Band Of Horses

What can I say...I'm still blown away by the Band of Horses show I went to last night at the Hi-Tone. Great Music. Great People. Great Fun. Best of all the show was $13. It's probably the best live music bargain I've gotten in a while.

Many of you know I've been raving about the Band of Horses over the last few months. That or maybe I've just inundated you with some of their songs. But really I can't help but gush over them. I just can't help but to sing along! I love sound and the lyrics. And every time I spin either album I discover that I don't want to tune them out or skip a song. So they've become a heavy favorite in my rotation.

Plus they put on one heck of a live show, even with all the bearded/mountain men in attendance or performing. Here is a short clip from last night:



Hopefully in the coming days I will be able to provide a complete playlist. Until then you will have to suffice with my memory of them playing some of my favorites like Ode To LRC, No One's Gonna Love You , The Great Salt Lake, The Funeral & Cigarettes, Wedding Bands. Plus they sprinkled in a Chicago & CCR cover.
I would highly recommend listening to a few Band of Horses tunes or seeing them live. They will not disappoint!

PS - Yes, the prospect of some good tunes really did ease my pain about KU's lost to K-State.

Inspector Rachiley

One of my coworkers is always coming into the office with fantastic hats, boots and coats. Her style is very natural, playful and funky, yet always professional. Ahh let's just call her hip, fashion corporate barbie. Anyway, she comes in daily with always one piece that attracts attention. Actually most folks in my office have a very good since of style. And because we all sit so close, a lot of discussion seems to ensue about clothes, hair, celebrity gossip, etc.

So yesterday I decided that maybe, just maybe despite my wacky hair that I could partake in this hat craze. Especially since it's been so darn cold as of late. So here I am below attempting to try on one of fc barbie's hats:


GO Rach GO!
Ok, maybe I'm not ready to pull off that fashion trend like that since I look more like inspector gadget - the tacky khaki trench coat...Maybe I'll just stick to the conversations celebrity gossip, books, movies and music.

Children’s Benadryl – Grape Flavored!

I’m sitting at my desk this afternoon hopped up on Children’s grape chewable Benadryl tablets.

You may be asking yourself two questions:

1. Why the need for Benadryl?
2. And if you do need Benadryl, why the need for the children’s chewable format?

Answers:

A. I had an allergic reaction yesterday, which could have been caused by a multitude of irritants none of which I can firmly pinpoint. But what remains is an itchy rash all over my upper torso area. Lucky me, right?

B. I have a very sensitive palate and honestly sometimes I feel the chewables are much more user friendly. And trust me friends when you are itchy, cranky and don’t want to take any medication you do things to fool yourself. Even if that means taking a children’s tablet. And let’s be honest I’m really a big kid at heart.

In all serious though, I’m currently in one of those weird phases of being sleepy with a slight hint of edginess caused by the Benadryl. I’m pretty sure working is probably not one of my wiser moves after having a reaction, but I felt the need to come in and try to wrap up paperwork on a time-sensitive project. So here I am now sitting, waiting (for the paperwork to be routed back to me) and reading the back of the box of Benadryl which warns me about the following:

*marked drowsiness may occur
*excitability may occur, especially in small children
*be careful when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery

OK, maybe I should stop reading the back of this box and head home...

Before I go, here are my first 10 songs that came blaring from my Ipod after I took my last dose of children’s chewables:

1. The Time of Times – Badly Drawn Boy
2. Just Tonight – Jimmy Eat World
3. You Might Think – The Cars
4. Night Drive – The All-American Rejects
5. L.A. Woman – The Doors
6. Panic-Oh! – Los Abandoned
7. So Much Work – Pete Yorn
8. Geek USA - Smashing Pumpkins
9. 5 Times Out of 100 – Hot Hot Heat
10. Take It On The Run – REO Speedwagon

Rock Chalking on Big Monday/Mark Lives in Ikea

Work today was absolutely insane. You know how some of those Mondays can feel, right? I literally felt like I packed in 4 days of work into 1. So by the time I left the office, I could have sworn it was Wednesday or Thursday. With no inking of the actual day I came home and started chillaxin.

All of sudden my phone started blowing up. Who could it be? To my surprise it was KU Crider rolling in the STL. She was on her way to the watch the Big Monday game with the rest of the KU Alums in the area. I had completely forgotten that tonight was the KU vs. OU match-up. Thanks for the reminder Crider, I'm so ready to Rock Chalk, Jayhawk KU!

In other news it's been a while since I last posted and a lot has happened. KU beat VT in the FedEx Orange Bowl (hey maybe we can be a football school too). I'm currently addicted to Scrabulous. I'm way excited to go see the Band of Horses concert at the end of this month. And did I mention KU Basketball is on...Seriously, could life get any better?

One final thought for the evening before I turn my full attention to college basketball. Over the weekend I came across the report about Mark Malkoff experiment living in Ikea. This guy is hysterical! You may remember that over the summer when he visited 171 Starbucks in NYC in just under 24 hours. Well now he's taking refuge in Ikea and making me laugh. So if you have time check it out:



PS: HAPPY BIG MONDAY

Amersterdam

Happy New Year 2008!!!

So 2008 has officially rolled in! I’m just so darn exuberant for the New Year. I can hardly contain myself...Yippee 2008…Can’t you tell?
If I wanted to be official and all I would try to recount my accomplishments from 2007 before allowing you to peek into my goals for 2008. Unfortunately, my legal council has advised me against releasing my reactions to the previous year or promoting my resolutions for this year*.

Instead I hope you all can find a way to personally reflect the sorrows, joys and accomplishments that you received in 2007. And hopefully 2008 will shine a light of
happiness and success on all the roads that you choose to travel.

In the meantime here are first few songs spewed out my Ipod this morning when I got to work:

1. Cigarettes, Wedding Bands - Band of Horses
2. On Earth – The Sundays
3. Candy Everybody Wants – 10,000 Maniacs
4. Love Me Two Times – The Doors
5. One I Love – Coldplay
6. Tomorrow Comes – Edie Brickell
7. Fake Frowns – Death Cab for a Cutie
8. Bodysnatchers – Radiohead
9. Way to Blue – Nick Drake
10. Maze – Phish
11. Something Pretty – Patrick Park
12. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing – Jack Johnson
13. My Happiness – Elvis Presley
14. Cryin’ – Aerosmith
15. Go On Ahead – Liz Phair
16. Jokerman – Bob Dylan
17. Girl – Tori Amos
18. Sweetest Thing – U2
19. Back On The Chain Gang – The Pretenders
20. Anyone Else But You – The Moldy Peaches

What a calm way to shuffle into the New Year!

*This will make me compliant with ISO 9000/Six Sigma/Performance Evaluation Standards for 2008, etc…and will reduce my liability on any past, present or future claims in regards to defaulted resolutions.

The Good Life

"It's been a year or two since I was out on the floor
Shakin' booty, makin' sweet love all the night
It's time I got back to the good life
It's time I got back, it's time I got back
'n I don't even know how I got off the track"

I've been working on a new mix cd and rediscovered this track. What a great song and totally makes me want to rock out, dance and laugh all at the same time!

Open Your Eyes

Mid-Season TV Hiatus

The Orange

I've been reading quite a bit as of late. I've picked up books again that I’ve tried several times to complete with no avail. And I’ve feverishly rediscovered books that I had trouble putting down after my first passing.

An old friend and I have even been engaging in something I haven't tackled since college – a literary dialogue. It’s been really refreshing to become infused with ideas from new authors.

Below is a poem I found last week by Wendy Cope that really pulled me in...

The Orange
by Wendy Cope

At lunchtime I bought a huge orange
The size of it made us all laugh.
I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave -
They got quarters and I had a half.

And that orange it made me so happy,
As ordinary things often do
Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park
This is peace and contentment. It's new.

The rest of the day was quite easy.
I did all my jobs on my list
And enjoyed them and had some time over.
I love you. I'm glad I exist.

© Wendy Cope (1992), Serious Concerns

No One's Gonna Love You

Matriarch’ s Mission

Normally I spend the season doing some holiday shopping for my family, friends & co-workers. But for the second year in a row, my friends and I decided against the purchase of presents for each other in lieu of buying gifts for a Salvation Army Angel Tree recipient.

This year we purchased gifts for a 4-year old little girl who really wanted a Bratz doll, Dora the Explorer, learning toys and some clothes. So the Matriarch’s set out last night to do a spot of shopping. We got everything on the list and we hope the little girl enjoys the holiday presents as much as we took pleasure in shopping for them. It was pretty amusing to watch us debate the pros & cons of each item, like we were purchasing them for ourselves.

There was major discussion about fun vs. educational toys. And then again heated conversation over clothes, specifically in regards to socks – to purchase ankle or low cut... But beyond all the dialogue over material items, what made a lasting impression on me was observing all the other folks in the store shopping for Angel Tree gifts too.

One couple specifically we met last evening have been purchasing Angel Tree gifts for children over the years. They started it as family project with their kids, but now as empty nesters continue to come out and select kids & presents for the Angel Tree. Hearing them speak of the joy we bring to people we never meet made me feel very full of hope.

By the end of evening I was filled with happiness and laughter as I walked away with my friends.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk, KU!

I really miss Lawrence in the fall...



And at the start of another KU basketball season...

Bedshaped

"But what do I know
What do I know?
I know"

WEVL Radio

Keep Memphis own volunteer radio station alive and kicking, by pledging a few extra dollars this week.

WEVL's Mission: To entertain and inform its audience through diverse music programming with an emphasis on the culture of Memphis and the South.


So skip the movies or cut out the caffeine for a week or two. Tune into a WEVL broadcast, come on - I dare you! You might actually encounter a new song, sound or show that really awakens something inside you.

I wish I was like you, easily amused...

Maybe Kurt Cobain was right, I'm easily amused. Even though I've been tossing and turning as of late, I'm constantly reminded how simple gestures can turn an overcast day around. I'm learning to take these lessons in day-by-day.

Case in point - I arrived to find some fun snacks at my desk this morning!


It was a simple and kind. And exactly the little lift I needed for a Monday. But it's not just the sweet treats that made me smile.


The true reason I’m so easily amused this morning is that no matter how hard I fight it; people are always teaching me new lessons. And it’s nice to rediscover ways to connect, listen and act selflessly.

Lost Cause

Birdhouse In Your Soul

They Might Be Giants put on an AMAZING concert last night at Newby's. It was eccentric, exhilarating and ended at a reasonable hour. All the things you want in good concert. Plus as added bonus when they played one of my favorite tunes:


TMBG Rocking IT Old School!
LG, Amanada, Andi & SPE enjoying the concert. Guess who was hiding behind the camera again?!?

Running on Empty

I think I may finally be running on empty. The past few days have felt like a marathon. Between changing time zones, coordinating travel plans and well work, I'm do for a little rest & relaxation. Not to say it's all bad, but I definitely feel a bit drained by events. Here are some of my highlights from my packed week thus far:

*Listening to the new Radiohead album. Definitely some good stuff, at a price of your choosing!

*Waking up and enjoying some Blueberry Pancakes and freshly squeezed OJ in a new city.
*Stories of inspirations told by a stranger.

*Chatting up DeShaun Foster while overseeing an event opening in Charlotte.
*Greetings of a friendly face(s) when you are at the airport.

*Bonding with my co-workers over Halloween (seriously our area rocked the house).*Candy Wars

*Learning more about people by the music they select.

*Pure joy of kids smiling while trick-or-treating!

Hope your day was filled more with treats then tricks! So for now, I wish you all a Happy Halloween and good night as I try to refuel.

Polyester Bride