner. I like the word because it has so many connotations. One thing I realized while thinking of this post is that not many of the connotations are positive ones. Initially I thought it was because, while people like to be warm, most don’t like to be hot. However, warm doesn’t have many positive alternate connotations either. Huh, that’s strange.

It’s time for guess that song.
1. Once Again/ I’m in trouble with my only friend/ she is papering the window panes/ She is putting on a smile. Life In A Glass House, Radiohead. Identified by The Doc

2. I’m a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm/ I’m a runaway son of the nuclear a-bomb. Search and Destroy, The Stooges. Title by Kiyotoe, Band by Johnny Yen.

3. Well my name is Young MC and I’m cold rockin the house/ I came up into the place and now I’m turning it out

4. So/ So I wish you could tell/ Heaven from hell/ Blue skies from pain. Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd. Identified by Jeff Roberts

5. Since age one/ Kita knew he had the answer/ And it was/ That someday he’s be a dancer. Show Me How To Do Like You, Stevie Wonder. Identified by Mom.

MANICOTTI VERDE

For Foodie Fridays I typically put up recipes that I have either made up or modified. Today is not the case. This meal was simply delicious and the only thing I changed was using some fresh herbs for the dried. I typically double (or so) the amounts when using fresh herbs compared to dried. So here it is, the Moosewood Low-fat Vegetarian Cookbook’s (this is an awesome cookbook to have) Manicotti Verde in red wine sauce. This recipe should serve 4+. It has 492 calories (not bad for dinner), 26g protein, 12g fat, and 70g carbs. I love it when they give you that info in a cookbook! They also say you can subsititute 8 whole wheat tortillas for the lb of manicotti but I haven't tasted that so it's up to you.

Filling
-1tbsp olive oil
-2 large garlic cloves pressed
-5 ½ cups chipped leeks (white and green parts)
-3 tbsp water
-20oz fresh spinach chopped
-1 tsp dried basil
-½ cup low-fat mozzarella
-1/3 cup grated parmesan
-1 ½ cup non-fat ricotta
-½ tsp sage
-1lb manicotti shells
-Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce
-2tsp olive oil
-1 med onion chopped
-2 med garlic cloves pressed
-1/4tsp salt
-2tsp ground fennel
-1tsp dried oregano
-1tsp dried basil
-1/3 cup red wine
-3 cups undrained canned tomato (28oz can)
-Salt and pepper to taste

-Boil pot of water for manicotti cook pasta al dente according to directions

While pot is boiling prepare sauce
-In saucepan warm olive oil
-Add onions garlic and salt sauté on very low heat for 5-7min
-Add fennel oregano and cook for another min
-Pour in wine and bring to boil
-While boiling, whirl tomatoes in blender until just pureed and add to pan
-Cover and simmer 20min

-Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat
-Add garlic leeks and water, cover and stir occasionally for about 10min
-Add spinach and basil cook covered 5min stir a few times until spinach wilts
-Uncover and cook a little longer to get rid of moisture, drain if necessary
-Add cheeses, sage and salt and pepper

-Fill manicotti with cheese and vegetable mixture and place in lightly oiled 9x12 pan
-Pour half of sauce over pasta and cover with foil
-Cook 30min at 350
-Add remaining sauce after serving

Stairway To Heaven, Led Zeppelin- Although I grew up on classic rock, Led Zepplin was one of those bands that wasn’t really around for me. I first heard this song at my 8th grade lock-in when a friend sang it at karaoke. I though it was so pretty. Then I got older and cared less and less. It’s still great to hear every once in a while though.

The Chalet Lines, Belle and Sebastian- This is a little mellow for my Belle and Sebastian tastes but it will do. Even not my favorite Belle and Sebastian is better than a lot of music.

You Come Through, PJ Harvey- This is great. It’s mellow PJ but she knows how to do mellow very well. Sometimes I wish she would be mellow more often.

THE BIG 200

I have reached my 200th post. In a way I am really surprised. I started blogging simply because I was bored and couldn’t log into my myspace account. I had very low expectations for the whole blogging thing. I thought I would get bored. I thought I had “Nothing Interesting to Say” rather than being “Almost Interesting”. I thought blogs were kind of stupid. I kind of understood why people wrote them but I had no idea why people read them. I thought my friends and family might occasionally read mine but was utterly mystified by my first comment that wasn’t from Monica. The comment was left on my third post, Let’s Talk About Stupids, dated 8/2/06 and was about the Mel Gibson rant. The commenter was Wobbly*Bits and I just sat there mouth open wondering how she possibly found me and why she would have though to leave a comment. As surprised as I was, it made me smile.

When I hit 100 posts I made a big deal. I took sentences from all hundred posts to create some crazy mega post that almost kind of made sense. It was a blast to do. However, as I came to 200 I thought about it and decided I didn’t need to do all that mess. Post 100 was like a 21st birthday. I wanted to party and have a grand old time. 200 is more like 28. I’m glad I made it. I am happy with where my blog has gone and, while it may not have a lot of direction, it is a happy blog.

I feel really glad that people read and enjoy what I have to say but, unlike at post 100, I think I would be ok if as many people weren’t reading. I would still be happy with what I produced and just knowing that I bring a smile here and there would be enough. 100 posts ago I would have wondered why people weren’t reading and thought about what might want to do differently. I thought about if my posts were too long or too short. I thought about if they only would appeal to a select group of people or have a wider audience. I cared a lot about my statcounter. Now I only go there to read hilarious google searches and get excited when I find out things like my blog is the #1link when you search for “hilarious racism”. I find that to be incredibly rewarding. I do think about the types of people who search for hilarious racism and hope they are the types that want to hear funny stories about racist moments and not funny racist jokes. I like to think they are the former.

I’m not saying I don’t want readers, of course I do. Readers are part of what makes blogging fun and exciting. I’m just more secure in the fact that if I feel like writing about something and others don’t really care that it is ok. I realize the blog is about me and what I feel like saying, not what people want to read. It’s just an extra bonus when what is on your mind jives with those around you. I look forward to seeing where I go from here and how the blog changes. It seems it has almost developed a mind of its own.

It’s time for the three random songs; a segment that has been with me from day one. Random lyrics, although a later addition, is cooler.

The House Song, The Beta Band- “Put in you pocket for a rainy day,” what an applicable lyric for a blog that started as a rainy day activity. As the song gets funkier, so does the blog. Or so I would like to think.

Lost In A Crowd, Rusted Root- This band will always remind me of this guy Adrian who I met my freshmen year of college. He was the quintessential Rusted Root listener. You can picture him. He had drums, long hair, a beard, and was an all around nice guy. I haven’t thought of him in ages. It’s strange what music can do.

I Was Made To Love Her, Stevie Wonder- Is it possible for this guy to make a bad song? Of course it is. This isn’t one of them. I will say that I really dislike Ribbon in the Sky, which is almost forbidden in Stevie World. Oh well, if it sounded more like this I would like it.

VIDEO GAME REVOLUTION

Apparently this is real old news but it’s new to me and it makes me happy so I want to blog about it. About a year and a half ago a team of researchers at the National University of Singapore made a human Pacman game. Players wear VR goggles and see big cookies in the middle of the road that they run over to gobble up Pacman style. You can choose to be either a Pacman or a ghost and run around with your friends eating virtual cookies or chasing the ones who are eating virtual cookies. Does this sound like the best thing ever or what?

This product could change my life. I would want to leave the house and socialize with other people on a more regular basis. I would possibly even run a little bit which would not be a bad thing. I would stay outdoors for extended periods of time on a regular basis rather than the few days a year when I actually go to a festival or the beach or something like that. I would be the envy of everyone who didn't have this game and might even make some new friends.

Think of the other games that could be brought back to life with this type of technology. We could hunt many a Wumpus, we could Dig various Dugs, and we could invade space. Think of what would happen if the virtual gaming opportunities grew to include RPG classics. We could actually run around town playing Zelda or Kings Quest and scavenge for random goodies on the way. Instead of arcades we could have open air parks dedicated to people running around with goggles on their heads in various teams completing any goal their little hearts desired. The Wii got gamers moving again but this would get people off their couches like never before. Imagine the glory. It would be a dream.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like I will be getting human Pacman or any other virtual game any time soon. The equipment costs 10K-20K and I think a PS3 is too expensive. It also seems that one would have to program certain geographic areas into the game so that you don’t bump into things like buildings so playing areas would be limited and there seems to be no way to avoid moving things like cars and buses. In a city environment this could be quite dangerous. Then again, if my park arcade idea catches on maybe we would be onto something. I wonder how you can register non-playing people on the monitor or do you just run into everyone who isn’t plugged into GPS? Then again, if only players are allowed in the park arcade then everyone would have some sort of GPS signal. Maybe I am getting closer to the ultimate solution.

While the drawbacks are obviously many, the fact that the technology exists and is being improved constantly is incredibly exciting. Maybe a version of human Pacman that is affordable and doesn’t cause you to bump into things will be available before I can no longer walk. Here’s to hoping.

This Hear of Stone, Rolling Stones- I love this song. It is so utterly mean and horrible. Last night I watched John Tucker Must Die (I know I know I planned to fall asleep but didn’t) and this song is like John Tucker except that they did break his heart of stone hahaha.

History of Lovers, Iron & Wine- This is off one of the Iron and Wine albums that I downloaded after I decided that I wanted to listen to as much of their music as possible and then haven’t listened to. It has a great beat and while you could dance to it you would look like a cracked out hippie. Note to self: perfect an unrivaled hippie dance before Pitchfork Festival.

Stupid Girl, Garbage- Really? Really? Did this actually come on and am I actually excited about hearing it as I never put it on purposefully? Both things are true. Man am I ever enjoying this song. I miss the 90s so much.

THE PERFECT DRESS

I love clothes. Typically I also love shopping. Lately that has not been the case. The reason I have hated shopping is because I can’t spend a lot of money. Because of this, I have to shop at stores that aren’t quite as organized as I would like them to be.

In a perfect world, I would be able to go into one of the nicer department stores where they have many sizes and colors of one item right there in front of your face for you to choose from. Items that are similar in style are often placed near each other and, while sizes vary between designers, each designer has one size that almost always fits. I don’t need to go shopping armed with patience and the eye of a scavenger. I can leisurely stroll around or even look at a mannequin I like and easily find the item on the racks. Oh, the ease of spending money.

Last Friday, I met up with Monica and her co-worker Natasha and headed out to the stores. I needed a dress. I had the perfect one in mind and knew how it would look on me. It was a jersey knit dress with cap or short sleeves, a v or scoop neck, and an empire waist. It could cost no more than $30. This dress exists all over the place but the prices and cuts aren’t always right.

At Urban Outfitters, the dress existed, cost $58, and had a lower waistline than would have been ideal. They had a few other styles that almost worked but nothing stole the show. I remember being in high school and finding the most unique and fun things at Urban. It just isn’t the same anymore. Maybe I shouldn’t still be shopping somewhere I shopped in high school but whatever, sometimes they have cute things.

We then headed over to Forever 21. I know, I know, but they have cute things that are cheap. We looked all over the store. The chaos was outrageous. Sizes and styles were mixed together everywhere. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason and the place was packed. Natasha couldn’t handle the disorder and headed home. I grabbed things left and right hoping to find my perfect dress. Of the eight items I picked up on the first sweep I tried on six. They were disappointing. I had an almost perfect dress; royal blue, a wide scoop neckline with precious buttons on it, a natural but flattering waistline, and short as all hell. I couldn’t go out like that. Maybe it would work with pants but I didn’t want a dress I had to wear with pants. I wanted a perfect dress. Out of the six items I kept a t-shirt. It was kind of a perfect t-shirt but it wasn’t a dress.

We then went upstairs. I was feeling pretty down because upstairs tends to be the sparkly section and I don’t roll like that. We looked around and I saw it. It was a rounder with a sign on top that said, “The perfect dress, $15-19”. I couldn’t believe it. Was it too good to be true? Did they know a prefect dress when they saw one? They did. The rounder was full of jersey knit dresses of various styles and although the sleeves were short rather than capped, it was the dress that existed in my mind. It was $15.80. The dress was so perfect they created a sign just for me so I wouldn’t miss it in the madness. All that remained was trying it on. It was adorable. I got it in green and brown. The green is cuter than the brown but with the right accessories I’m going to make that brown work. Monica liked this hot pink red but I don’t have any shoes to go with that. Really, I don’t.

Anyway, here it is; the prefect dress.
Oddly the website doesn’t have any of the colors that I saw in the store but has some colors I want the dress in. However, I already have two and more might be crazy. The web version is slightly different though, I think. Now I have to find some more perfect shirts and maybe a skirt or two. Keep your fingers crossed.

Parades Go By, Magnetic Fields- This song is so incredibly depressing. It’s all about watching everything pass you by and loss and the horror of growing old alone. Ugh. I kind of enjoy the song though. What is wrong with me?

Deeper Into Movies, Yo La Tengo- This is a band that I want to hug. Everything about their music is adorable and happy. Why aren’t they playing shows for me right now?

Teachers, Daft Punk- The Homework album is one of those things that takes me back and I always like even though I know I am a fool for listening to it.