Most Recent Visit to CD Warehouse

Today's visit to see my friends at CD Warehouse has produced:

Aerosmith - Pump
I'm not exactly sure why neither of us have this CD now, because we both had it at one time or another. Now we do, again.
Celtic Faire ... what can I really say?
Los Lonely Boys - Los Lonely Boys
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Jingle All the Way
We've got tickets to their December show in Charleston, so I'm curious to see if they'll play any Christmas songs. Either way, it will be a fun (and scary) first road trip with little J.
Melody Gardot - My One and Only Thrill
Dave found her through the iTunes discovery download and saw this one at the store.
John Mayer - Where the Light Is (Live in Los Angeles)
Vince Guaraldi - Oh Good Grief!
Another one of Dave's pics. This is Peanuts music.
Bruce Robison - Wrapped
The Outfield - Diamond Days
This is another one I thought I already had, but apparently not.
Pearl Jam - Ten
Again, Dave and I both had this at one point, but then we didn't, and now we do.
Marc Broussard - Carencro

It happens in threes

Yeah, I know the theory is that things happen in threes, particularly deaths. But this week seems to be a more vivid illustration of that than any other I can remember. I mean, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson within days of each other? I just can't believe it.

And I've realized today that Michael Jackson will be to my God-daughter what Elvis has always been for me. Elvis died on my second birthday, and I've never known him as a living entertainer. And she will have the same experience with Michael Jackson. He will only be a legend in her life.

The deaths of these three entertainers, though, really makes me feel like an adult. These three people were incredible stars throughout my childhood. Though they all had fallen pretty far since then (especially Jackson and Fawcett), what each was as part of my youth will never change. Who can forget that poster, Thriller, or "Heeeeeere's Johhny!"?

Pet Peeve

"Parent" used as a verb.

I love the idea of being a parent and raising my child. I don't love the idea of parenting my child. It sounds PC and lingo-y. The use of this word as a verb drives me insane.

ER

No, nothing bad here. I'm just watching the ER series finale, and remembering exactly why I stopped watching it about 10 years ago. So far, only two of the cases have made me cry.

Another trip to the CD store

has produced:
The Mavericks - Trampoline
Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Pat Green - Cannonball
Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door
Francine Reed - Shades of Blue
Willie Nelson & Friends - Outlaws and Angels
Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack
Moulin Rouge Soundtrack

Updates

Well, let's see, the biggest update is that we know now that this little one is a boy. Crazy. Today, at church, I was watching the four year-old classroom, and we had 11 boys and two girls. I can only consider it prep, and I came home totally wiped out!

Yesterday, Dave and I went to the symphony; as usual, we were not disappointed. This was a matinee show featuring Chris Botti and his touring band, backed by the ASO. Every musician on that stage was insanely talented, and watching the drummer was like watching a hummingbird. I've never seen drumsticks move like that. Dave could provide more color, but all I can really say is that it was wonderful.

And then there was dinner. I cannot express how amazing our food was at R. Thomas last night. We have always enjoyed our meals there, but yesterday was exceptional. Dave had the wings, and I had a burger topped bacon and guacamole and home fries on the side. We finished with turtle cheesecake and mango pie. Nothing we ate was less than spectacular.

New Adventure

Today I embark on a new project: the great closet reorganization. There are a few factors driving this, which all of course, stem from the impending arrival of J. Bella.

First of all, most of the clothes in my closet don't fit anymore, so I have been pulling clothes that do fit from a pile in our spare bedroom. That is not going to work any longer. But, there's a problem. The other two closets are full, so where to put those clothes that don't fit? And finally, one of the other closets that is currently full of my clothes, will be full of J. Bella's clothes in about five months.

I'm sure this will take more than a single day, but today is the day that it begins. Maybe I'll even take some before and after pictures. We shall see.

Eh

Not much of an update, but it's been almost a week.
This week's music round-up ...
The woman on Britain's Got Talent who's been making the YouTube and talk TV rounds blew me away, too.
I did a great job with the CD purchase a couple weeks ago. The Mavericks and Alejandro Escavedo CDs are amazing - not a bit of filler in either one. I already knew I that I love the k.d. lang, Pretty in Pink, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Traveling Wilburys CDs. Junior Brown is good, but I haven't listened to the English Beat or Buffy CDs, yet.
Hugh Laurie's version of Georgia on My Mind at the end of House this week was ... I don't even have the words. Heartbreaking?

Off to Chicago for a few days with my best friend and our moms. There is much museum visiting, eating and shopping to be done.

playlist

This must be a record for blog posts in two days.

I've always known that I want children, and I listen to a lot of music. So, over the years, as I've heard songs that are about being a parent, written for children, or about the lessons we learn in life, I've stored them away in the back of my mind. Then a couple years ago, I started building a "Little One" play list.

Now, as the birth of my own child approaches - wow that was strange to type out - I'm obviously even more attached to these songs that I've collected over the years.

Without further ado, my Little One play list, so far:

"A Magic Moment" clip from Mad About You
Wonderland ... The American - Angie Aparo
Little Miss Magic - Jimmy Buffett
When You Come Back Down - Nickel Creek
Child, You're the Revolution - Angie Aparo
Never Gonna Fly - Radney Foster
The Cape - Guy Clark
Delaney Talks to Statues - Jimmy Buffett
Sweet Baby James - James Taylor
Lullabye - Ben Folds Five
Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) - Radney Foster
(new addition) It Won't Be Like This for Long - Darius Rucker
(new addition) Bella's Lullaby - Twilight Soundtrack

(and my favorite) The Things We've Handed Down - Marc Cohn

Reckless Kelly

I've just discovered that CMT.com provides embedding code with the videos on their site. So, here is the latest Reckless Kelly single and video - Ragged as the Road. While I really like the song, I have other favorite videos of theirs. The reason I've posted this video in particular, though, is because David Abeyta is playing the Gibson that he played in the Atlanta show - the one that I got to strum on a little at the end of the show.

Reckless Kelly   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

Oh, and be very scared that I've discovered this ability. Hopefully, I'll find other sites that provide the code, so that you don't only have to suffer through country music.

Left to My Own Devices

I'm eating a delicious filet mignon from Fresh Market, cooked for 30 minutes or so in an iron skillet. Wonderful. The bad part? It's 9:20pm.

Music

I had a fun trip to the CD Warehouse last weekend, while Dave smoked a cigar next door. It's pretty dangerous to leave me in CD Warehouse for more than a hour since that gives me time to go through every single bin. But, then again, it's CD Warehouse, so at least everything's pretty cheap.

So, here's the damage:
Junior Brown - Guit With It
Pretty in Pink Soundtrack
The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It
The Mavericks - Live in Austin Texas
Traveling Wilburys - Vol. 1
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Alejandro Escovedo - A Man Under the Influence
k.d. lang - Shadowland
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Radio Sunnydale

Wow

It's been a while, huh? Sorry about that. I've been feeling pretty crappy lately, and just never go to the computers at home. Had to do some work stuff today, so the work laptop's on the couch with me. Lazy? Yep.

Went to see Watchmen today and loved it. It's dark. No question about it. Humanity stinks. Even the heros stink. But there are lots of good fights, great effects, and an surprising amount of full frontal male nudity. Somewhat shocking at first. Then you just get used to it.

pics from the show

Set List - taken upside down, then flipped

Dave Abeyta and Cody Braun

Dave Abeyta

Willy Braun, Cody in the back

Love it Live

There isn't much better in this world that a great live concert. Tonight, Dave and I went to see one of my favorite bands - Reckless Kelly - at the Variety Playhouse. RK is a Texas roadhouse kind of band - equal parts rock and country, along with incredible songwriting.

The show was wonderful, and made me completely forget for two hours that I am sick and exhausted. Dave and I were right up front, in between the lead guitarist and mandolin/violin player.

Set List (if any of you care to look them up or listen):
Ragged as the Road
A Guy Like Me
Seven Nights in Eire
Wild Western Windblown Band
Wicked Twisted Road
Vincent Black Lightning
Stick Around
How was California?
Love in Her Eyes
Wiggles and Ritalin
Nobody's Girl
Vancouver
Hay Say May (Drinking Again)
Baby's Gone Blues
Wandering Eye
American Blood
Cool Rockin' Loretta
Castanets

Encore: Revolution, Crazy Eddie's Last Hurrah

I sang along the whole time, and Dave Abeyta, the guitarist, basically played right over my head for at least 1/4 of the show. At one point, Dave and Willy (the lead singer) both leaned over and played right at me. I almost fainted.

During Crazy Eddie, Dave leaned over, looked at me, and pointed to his guitar. He wanted me to play! I strummed a little, and then he tried to hand me the pick, but I dropped it. I strummed some more, and after that he went on to finish the song. It was soooooo awesome. My Dave, of course, found the pick later.

When they finished, I pointed to the set list, and he nodded. After they left, a roadie came out and gave it to me. So, now it's autographed by the whole band.

What a night! Some friends of ours are going to the show in Raleigh on Saturday, and I'm so jealous.

A good week

Yep, it's been a good week. I guess we could start counting back when we met the Funkles for dinner on Friday night. It's been since NYE 2007/2008 that we were all together. We had so much fun, and I absolutely don't want to wait that long again.

I finished Love in the Time of Cholera. Meh. It is beautifully written, but I just never cared about the characters. Some quotes are at the bottom of this post, though.

What else?

Oh, I slayed the email beast this week - knocking out the 177 unread messages that were in my inbox on Monday, along with 38 in my action folder, and almost all the ones that were coming in during the week. As of my leaving work today, there were 13 emails in the action folder and zero in the inbox. Woo hoo!

And finally, only one more day of work before we go on vacation for a full week, and a whole new batch of emails populate my computer. But at least I'm not starting out behind.


From the book:
"He was still too young to know that the heart's memory eliminates the bad and magnifies the good, and that thanks to this artifice we manage to endure the burden of the past."

"She had barely turned the corner into maturity, free at last of illusions, when she began to detect the disillusionment of never having been what she had dreamed of being when she was young."

I love and desperately missed Jack Bauer

There's really nothing more to say.

Just a Spare

A lovely image greeted me this morning when I let Millie in.



The neighbor's tree missed only one board in that particular section of our fence. The wind and rain combined to uproot the thing and drop it right across our back yard. What's amazing is that it missed the swing entirely (thank goodness), and even the chairs escaped damage. We're also very lucky it was that thin little (though tall) poplar, instead of one of the massive pine trees that surround our house.

Honestly, I'm not even sure when this tree came down, though it must have been last night. We didn't hear a thing, but I can't imagine I would have missed that all day yesterday.




We're also lucky that Millie no longer feels the need to wander about, because she was out for a while this morning. I don't look into the back yard when I put her out - just open the door and let her go. It's usually dark, anyway. But when I went to the back door to let her in, there she was running around the yard - and that's when I spotted the tree.

Goodbye Versatile Video

After 28 years of business, Versatile Video is closing its doors. The owner, Chuck, is retiring. It was a wonderful place to patronize and to work.



Versatile Video was my second "real" job. I started there when I was 16 years old, and worked through high school and even on Christmas, spring break, and summers until I was out of college. It was a fantastic job. An independent video store, we had an amazing array of regular customers. Mr. Jenson comes to mind, mainly. He'd stop by to rent about five movies for the weekend after he'd gotten his peanut butter and 10 loaves of bread to feed the raccoons and possums in his backyard.

VV employees were responsible for my first hangover - because of which I had to call in sick to work. Is that irony?

It Ain't All Bad

It's good to remember that there has been good news in 2008.