Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Mistakes, a Playlist

This week’s theme for Twisted Mixtape Tuesday is “Past Mistakes.”  It’s open for interpretation as long as one comes up with a playlist of five songs sticking to the theme.
Don’t we often come up with excuses, or justification, for our past mistakes? 

“I shouldn’t have, but it looked so good”
“I would have, but I just couldn’t get all my ducks in a row before hand.”
“It wasn’t my fault.  They made me do it.  Plus I was under the influence.”

I’m starting my Twisted Tuesday with just that—excuses:

*It’s already well into Wednesday so I have little time to think of a clever interpretation.
*Although it has warmed up to 17 degrees, my creative brain has yet to thaw.
*I’m late on this.  All the good songs are probably already taken by other bloggers in the link up.

And so on…

And so on…

Infinity.

However.

I am committed to blogging regularly in 2014.  Responding to a prompt in a blog link up makes it easy.  Plus, I love music. 

Wait.  

Were those justifications to write something for Twisted Mixtape Tuesday?


Yes.  I think they were.

Mistakes.  A Playlist.

1 - Paradise by the Dashboard Light – Meat Loaf

This song, the Bat Out of Hell album cover, and this story of that most universal mistake were all very provocative to me as a child.  As an adult, the make-out portion in this video is just as provocative for its qualities of silliness, not for its qualities of greatness.  Although, I do find the theatrics to be highly entertaining.

“Stop Right There!” – Female vocals – hands down, my favorite part of the song.  I’ve always wanted to sound like that.  Just know, on the inside, I do.


2 – Cocaine Blues – Johnny Cash

I love Johnny Cash.  It’s difficult for me to leave him off any playlist, even a short one like this.  He was the best at telling us about his mistakes, lamenting, asking for forgiveness, never ashamed to own up to being human.

I am pretty sure that Cocaine Blues is fiction—and a great work of fiction, in my humble opinion (sorry Tolkien fans).  It is morbid to think of it as biographical.  Maybe metaphorical? Let’s just hear the tune.


3 – Up Jump the Devil – The .357 String Band

The man sells his soul to the devil and then hangs himself.  Sounds like a bad day to me. Nevertheless, I do love the sound of this punk-grass, old-timey, gritty song.  Plus, I traversed the Midwest to quite a few .357 String Band shows in the mid 2000’s.  They hold a special little space in my heart.


4 – Cheers Darlin’ – Damien Rice

I chose this for its clarinet intro.  My daughter plays the clarinet.  She was and is definitely not a mistake.  (That little description has nothing to do with the theme. Cue song).


5 – Nobody's Perfect – Hannah Montana

My girls were of the perfect age to be huge Hannah Montana fans.  This is one of my favorite songs from that time period in our lives.  It’s uplifting and provides a positive message for tweens. 

My girls are now teenagers.
 
The transformation of Miley from Hannah Montana to Twerk Queen has been uncomfortable to watch.  But I’m here to tell you, it is eerily similar to how it feels to parent teens.


Be kind.  Remember, everybody makes mistakes.


My Skewed View



Don't try this at home:
"Over Monday and Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times counted at least 50 people on social media who reported burning themselves or their friends after trying to turn boiling water into snow. There were also several reports of people going to the hospital to receive treatment for burns."
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-boiling-snow-20140107,0,6070776.story#ixzz2ppmxx4VV

Monday, January 6, 2014

10 Things New to Me in 2013

Happy Monday and Happy New Year!

I do hope you are staying warm.

I am getting things rolling for 2014 at Sperk* by participating in one of my favorite blogging linkups, Monday Listicles hosted by Stasha at The Good Life.

The theme today is 10 Things New and it is open for interpretation.  

At first, I struggled with this theme.  Are my creative brain cells frozen?  

Then I got a little bummed out. I do not have a lengthy list of new things I have acquired in recent months.  

I did get a coat for which I am very grateful.  Oh, and I bought some jeans for the first time since 2007.  

But I'd like other new things, like a new car, new roof, new windows.  Ho hum.

In a state of self-pity is not a good way to begin the year.

So, I scrolled through my go-to for inspiration, my Instagram gallery, and it reminded me that I experienced several new things things in 2013.

Small things.

No mountain climbing or body surfing.

But I wouldn't trade them for anything.  Really.  I wouldn't.



10 Things New to Me in 2013 


1 - Being a Nanny


In 2013 I finally put my new-to-me degree in early childhood education to work and took a job as a nanny. It has been challenging on so many levels and just as rewarding in ways I couldn't have imagined.  I haven't had a job outside the home since my 15 year old daughter was born.  That's a long time.

2 - Middle School Honors Band


This year my 13 year old daughter was selected to be in the Bowling Green State University Middle School Honors Band.  It was a one day event that started with our drive to the university at five in the morning. The students rehearsed through the morning and afternoon finishing the event with a performance in the evening.

Needless to say, I was very proud of her.

Her dad was also very proud of her.  In the evening, he drove up to meet us for the performance which included a spy-themed piece with the added touch of all of the musicians wearing sunglasses.  When it was time for the spy-themed piece to be played, I realized her dad, up to that point in the concert, had only been watching her, apparently not even glancing around at the rest of the band.

When she put the sunglasses on, he leaned over to me and said, "What the hell is she doing?"

I simply replied, "Look around. They're all wearing them."

3 - Crazy for You



My 15 year old daughter was in her first official high school musical, Crazy for You.  She worked so hard to learn tap dancing, something she had not done before auditioning for the show.  Brava!  That's all I can say. I couldn't find a clear photo of her dancing, but we get to admire her beautiful smile.

4 - Weekly Visits to The Ohio State University



My 15 year old began voice lessons which are located at Ohio State.  We go once a week.  She sings.  I take mobile photographs--not of her.  I walk swiftly (lessons are only 30 minutes long) and get as many captures around campus as I can.  When I first started engaging in this activity I felt silly.  I'm over that now and it is something I am grateful to be able to continue in 2014.

5- Selena Gomez



I took my younger daughter and two of her friends to see Selena Gomez in concert.  It was a first, not for concerts, but for seeing Selena.  Miss Gomez is quite a performer.  We all enjoyed the show.  More so, I enjoyed the time with my daughter and her friends.  These times spent together are fleeting.  I know this because my older daughter no longer allows me to accompany her to shows.

6 - Painting With Apples



Being a nanny has offered me opportunities to try art projects that I never got around to doing with my own children.  (Do not judge.  We did plenty of crafts.  Just not ALL of the ones I wanted to try).  My favorite in 2013 was painting using apples as stamps.

7 - Instagramming in the Rain



I became very committed to Instagram this year and sometimes spent time "gramming" with my significant other.  This is a wonderful "couples" activity.  It gets you out of the house and turns on some "super-explorer switch" in your brain.  During one of our outings, it began to rain.  In the past, I would have run for shelter.  I am glad the past is the past.

8 - Pulled Over for a Photo



Towards the end of 2013 I became a little less timid about getting the mobile photographs that I wanted.  Instead of driving by something picturesque and wishing I had a photo of it, I actually pulled over and attempted to capture what I saw.

9 - Noticed the Clouds




10 - Experienced 365 Brand New Days

Many more to come, I hope.









Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Twisted Mix-Tape Tuesday: Fool Me Once... (Cheating Songs)

This week’s theme for the now famous blog hop, Twisted Mix-Tape Tuesday, is Cheating Songs.

From blues, R and B, country, and rock come so many songs about cheating I didn't know where to begin.  

Hollering?

Lamenting?

Filled with high-suspense and drama?

Then I realized that I usually listened to cheating songs after a painful breakup.  So, I took a short trip down memory lane and recalled some of these post-relationship-collapse songs that obviously or not so obviously are about cheating.

Five Songs about Cheating

1. Where Did You Sleep Last Night? - Nirvana

I was thinking Lead Belly but then thought celebrating the recent anniversary of Nirvana's MTV Unplugged performance would be just so right.



2. Red Rain - The White Stripes

Although the lyrics do not specifically say that his woman was out cheating, these lines seal the deal for me:

You think not telling is the same as not lying, don't you?
Then I guess not feeling is the same as not crying to you.

and

If there is a lie, then there is a liar, too
And If there is a sin, then there is a sinner, too.



3. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart - Wilco

Is he not returning her calls? Drinking too much? Maybe. Cheating? Could be. Or was she the one who cheated?  Not sure, but cheating was definitely involved in this very ambiguous love story.




4. If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night) - Meshell Ndegeocello

I remember when I first heard this song back in the early '90's. I couldn't believe the boldness in the lyrics and I loved it. I still do.

This was probably not a breakup song for me.  More likely, it was a rebound song.



5. I'm a Fool to Want You - Billie Holiday

This is an obvious choice.  Thank you, Billie.

I'm a fool to want you
I'm a fool to want you
To want a love that can't be true
A love that's there for others too




My Skewed View


photo credit: liquidnight via photopin cc

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Halloween Twisted Mix-Tape

It’s the 31st Twisted Mix-Tape blogging link up and it’s falling on Halloween week!

How apropos!

Technically Twisted Mix-Tape is a Tuesday thing and today is Thursday, but I have never been on time or apropos in my life.

This week’s theme is Scary Songs.  I enlisted the help of everyone in my house which resulted in quite a long list.  Then I checked the parameters of the link up over at Jen’s My Skewed View and realized I had way, way too many songs.  

This created another challenge—editing.  I am about as good at editing as I am at being on time (or apropos).
 
Here’s my five song playlist for Halloween and Twisted Mix-Tape Tuesday (in no particular order, play it on shuffle):



1. God’s Gonna Cut You Down – Johnny Cash

I was going to go with Long Black Veil, then I remembered Cash's God’s Gonna Cut You Down and chose the latter.  I grew up Catholic with a grandmother who did not much appreciate Vatican II and a few nuns for teachers who did not seem to appreciate children.  I remember as I was preparing for my First Reconciliation in the second grade that I was freaked out by the fact that God could not only see everything I did, but God also knew my thoughts.  I lived in complete fear.  I’m older now and understand that as a child there is no way I was thinking about anything requiring God to strike me down.  But still, the song creeps me out.


2. Bugs – Pearl Jam

I love this song.  I especially love that when I played it for my daughters to get it approved for this list, they asked me to turn it off.  Apparently bugs creep them out as much as God did me in my youth.


3. Forty Six and 2 – Tool

Lyrics: 
My shadow's
Shedding skin and
I've been picking
Scabs again.
I'm down
Digging through
My old muscles
Looking for a clue.

It’s for dark moments only, obviously.

Forty Six and 2 got the thumbs up from everyone in the house, even my Chihuahuas who know a little something about shedding. . .fur.


4. The Stone – Dave Matthews

Another one for darker moods.  Another one that I like due to being raised Catholic and always feeling like I had done something wrong.  It’s a beautiful song, really.  Especially this version.


5. Secret – The Pierces

This is the theme song for the show my daughters are obsessed with, Pretty Little Liars.  I find it scary when my girls sing it in unison in their pretty little voices.






Be sure to check out Jen and the rest of the bloggers who participated in this week's Twisted Mix-Tape Tuesday to see if your favorite scary song made it onto anyone's list!


My Skewed View


Happy Halloween!
photo credit: ~Brenda-Starr~ via photopin cc

Monday, October 21, 2013

Dear Daughters: I Love You


I made a big announcement last month and last May that I would be blogging regularly.

No more big announcements.  But, I'm blogging.  And the blog, this space, is in the state of being overhauled--posts relabeled, tabs removed and added, I may even purchase a more simple url.  Nothing fancy.  No servers and me trying to program a site.  Simple.  But here and consistent.

So I was Instagramming all weekend and got minimal done here.  It's OK.  I love Instagramming.  It makes me feel good.  I like looking and seeing and trying to translate what I see to other people.  It's difficult to do so with an old Samsung Galaxy, but I manage.  And I love getting out of the house.  Love it.

I digress...and that's OK.

I am getting the blogging ball rolling with Monday Listicles.  One of my favorite memes.  The theme this week is love: 10 ways to say, "I love you."  Because it's midnight and I have to be up at 4:30 a.m. for work, I am going quick and easy.  Rattling off of the top of my head the things I do for my two adolescent daughters...the things I do because I love them so much that it hurts.  This stuff is the least I can do.

And here we go.

10 Ways I Show My Daughters I Love Them

Dear daughters,
The next time you are angry because I ask you about your grades or suggest you clean up your room try to remember that I love you.  How do you know that when I am scrunching up my face in disapproval?  Here's how:


I tell you.
I pack your lunch for school.
I tuck you in at night.
I sing for you.
I dance for you.
I wash your clothes (most of the time).
I do not require you to do many chores.
I  go to all performances (choir, plays, musicals, band)
I make you food to eat after school.
I cry when you do something wonderful.

There's more.  Much more.  But this is a nice list you can memorize and recite to yourself
the next time I embarrass you in public.

Love,
Mom


photo credit: profzucker via photopin cc