Letter to Memphis

I thought I'd cheer myself up by listening to some Pixies today. I know that doesn't make sense to most people, as they're kind of a weird band, but they bring me some nostalgic comfort.

The day since i met her
i can't believe it's true
she came here from memphis
across the ocean sailing
and i saw her a i pleaded
why do you come so far and she said
trying to get to you
how i tried to get you
trying to get you
i'm sending a letter
i'll send it right to you
i'll send it to memphis
i know that someday
everything i needed and i wanted
used to be that my head was haunted
and all these sirens they make me mad
and all this violence it brings me down
i feel strong i feel lucky
trying to get to you
said i'm going to get to you
trying to get to you.

This Dizzy Life

Good morning… I spent last weekend out in the country. Er… “out IN”? The grammar police probably has issues with me, and frankly, my dears, I don’t give a damn.

Anyway, it was a weekend of both downtime and celebration… downtime because I’ve been working harder than a rented mule and celebratory in that we threw my father a little surprise birthday party. Dad’s probably the hardest working man I know; and please understand, that’s a hard benchmark to clear in my world. But for reals, he's the best man I know.

So this morning I was driving to the latest greatest project meeting… and as I reached cruising velocity I decided it was time to rock out in preparation for meetings about, well, setting up more meetings, … unfortunately, I did not have any Ice Cube CDs in the changer, so the winner was Counting Crows and their latest offering, an impeccable double-album work entitled Saturday Nights and Sunday mornings.

Track 2 on Disc 1 appeals to my soul – and while every CC fan knows that Adam Duritz is (quite literally) a poster child for Prozac, man can he smith a song. So this one’s for uh, all five of you who read this inspiring blog… especially my wingman Bengal up in the Big Apple. Today this song will be stuck in my head, as my own personal theme song... tp paraphrase Family Guy's Peter Griffin, "I've always wanted my own theme music"!


Hanging Tree

She brings her friends so we wont have to be alone
Fear I might lose my composure without warning
I am a child of fire I am a lion I have desires
And I was born inside the sun this morning

This dizzy life of mine keeps hanging me up all the time
This dizzy life is just a hanging tree
This dizzy life of mine keeps hanging me up all the time
This dizzy life is just a hanging tree

They say good evening when they dont know what to say
They say good morning when they wish you would go home

You open windows and you wait for someone warm to come inside and then freeze to
death alone

This dizzy life of mine keeps hanging me up all the time
This dizzy life is just a hanging tree
This dizzy life of mine keeps hanging me up all the time
This dizzy life is just a hanging tree

She calls a waitress when its time for her to go
And I know everyone is eventually leaving
I got a pair of wings for my birthday baby and I will fall down through the sun
to see you mine

This dizzy life of mine keeps hanging me up all the time
This dizzy life is just a hanging tree
This dizzy life of mine keeps hanging me up all the time
This dizzy life is just a hanging tree

For me, for me, for me

Artist: Counting Crows (Buy Counting Crows CDs)
Album: Saturday Nights and Sunday Morning
Mood: Melancholy Power-Pop

Back the Truck UP!

"Back the truck up!" is one of my favorite phrases -- for use when life is moving a little too fast. (I am known among my co-workers for my wacky, hick colloquialisms – I collect them, but that’s another post)

I am feeling really OLD these days, and the words of one of my favorite John Mayer songs, "Stop This Train," come to mind:

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game
To find a way to say that life has just begun


(and yes I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I have MORE THAN ONE favorite John Mayer song -- he got his start in bubblegum pop, but my gut tells me he's here to stay. I keep his CD's next to James Taylor, Billy Joel and Sting in my visor holder, SO THERE!)


I really never liked that verse as much as I liked the rest of the song, which is about fear of losing his parents (JM, like moi, is the child of older parents). I never thought of myself as afraid of growing older, but maybe I am.


If I gave myself a moment to contemplate, I would realize that I am (and justifiably I believe) in the middle of a full-on middle-aged freak-out (we're way beyond crisis). Losing my father a few years back brought home the realization that I am going to die and all those I love will eventually die -- and it brought it to my doorstep in an undeniably solid, sad package that I trip over every time I try to think about my life.


So yes, John (I call him John), if we could stop the train, even for a short while....I'd love a few extra minutes to cuddle my children, show my husband how much I really do love him, and make my Mom laugh. Hell, I'd settle for just catching my breath every once in a while.


Stop this Train

No, I'm not colorblind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind
But I just can't sleep on this tonight


Stop this train
I wanna get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly, won't someone stop this train?


Don't know how else to say it
Don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own


Stop this train
I wanna get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly, won't someone stop this train?


So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game
To find a way to say that life has just begun


Had a talk with my old man
Said "help me understand"
He said "turn sixty-eight
You renegotiate"


"Don't stop this train
Don't for a minute change the place you're in
And don't think I couldn't ever understand
I tried my hand
John, honestly we'll never stop this train"


Once in awhile, when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
Till you cry when you're driving away in the dark


Singing
Stop this train
I wanna get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I will never stop this train


Title: Stop This Train
Artist: John Mayer
Album: Continuum
Year: 2006
Genre: Pop, Rock

The Silence Between Us...

Man, it's been a day. Long day, but less stressful than previous days... which is a good (and long-needed) situation. Everyone's been walking on eggshells since the layoffs, so I needed a good day, and I got one... how about them apples? I really feel blessed... most of the time.

So yeah, I'm packing up at the day job and headed up the road to do a few errands, stop by to see a friend or two, and then meet one of my oldest friends and my brother up at 3Monkeys, where we will drink excessively and flirt with college girls, whom - if you don't know this, listen up, dudes - are actually quite interested in talking to older guys.

I'm totally serious. These little hotties don't get the clueless frat-boy ridiculous come-ons from the boys from 32A. No, sir - we're good-looking, unique, intelligent guys with a lot of life experience... they are both caught off guard, surprised and intrigued by this. Really! No joke!

All I have to say is... it's good to be a thirty-something single guy, at this particular time in my life.

Hells, yeah.

Psyching up to get on the road: I just spun up Bob Mould's District Line ... I subscribe to Paste Magazine - which by the way, is absolutely AMAZING - sign up immediately if you care about great new indie music... and check it out, every issue comes with a free sampler CD containing tracks off new (and very cool) releases.

Anyway, I got off track there (surprise). The best song on District Line is definitely, imho, The Silence Between Us. You might want to click on this link - you can download the song for FREE!

I can't wait to turn that one up LOUD and drive down the road feeling like I'm 22 again, screaming the lyrics and remembering how much I love, love, LOVE Sugar's Copper Blue.

(That was only one year ago, of course. ;)

There were trails of fallen trees
Deciduous and weeding marsh
The lowland birds and crickets roared
The final sound of fall
Along the banks of the river
We approached the footbridge
Entering the wilderness
Following my footstep

The silence between us is the time
When I can't hear the thoughts
That's on your mind, yeah

Beyond the panic and worried that
Seems to consume most every thought
There lies a calm and steady hand
That someday you might see
Perhaps it isn't what you wanted
Or even what you're looking for
But once you see the symmetry
Once you see the you and me

The silence between us is the time
When I can't hear the thoughts
That's on your mind, yeah
Winter lovers, we're so nervous
The words will disappear
What thoughts are on your mind, yeah

You park the car outside the Holiday Inn
We cross the highway single-file
And you were walking in a hurry
And there was me without water with a smile
Yeah!

The silence between us is the time
When I can't hear the thoughts
That's on your mind, yeah

Winter lovers, we're so nervous
The words will disappear
What thoughts are on your mind, yeah
On your mind, yeah
On your mind, yeah
On your mind, yeah

Album: District Line
Artist: Bob Mould
Genre: Bob Mould (seriously... this guy does everything well. Amazing mus