1. people who say they hate country music without giving it a try. If you haven't listened to it, then you don't know what it is about. Don't be a music snob.
2. JAM'N 94.5 And that is all I am going to say about that.
3. The fact that Carly Simon isn't given more radio time.
4. when people give me funny looks when I say I don't like live music. I don't like it, okay? It's too loud. And most concerts are boring. I don't like anything that is loud and I don't like to be bored.
5. People who say they don't like Jimmy Buffett and they are basing that decision on Margaritaville and maybe Come Monday. Both of which are fabulous songs, but he's done a lot more.
6. Tool. Yes I will go see Tool with you...
7. Any music station that plays Christmas music before Thanksgiving
8. Garth Brooks. Yes, he's fan-fucking-tastic, but who does he think he is, not selling his songs on iTunes! fyi Garth, you have to pay for iTunes! No one is stealing anything! And I don't like the fact that I no longer own Two Pina Colladas. That seriously might be my favorite song ever, and you aren't letting me buy it!
9. 99.999% of the people on AI cannot sing and are not talented.
10. Drugs have taken the lives of too many artists... Freedom's just another word for nothing left to loose.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
And so it begins
It's Christmas time again. But it just doesn't feel the same as when I was a kid. Obviously nothing is as exciting as Santa when you still believe and the excitement is just out of control. But even when you stop believing, as a child or teenager there is still a magic to Christmas. There's vacation from school, you're getting presents, there is still an obscene amount of excitement throughout the entire Christmas season. It's pretty much all you can think about from Thanksgiving through New Years. But then you go to college. And you would like to be happy about Christmas, but you've got finals - and I had them usually through the 22nd or 23rd. And now that I am in grad school, I still have finals. Money is tight, time is tight, stress ads up, and you always eat and drink too much. I want the Christmas of my childhood back again.
I think that is why Faith Hill's song is my favorite Christmas carol for this stage in my life.
Where are you Christmas?
Why can't I find you?
Why have you gone away?
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me?
Why can't I hear music play?
My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too?
Where are you Christmas?
Do you remember
The one you used to know?
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go?
Someday when we have kids and they are old enough to understand about Christmas I'll be excited again. Every year I try to get it back. I have lights in my windows, I have decorations around my house. I've pulled out the Christmas carols. I'm hosting a small Christmas gathering (when I have my own house, it will be a Christmas bash, but as I only have a tiny condo, the guest list is very small this year) But I just don't really care. I'm stressing out about what I am going to by for people. I'm stressing more about how I am going to pay for it. I'm worried about my finals. I'm behind at work.
I want Santa to bring me my old Christmas spirit
I think that is why Faith Hill's song is my favorite Christmas carol for this stage in my life.
Where are you Christmas?
Why can't I find you?
Why have you gone away?
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me?
Why can't I hear music play?
My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too?
Where are you Christmas?
Do you remember
The one you used to know?
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go?
Someday when we have kids and they are old enough to understand about Christmas I'll be excited again. Every year I try to get it back. I have lights in my windows, I have decorations around my house. I've pulled out the Christmas carols. I'm hosting a small Christmas gathering (when I have my own house, it will be a Christmas bash, but as I only have a tiny condo, the guest list is very small this year) But I just don't really care. I'm stressing out about what I am going to by for people. I'm stressing more about how I am going to pay for it. I'm worried about my finals. I'm behind at work.
I want Santa to bring me my old Christmas spirit
Things I've read recently
The quality of books I have been reading in recent months has gone a bit downhill, mainly because I don't have time to read a lot. So I tend to gravitate towards easy reads; chick-lit if you will. I love those books, but they don't take a lot of mind power to comprehend. Which is exactly what I need while still muddling through school. But I decided in the calm between the storm (ie before finals start) to try to branch out. I didn't like what I chose.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wall
Jeanette wrote her memoir about her life growing up with her probably-mentally-ill-but-is-never-mentioned-as-such mother and her alcoholic yet intelligent (when he's sober) and loving father. He does demonstrate his love, but clearly his priorities are not in line. Jeanette has an older sister, a young bother, and a younger sister and they grow up in utter poverty, though Jeanette doesn't realize this until she is much older. It makes you sad that children can live this way. But it's a very well written book and at least I couldn't make myself hate the father, even after seeing what he put his family through. The mother.... well... that's a different story. I'd like to give her a piece of my mind!
The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue.
Not my style. That's really all I can say about this book. It is about a boy who is stolen by a changeling, so the changeling can steal his life and grow up among humans. Meanwhile the human boy is changed into a changeling and forced to live as one of them. The book follows the two stories of the Changeling Henry Day who is living as a human and the human Henry Day who is know a changeling called Aniday. Henry Day lives in fear that someone will find out who he really is (and drags his new wife to Germany to research his former human self) and Aniday longs to be a human again and wants to go home to his mother. Personally, I would skip the book, but then I already said it wasn't my style.
So my adventure into heavier reading did not fare well for me. But after finals are done, I might read Jane Erye or Pride and Prejudice because I haven't read either one. I don't know how I managed to get through high school without having to read them, but I didn't. We'll see if I can get through them now.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wall
Jeanette wrote her memoir about her life growing up with her probably-mentally-ill-but-is-never-mentioned-as-such mother and her alcoholic yet intelligent (when he's sober) and loving father. He does demonstrate his love, but clearly his priorities are not in line. Jeanette has an older sister, a young bother, and a younger sister and they grow up in utter poverty, though Jeanette doesn't realize this until she is much older. It makes you sad that children can live this way. But it's a very well written book and at least I couldn't make myself hate the father, even after seeing what he put his family through. The mother.... well... that's a different story. I'd like to give her a piece of my mind!
The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue.
Not my style. That's really all I can say about this book. It is about a boy who is stolen by a changeling, so the changeling can steal his life and grow up among humans. Meanwhile the human boy is changed into a changeling and forced to live as one of them. The book follows the two stories of the Changeling Henry Day who is living as a human and the human Henry Day who is know a changeling called Aniday. Henry Day lives in fear that someone will find out who he really is (and drags his new wife to Germany to research his former human self) and Aniday longs to be a human again and wants to go home to his mother. Personally, I would skip the book, but then I already said it wasn't my style.
So my adventure into heavier reading did not fare well for me. But after finals are done, I might read Jane Erye or Pride and Prejudice because I haven't read either one. I don't know how I managed to get through high school without having to read them, but I didn't. We'll see if I can get through them now.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Meghan: Do you remember the Act of Contrition?
Andrew: No.
Meghan: Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins and choosing to sin and failing.... failing.... failing... Do you remember what comes next?
Andrew: No.
Meghan. Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins, and choosing to sin and failing to do good? failing to do right? failing not to sin?
Andrew: I. Don't. Know.
Meghan: Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins and choosing to sin and failing to do right, I have sinned against you and your Church. I firmly intend, with the help of your son, to.... do you remember?
Andrew: No! I don't remember!!!
Meghan: I firmly intend, with the help of your son, to.... to..... live by the Girl Scout Law?
Andrew: Yes, that's it. Now stop talking.
Meghan: Do you remember the Memorare?
Andrew: Are you kidding?
Meghan: Remember, Oh my gracious Virgin Mary..... something....
Andrew: Shut. The. Eff. Up.
Andrew: No.
Meghan: Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins and choosing to sin and failing.... failing.... failing... Do you remember what comes next?
Andrew: No.
Meghan. Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins, and choosing to sin and failing to do good? failing to do right? failing not to sin?
Andrew: I. Don't. Know.
Meghan: Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins and choosing to sin and failing to do right, I have sinned against you and your Church. I firmly intend, with the help of your son, to.... do you remember?
Andrew: No! I don't remember!!!
Meghan: I firmly intend, with the help of your son, to.... to..... live by the Girl Scout Law?
Andrew: Yes, that's it. Now stop talking.
Meghan: Do you remember the Memorare?
Andrew: Are you kidding?
Meghan: Remember, Oh my gracious Virgin Mary..... something....
Andrew: Shut. The. Eff. Up.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
This is our country
After a weekend in the Deep South where people are different, and let me tell you, there is no such thing as Southern Hospitality, I'm back up North where I belong. And the Pats are on. Life is good. I was down there for a family wedding, which was very fun, but I'm glad to be home. It's cold down there!
Well, they Patriots have already scored. I'm not sure if this is going to be an exciting game. My father has said it isn't fair that Brady and Moss are on the same team. Nope, it isn't fair, but I'm glad their mutual team is the Pats!
Oh, and I've lost a bit of respect for the NY Times. Only a New York paper has that much Klass to put an asterick in their weekly standings. Sorry the Jets are SUCKING, but don't be a poor loser. Asshats.
Well, it's the time of year to be Thankful. Count your blessings. Reflect on the good in your life. So... why am I thankful?
1. I have electric heat, not oil.
2. There was a drought this summer which resulted in awesome weather down the cape.
3. Tedy Bruschi still plays football
4. I only have 19 months left of gradschool
5. My husband puts up with all my crap and still loves me
6. My neice will make her appearance in a little more than 2 months!
7. The internet exists
8. I was able to travel a fair amount this year
9. I have a Carolla which is has great gas mileage
10. I have extremely comfy flannel sheets
Well, they Patriots have already scored. I'm not sure if this is going to be an exciting game. My father has said it isn't fair that Brady and Moss are on the same team. Nope, it isn't fair, but I'm glad their mutual team is the Pats!
Oh, and I've lost a bit of respect for the NY Times. Only a New York paper has that much Klass to put an asterick in their weekly standings. Sorry the Jets are SUCKING, but don't be a poor loser. Asshats.
Well, it's the time of year to be Thankful. Count your blessings. Reflect on the good in your life. So... why am I thankful?
1. I have electric heat, not oil.
2. There was a drought this summer which resulted in awesome weather down the cape.
3. Tedy Bruschi still plays football
4. I only have 19 months left of gradschool
5. My husband puts up with all my crap and still loves me
6. My neice will make her appearance in a little more than 2 months!
7. The internet exists
8. I was able to travel a fair amount this year
9. I have a Carolla which is has great gas mileage
10. I have extremely comfy flannel sheets
Thursday, November 15, 2007
It's finally happened
The Catholic Church is slowly imploding on itself, and I don't even think it realizes it. Sean Cardinal O'Malley is borderline psychotic with delusional ideas. Read here . Let me pull out some of my favorite quotes.
"I think the Democratic Party, which has been in many parts of the country traditionally the party which Catholics have supported, has been extremely insensitive to the church's position, on the gospel of life in particular, and on other moral issues," O'Malley said.
Where to even begin on this one. Separation of Church and State issues aside, who does this man think he is, and what "church" does he think he is talking about? Because the Catholic Church is hardly a powerful force in the country today. If I were running for public office, I wouldn't give the Church much consideration before deciding my platform. The Church has had it's heyday of power, and that is long gone. Centuries ago.
Acknowledging that Catholic voters in Massachusetts generally support Democratic candidates who are in favor of abortion rights, O'Malley said, "I think that, at times, it borders on scandal as far as I'm concerned."
Hello, pot? Hi, um, you're black. A Catholic voter casting a ballot for a democrat is scandalous? Really? Here I was thinking that grown men molesting little boys was a scandal. Huh. Voting a strict Republican ticket is not overturing Roe v. Wade. It's not a magic cure for the legal banning of abortion. That will take a lot more work than just checking off all Republicans on your ballot.
Here comes the best one yet:
O'Malley made his comments in an interview just after the US Conference of Catholic Bishops voted overwhelmingly to approve its quadrennial statement offering guidance for Catholic voters, declaring abortion, cloning, and embryonic research to be "intrinsically evil" and warning that support for such acts could endanger a Catholic voter's salvation
Oh. My. GOD. Is he serious? Maybe this was "play a joke on the Globe day". The Catholic Church is actually telling people how to vote?? Does anyone else see a problem here? And they are telling me the God won't let me into heaven because I did my civic duty and voted and out of my choices, I dared vote for someone who might support something that is actually legal in the United States? Does this man actually think I will vote the way he tells me because if I don't, a group of bishops has decided God won't love me anymore? That God won't let me into heaven because I made the best choice I could for the good of the country? Hello, there is a war going on, which is something that I would like to end before I will worry about abortion - and I don't even support abortion rights. Does these bishops realize that the majority of Americans are educated? I don't need someone to tell me how to vote, because I understand the issues. And if I didn't, I know how to educate myself. This isn't 1265 where no one knows how to read.
And someone tell me how cloning and embryonic research is intrinsically evil? Also, as we've already discussed abortion is legal. I would think it is intrinsically good, as so many people could be cured of diseases if this kind of research were properly funded. But, yeah, I get the moral issues conundrum of being anti-abortion and pro embryonic research. What can I say, I'm an enigma wrapped in secret sauce.
So yeah, I won't be going back to the Catholic Church. Ever. I'm too smart for that. Maybe someday I will find a Protestant denomination that doesn't suffer from fatal hubris.
"I think the Democratic Party, which has been in many parts of the country traditionally the party which Catholics have supported, has been extremely insensitive to the church's position, on the gospel of life in particular, and on other moral issues," O'Malley said.
Where to even begin on this one. Separation of Church and State issues aside, who does this man think he is, and what "church" does he think he is talking about? Because the Catholic Church is hardly a powerful force in the country today. If I were running for public office, I wouldn't give the Church much consideration before deciding my platform. The Church has had it's heyday of power, and that is long gone. Centuries ago.
Acknowledging that Catholic voters in Massachusetts generally support Democratic candidates who are in favor of abortion rights, O'Malley said, "I think that, at times, it borders on scandal as far as I'm concerned."
Hello, pot? Hi, um, you're black. A Catholic voter casting a ballot for a democrat is scandalous? Really? Here I was thinking that grown men molesting little boys was a scandal. Huh. Voting a strict Republican ticket is not overturing Roe v. Wade. It's not a magic cure for the legal banning of abortion. That will take a lot more work than just checking off all Republicans on your ballot.
Here comes the best one yet:
O'Malley made his comments in an interview just after the US Conference of Catholic Bishops voted overwhelmingly to approve its quadrennial statement offering guidance for Catholic voters, declaring abortion, cloning, and embryonic research to be "intrinsically evil" and warning that support for such acts could endanger a Catholic voter's salvation
Oh. My. GOD. Is he serious? Maybe this was "play a joke on the Globe day". The Catholic Church is actually telling people how to vote?? Does anyone else see a problem here? And they are telling me the God won't let me into heaven because I did my civic duty and voted and out of my choices, I dared vote for someone who might support something that is actually legal in the United States? Does this man actually think I will vote the way he tells me because if I don't, a group of bishops has decided God won't love me anymore? That God won't let me into heaven because I made the best choice I could for the good of the country? Hello, there is a war going on, which is something that I would like to end before I will worry about abortion - and I don't even support abortion rights. Does these bishops realize that the majority of Americans are educated? I don't need someone to tell me how to vote, because I understand the issues. And if I didn't, I know how to educate myself. This isn't 1265 where no one knows how to read.
And someone tell me how cloning and embryonic research is intrinsically evil? Also, as we've already discussed abortion is legal. I would think it is intrinsically good, as so many people could be cured of diseases if this kind of research were properly funded. But, yeah, I get the moral issues conundrum of being anti-abortion and pro embryonic research. What can I say, I'm an enigma wrapped in secret sauce.
So yeah, I won't be going back to the Catholic Church. Ever. I'm too smart for that. Maybe someday I will find a Protestant denomination that doesn't suffer from fatal hubris.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
I am a girl
I love my husband. I really do. And I love my guy friends - in a soley platonic sense, of course. But I am a girl. And they are boys. And when I hang out with Andrew and Matt and Andrew sometimes I want to scream. There is only so much Halo, Boston sports (and I'm a sports fan), beer, and other boy topics of conversation I can deal with. I'm a girl. I'm having particularly good hair day today. Do they care? No. I bet if you asked them, only two of them could actually tell you what color hair I have. I discovered a new fabulous way to do my eye shadow. It is completely lost on these people. They want to play Beirut. I want a Cosmo. They want to go stare at women (even my husband). I want to chat about Grey's Anatomy. But I love them. I really do.
I am being forced to play Beirut now.
I am being forced to play Beirut now.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
It's a damn shame
When I was a little girl, I had a fascination with the America Girl books. When was about 8, they were pretty much the coolest set of books ever. There were three American Girls. Molly, who lived during WWII, Samantha who lived in New York in the turn of the 20th century (and her best friend Nellie who was a orphaned house servant), and Kirsten who was a Sweedish girl who emigrated to the United States in the late 1800's. They were three girls who lived in different times of American History. Soon enough a 4th American Girl was introduced into the mix. Her name was Felicity and she lived during the Revolutionary War. Her friend Elizabeth was the daugher of a Loyalist but Felicity's father was on the American side of that conflict. They all had essentially the same adventures in different points in history. They really are great books for young girls.
So those were the American Girls. I loved them. I loved their books (and I actually still have all of the original books. I keep them down the cape in all their dog eared, battered, dirty, well read and re-read splendor). And eventually I got the doll version of Molly, who was by far my favorite American Girl. I still have Molly and I still consider myself pretty luck to have had her, as none of my friends got the actual doll. (I had to beg for a year straight and when finally got her, that was my only birthday present).
I have great memories of American Girl books. They were my first glimpse into history and they actually make the historical aspects of the books really interesting.
That is why I am so disheartened by what American Girl has become. I was watching Jon and Kate plus Eight (really good show, aside from this blip) and they took their twins to the American Girl store in NYC for their 6th birthday. I was curious about that because 6 year olds normally cannot read. Those books really are more for the 3rd graders, not kindergarteners. Well, apparently American Girl is a major franchise right now. And books hardly make a dent in their products. There are now 9 Girls, one of whom is getting a movie pretty soon (Kit - I have no idea who Kit is, she wasn't one of the original). Each doll has her own clothes line, for god's sake, and that is among many many other non-literary products. Check it out for yourself. The American Girls have been tainted. I actually had looked forward to getting my daughter all the American Girl books when she would be old enough to read them. But now she'll most likely be demanding an American Girl doll before she can speak in complete sentences. I'd be all for the mass commercializing of the Girls if they increased readership of the books, but I very much doubt that is the case.
How many little girls are reading the books and getting lost in history these days? How many are eagerly awaiting their mother to find Molly Saves The Day, or Changes For Felicity? Will they cry when Molly's father comes home from the war and Molly gets her very own special father/daughter moment all to herself? Will the study the "Glimpse Into History" in the back of Samantha's books and be doubfounded that the orphan train really did exist? Or will they trot off to watch their American Girls straight to video movie? Their imaginations are being taken away from them. Now they can use the computer to play interactive American Girl games (which is great, I wish I had the internet when I was a kid) but they won't have the memories of curling up on their bed ready to read the entire book cover to cover and refusing to consider the idea of dinner until they know WHAT HAPPENS TO BEN???
The book is always better.
So those were the American Girls. I loved them. I loved their books (and I actually still have all of the original books. I keep them down the cape in all their dog eared, battered, dirty, well read and re-read splendor). And eventually I got the doll version of Molly, who was by far my favorite American Girl. I still have Molly and I still consider myself pretty luck to have had her, as none of my friends got the actual doll. (I had to beg for a year straight and when finally got her, that was my only birthday present).
I have great memories of American Girl books. They were my first glimpse into history and they actually make the historical aspects of the books really interesting.
That is why I am so disheartened by what American Girl has become. I was watching Jon and Kate plus Eight (really good show, aside from this blip) and they took their twins to the American Girl store in NYC for their 6th birthday. I was curious about that because 6 year olds normally cannot read. Those books really are more for the 3rd graders, not kindergarteners. Well, apparently American Girl is a major franchise right now. And books hardly make a dent in their products. There are now 9 Girls, one of whom is getting a movie pretty soon (Kit - I have no idea who Kit is, she wasn't one of the original). Each doll has her own clothes line, for god's sake, and that is among many many other non-literary products. Check it out for yourself. The American Girls have been tainted. I actually had looked forward to getting my daughter all the American Girl books when she would be old enough to read them. But now she'll most likely be demanding an American Girl doll before she can speak in complete sentences. I'd be all for the mass commercializing of the Girls if they increased readership of the books, but I very much doubt that is the case.
How many little girls are reading the books and getting lost in history these days? How many are eagerly awaiting their mother to find Molly Saves The Day, or Changes For Felicity? Will they cry when Molly's father comes home from the war and Molly gets her very own special father/daughter moment all to herself? Will the study the "Glimpse Into History" in the back of Samantha's books and be doubfounded that the orphan train really did exist? Or will they trot off to watch their American Girls straight to video movie? Their imaginations are being taken away from them. Now they can use the computer to play interactive American Girl games (which is great, I wish I had the internet when I was a kid) but they won't have the memories of curling up on their bed ready to read the entire book cover to cover and refusing to consider the idea of dinner until they know WHAT HAPPENS TO BEN???
The book is always better.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
I don't know what time it is
I don't like when it is dark out in the morning, and the sun doesn't come up until I am already on my way to work. It makes getting out of bed pretty hard. So for that reason, I'm pretty happy Daylight Savings ended last night. But I also really hate getting out of work when it is pitch black out. Monday is going to be terrible, though it does make you look forward to January. By the end of January, it does start to get a little bit light out when I walk out the doors at work. So there are pros and cons to the end of DLS. But the absolute worst part of it is today. The first morning after the end of DLS is so screwy to my inernal clock. I ended up getting out of bed at 6:30 this morning because in my mind it is 7:30 and I can't sleep much past 7:30. Yes, sometimes I can make it until 8, but mostly it's 7:30 if I am so lucky to not have to go to to work that day. (workdays I get up at 6:20). It's sad, my poor kids aren't going to know the absolute joy of getting up early on the weekends without Mom or Dad and watching TV. My brother and I lived for Saturday mornings when we could watch The Smurfs all by ourselves. Mom would come down after the shower had already started, make her coffee and stay in the kitchen reading the paper. We would all have to be very very quiet so Dad wouldn't wake up. My kids won't know that. Mom will already be in the room with them, deciding on whether or not to deal with their loud complaints caused by changing the channel to something less animated, less noisy, and less anoying. Unless it is SpongeBob Squarepants. I do love that little guy. Anywho, back to Daylight Savings. It's 7:05. I've already read a little bit, made some coffee, and blogged. What to do now?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)