30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 12 – A song from a band you hate

As Dennis Miller might say, I don't want to get off on a rant here but there were times growing up where music was used to exclude rather than include.  I never understood the "fans" who accused bands of selling out once they signed to a big label or stopped being indie darlings.  I never understood the "tortured" artist who hated fame but refused to stop making albums or give back the money earned from lucrative record contracts.

I didn't read "Catcher In The Rye" until last year but I now recognize the vast amount of "phonies" I interacted with throughout high school and college who would look down at my Top 40/Oldie listening habits.  I felt like I had to apologize for liking songs that had melodies or lyrics I could understand and to which I could relate.

I also did not go through any real rebellious period in my teen years.  I had parents and family that loved me and a core group of strong friends...some of whom are still in my life today.

Nirvana hit it big as I became an adult.  College was almost over and I just could not understand the fascination with this band or its sound.

I interpreted today's assignment differently until I read The Squid's and Marc's choices for this day.  I thought I had to find a song I liked from a band I normally hated.  This is much easier.

Enjoy!

About A Girl by Nirvana

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 11 – A song from your favorite band

The Beatles were my first band. My stepdad had all the albums and I remember sharing cassettes with friends in junior high school. How do you pick just one?

Enjoy!

Her Majesty by The Beatles

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep

I don't really use music to fall asleep.  I prefer it quiet and to be reading.  Both my kids listen to music as they drift off, but my boy LOVES to have music playing as he dozes off.

For the longest time he had a Jack Johnson compact disc that we would start up.  It had all of the mellow surfer dudes tunes, fast and slow.  Now, whenever we here a Jack Johnson song ANYWHERE Logan pretends to doze off.

Enjoy!

Upside Down by Jack Johnson

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 09 – A song that you can dance to

I really, truly LOVE to dance.  I am unable to do so with any amount of grace, but if the music moves me, then I will move.

As we get deeper into this list, I am already wishing I could change around a few things, as one or two of my previous choices might be better suited in this slot.

Rather than go the route of the songs that allow me to undergo the full body dry heave-type movements, I will instead choose the song I enjoyed dancing to the most....on July 15, 2000, with My Sweet Nanny..

Enjoy!

Tony Bennett: "The Way You Look Tonight"

Sunday Babble

While I am in the midst of another 30 day blogging challenge, it appears that I chose to take Sundays off.  I will use today to share some pictures from our recent flood.

As I sit in our still torn apart downstairs, I am trying to look on the bright side of things.  The flooding did allow Nan to get rid of the carpeting in the room, which she has always hated.  It has allowed me to renovate one of the closets and re-do my comic book collection area.  It has also allowed me to go through those comics and catalog and read lots of them.  And I didn't lose any comics, even though one of the long boxes was on the floor.

At the time, though, it was hard to see the bright side.  The night before the flooding, a near by lightning strike fried two of our televisions, our cable modem, router, caller i.d. boxes and the recessed lighting I had installed in the bookcases we built.  I was suffering a major relapse in my recent illness and was struggling to even stand or grasp a pencil, let alone spend the weekend filling sandbags and moving our possessions.  Our insurance company informed us early on that they would not be able to help us out.

But we got through it.  I had worried we would spend all of our vacation money on the cleanup effort and we pretty much did.  However, my folks, Nan's mom, and an unexpected refund from my dad's estate helped out a great deal and allowed us to spend last week in Kill Devil Hills.

So here are some pictures from the weekend of May 27, 2011.

This drain USUALLY allows water to....um, drain, into our side yard.  However, the side yard was so saturated that even when we pumped the water from the garage and driveway across the street into a culvert, it would flow up from the drain and fill the area almost as quickly as we emptied it.

The lowest point of the water.  It measured around 3 1/2 inches at Nan's car's front tire.

The deepest point of the flood.  My improvised ruler was only marked up to 6 inches.  I think I pegged this at 9 inches.

The view from the front steps on day three, after three solid days of pumping the water away.

One of the reason the flooding inside was so bad was because of a tear on the seal of our garage door.

Another view looking out to the street.  The water behind the mailbox was over a foot deep.

The water in the side yard was around 8 inches deep.  Our first attempt at pumping the water beyond the limit of the drainage areas of our side yard.

Some of the interior damage.  This is the hallway from the garage to the upstairs part of the house.  We had to remove all of the carpet on these stairs.

This was when we were FINALLY able to pump the water out faster than it was backing up.  You can see the beginning of the debris pile.  We eventually had to call for a dumpster and spent the week filling it.  We went for sandbags shortly after this picture was taken.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 08 – A song that you know all the words to

I am guessing that this is one that is easy for most folks.  I'm going with this one, as I have always been proud of knowing all the pauses, hiccups, and the mini skat he performs at the end.

Enjoy!

Bruce Springsteen "I'm Going Down"




The Armchair Squid and Marc (Marc Whitman's Blog) have taken up the challenge.  So has my daughter!

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a certain event

This song will always remind me of my wedding. As soon as it started, my mother and I ran across the room, met on the dance floor, and BELTED this out with each other.

Enjoy!

Bobby Darin "Mack the Knife"



The Armchair Squid and Marc (Marc Whitman's Blog) have taken up the challenge.  So has my daughter!

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 06 – A song that reminds you of somewhere

One of my fondest high school memories involves driving around Rutland with a distinct group of friends, listening to and belting out this song. I don't think I ever understood the lyrics at the time. In retrospect....

Enjoy!

Billy Joel "Say Goodbye To Hollywood"

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 05 – A song that reminds you of someone

I think this is one of those songs that entered our lives through a commercial at some point.

Regardless of the origin, it always makes me think of my wonderful wife.

Enjoy!

Emilie Mover "Ordinary Day"

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 04 – A song that makes you sad

I don't think there are many songs that make me sad.  This one inspires a certain...wistfulness, maybe melancholy.  And that might be the intent.

Either way...."for people and things that went before..." it just gets me. 

Enjoy!

The Beatles "In My Life"

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 03 – A song that makes you happy

I am not sure how I first came across the Scissor Sisters.  I do remember finding this video on Comcast quite a few years ago.  I find this song so infectious and fun.  It really makes me move and just brightens my day.

Enjoy!

Scissor Sisters "I Don't Feel Like Dancing"

Happy Father's Day?

This will be my 14th Father's Day and the second Father's Day since my own father died.

Last year, it seemed so close to the day of his death that I can't even remember what we did....

I think this year I'm going to want to spend it with my stepdad who is a great guy and the reason I am ANY good at being a father to my own kids...

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 02 – Your least favorite song

There are quite a few popular bands (and types of music for that matter) that I have NEVER understand the appeal.  Aersomith falls into that category.  This song, which I think was a "comeback" of sorts, came out when I was in high school.  Ugh!

Enjoy!

Aerosmith - Love In An Elevator

The Armchair Squid and Marc (Marc Whitman's Blog) have also taken up the challenge.  So has my daughter!

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 01 – Your favorite song

Wow.  Nothing like starting off with a toughie.  How do you pick one?  One of my students asked me what my favorite movie was and I replied that things like that change as you get older...it is harder to have absolutes.  I have a favorite comedy, a favorite action film, and so on.  She looked at me like I was nuts and then proclaimed "Grown Ups" to be the best movie of all time.

Anyway, I might have to put "Band On The Run" by Paul McCartney as my favorite song.  There is something to it that I have always liked.  I grew up a Beatles fan, but gravitated towards Paul's solo stuff.  I am fairly confident he will show up again on the list.

Enjoy!

Another 30 Day Challenge!

I am not sure when I last posted "live" as the month of May was a blur.  I spent most of the month ill, had a brief stay in the hospital, suffered some flooding of our house and have rapidly moved towards the end of my first (and perhaps only) year of teaching 6th grade.


As the title of this post states, it is time for another 30 Day Challenge.  The Challenge was inspired by this tumblr list.   Both The Armchair Squid and Marc (Marc Whitman's Blog) have also taken up the challenge. We're kicking it off on Friday.  


I will admit to some fear, as both The Squid and Marc are not only music teachers, but far more adept at blogging.