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

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Halloween Twisted Mix-Tape

It’s the 31^st 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!





Happy Halloween!

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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

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Wednesday's Woman Returns

I turned on comment moderation.  If this is inconvenient for you, I do apologize.  While I was on hiatus from blogging the spam took over my comment section.  Moderation will help me to regain control and give me time to clean it up.  Thanks for your patience.

My hope is that the clean-up becomes maintenance and the work in progress never ends. There’s beauty in the process, isn't there?

Speaking of process, I visited my old blogger friend The Mommy Padawan just a minute ago at her space on the Web.  I was grateful to see her and read her words.  She’s still here!  And she’s embraced her work in progress. She is embracing change and it is working out well for her.  She continues to be an inspiration to me.

Read about her journey here: Changes

Speaking of Mommy Padawan (Anna Mahler), she was significant in helping to keep my series Wednesday’s Woman going.  In fact, I felt as if it was more our series than solely mine.  As I resuscitate Sperk* I am also reviving Wednesday’s Woman.  Today.

What is Wednesday’s Woman?  Here’s a screen shot of how it currently stands:

It will stay the same.  I still want guest posts.  Your contributions, perspectives, and interpretations of what makes a Wednesday’s Woman have been invaluable.  The women that stand out to you, have impacted you…their stories can only come from you.  I need YOU!

The only change I am making is instead of it being weekly, it will now be bimonthly (occurring twice a month).  I think the first and third Wednesdays of each month will work well, don’t you? 

So, who wants to be my guest for next week?  Don’t be surprised if you get a solicitation for a guest post soon.  Or, you could make it easy and be the first to raise your hand.  Email me or leave a comment if you want to be featured here next week, or the next next week, or the week after that.  If you have contributed in the past, you again can contribute.   

To get the ball re-rolling, below is a re-post honoring Anna for all her contributions to Wednesday’s Woman.  Enjoy.

The Mommy Padawan screenshot 

Last week I mentioned that Wednesday’s Woman keeps me going.  This is true.  I am grateful for all of the bloggers who willingly take time out of their schedules to share with us stories of the women who inspire them. 

There is one woman, a regular contributor to Wednesday’s Woman, who is instrumental in the endurance of this series.  She is flexible and forgiving of my lack of scheduling skills.  She is always willing to read my rambling emails and regularly responds with compassion and empathy.  Her name is Anna Mahler.    

Anna's first submission was last March honoring Lisa Shannon.  For her intro I wrote: 

This week’s Wednesday's Woman was written and submitted by Anna Mahler, of The Mommy Padawan.  I am certain you get the “Mommy” part.  But are you familiar with the term “Padawan”?

A "padawan" is a term for “student” taken from the film Star Wars.  I think the title of Anna’s blog is fitting.  She is a careful observer of life and looks to her experiences for opportunities to grow as a woman, wife, and mother.  She sees her three year old son as her greatest teacher.    

Students learn most through their experiences teaching others.  Anna is no exception.  She shares the wisdom she has gained as a wife and mother in her ebook You are Loved - Caring for Our Children, Families, and Ourselves with Loving Kindness.  

Her philosophy of self-care allows her to create a harmonious home.  Self-care also allows her to recognize the importance of sharing her uplifting attitudes with the readers of her blog.  I encourage you to spend time at The Mommy Padawan where you will find a voice of authenticity, grace, warmth and courage. 

I’d like to honor Anna today by revisiting all of her contributions to Wednesday's Woman.  They are linked below.  Be sure to thank her.  And be sure to let her know she is quite deserving of being honored as this week’s Wednesday’s Woman.

Wednesday's Woman: 
Works of Mommy Padawan

Wednesday's Woman:  A Call to Action

Honoring Lisa Shannon, author and founder of Run for Congo Women, which is a volunteer effort to raise funds and awareness for women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  She also spent months in eastern Congo exploring the link between mining and the world's worst sexual violence.


Wednesday's Woman: Impacting Families
Honoring Dr. Jane Aronson, founder of Worldwide Orphans Foundation.


Wednesday's Woman: A New Generation of Widows
Honoring Taryn Davis, founder of American Widow Project.


Wednesday's Woman: This is a Safe Place
Honoring Diane Latiker, founder of Kids Off the Block

Wednesday's Woman: Zainab Salbi
Honoring Zainab Salbi, an Iraqi American writer, activist and social entrepreneur who is co-founder and president of Washington-based Women for Women International.


Wednesday's Woman: Christy Turlington Burns
Honoring Christy Turlington Burns, American model and founder of Every Mother Counts, a campaign to end preventable deaths caused by pregnancy and childbirth around the world.


Wednesday's Woman: Being of Service
Honoring Seane Corn, founder of Off the Mat and Into The World


Wednesday's Woman: Mildred Loving
Honoring Mildred Loving, civil rights activist. She and her husband successfully defeated Virginia's ban on interracial marriage.

WEDNESDAY'S WOMAN IS A WEEKLY FEATURE DEDICATED TO SPOTLIGHTING WOMEN WHO ARE ROLE MODELS FOR OUR DAUGHTERS. . . AND THE WORLD.

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Hello Again

Wow.  Where have I been?  I took the summer off from blogging in order to spend more time with the kiddos.  Summer turned into autumn.  Swimsuits and shorts into jeans and sweaters.  So much has transpired.  So much in my life has been fixed and much more is in need of fixing. I don’t know where to begin.  I’ll start with a welcome back to me!

It’s easy to stop blogging.  Especially if one has a gift for procrastination, which I do.

“Oh, I’ll do that link-up on Tuesday.”

Tuesday rolls around and I say, “Well, I don’t think anyone really wants to hear about that.  I mean really.  Next Tuesday.”

And so on.  And so on.

It’s difficult to start blogging after a long hiatus.  It’s very difficult.

I mean, what do I say?

“Sorry it's been a while, I’m a lazy bum?”

“I’m afraid you won’t like what you read?”

Dribble, dribble, droll.

Fear.  Fear.  Fear.

Plus, my story is not only my own, but also belongs to the people in my life—my partner, my daughters, the people in my community that may read Sperk*.  I feel a need to protect them, their privacy.  Plus, as far as my daughters, I don’t want to embarrass them.

I've missed having a voice, though, which is the most precious gift of blogging.  Not all in this world have a voice.  I do.  I should be using it.  Forget hiding in silence.  Forget fear of judgment.  Forget thoughts like, “I’m not where I should be at this point in my life.”

“If I really share my opinion, I may be ignored at the next school function.”

And so on.  And so on.

Furthermore as I was searching for stock photos to include with this post I came across this:

And to that I say, "whatever," because I then came across this:

My blog’s layout needs updated.  My bio needs to be rewritten.  The tabs need to be made relevant. 

So much to do.  So much to say.

I must proceed with patience.

I must acknowledge that the hard part is done—getting started.

Here it is.

Blog post number one, after a very long, lonesome hiatus.  I've missed my blogging connections.  I've missed you.

Hello, again.

 

"Hello again, its been too long, too long, too long, hello again" DMB



I have been consistently taking mobile photos and posting on Instagram.  In case you missed me there:

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