Category Archives: meme-a-rific

30 Day Song Challenge (11-20)

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Here are all my selections in a Spotify Playlist

Here is my post of days 1-10

Day 11: Single Ladies (Beyonce)

So, I did actually start doing this yesterday, but I got distracted. I had an unusually hard time making up my mind. I decided it should be a song that, by all reasonable standards, I *should* have gotten tired of at some point. So here’s my selection.
 
Also considered: Bad Romance.

Day 12: Livin’ on a Prayer (Bon Jovi)

I was in 6th-7th grade in 1986. I loved Bon Jovi. I never really got over it. Deal with it. 😉

Day 13: (Jesus Christ) Superstar (Murray Head)

I really struggled with this one. It turns out I like a lot of songs from the 70s. 🙂 I decided to go with this song, from one of my favorite musicals. Here’s “Superstar,” as performed by Murray Head (and the Trinidad Singers, apparently).

Day 14: Easy Silence (Dixie Chicks)

So, I posted about this one a while back, choosing “Follow You, Follow Me” by Genesis. but looking over my list, I see that it’s really male-dominated, so I decided to pick a different song from our actual wedding playlist (which was also rather male-dominated. Hm.)

So today’s choice is “Easy Silence” by the Dixie Chicks, from their fantastic album Taking the Long Way.

Day 15: Red Right Hand (Vixy & Tony)

So, there are a number of artists that I appreciate WAY more when they are covered by someone else. Tom Waits. Lou Reed. Even, to some extent, Bob Dylan.

I fell in love with this song when I first heard Vixy & Tony perform it…I was previously unfamiliar with it. And since I knew it was a cover, one day I thought I’d check out the original.

And oh. Oh yes. Go ahead and put Nick Cave in that category.

(This post was nearly a tie between Every Little Thing (He) Does is Magic by Shawn Colvin and Jolene by Miley Cyrus. Maybe someday I’ll make a whole list of cool covers I like.)

Day 16: Alone (Heart)

So, I pondered a bit about what “classic” means. Since it’s not really defined, I figured it could mean whatever I wanted it to. I also figured that 1987 is long enough ago to be “classic,” much as it pains me to admit it. 😉

Anyway, I’ve posted about this song before. I’ve joked before about Heart’s cheesy 80s power ballad material, but every time I hear this song, I’m struck by how good it is. It is so. good.

(we shall not speak of their 1990 #2 hit. *shudder*)

Day 17: Friends And Lovers (Carl Anderson & Gloria Loring)

Truth be told, I don’t have the pipes for this, but I can dream a little…so, as you may know, back in my preteen and teenage years, I was an avid viewer of Days of Our Lives. Gloria Loring played lounge singer Liz Chandler, and she performed this song with Carl Anderson in…1985, I think? The song charted in 1986.

You may also know Gloria Loring as the vocalist for the theme from “The Facts of Life.” (She was, at the time, married to Alan Thicke, who composed the theme.)

My runner-up response for this one was “Islands in the Stream.”

Day 18: Waterloo (ABBA)

I love ABBA. I love this song. I don’t know what else to say about this one. 🙂

Day 19: Under the Carlaw Bridge (Lowest of the Low)

The Canadian band Lowest of the Low–in particular, their album Shakespeare, My Butt–got me through my 20s.

Here’s the last section of the song:

Well, now my coffee’s gone cold
But my heart’s gone colder
I think I’m reading too much
It feels like twenty below
And it’s a kick in the nuts
When your vision clears up
And you realize you’ve only been playing with change
There’re people more together than you’ll ever be
And it makes you want to ask yourself, “What’s happenin’ to me?”
Because it ain’t clear
No it ain’t clear
What the hell am I doin’ here?
No it ain’t clear
But it rings in my ears
Somewhere under the Carlaw bridge
(My friend Jen and I once drove around Toronto looking for places mentioned in Lowest of the Low songs. We hit a bunch of them, but never did find the Carlaw bridge.)

Day 20: Nasty (Janet Jackson)

I was about to publish this post without an entry for day 20–I just couldn’t come up with anything. And then this came to mind at literally the last second.

30 Day Song Challenge (1-10)

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Here are all my selections in a Spotify Playlist

Day 1: Mr. Blue Sky (ELO): Literally the first song that came to mind when I read the prompt.

Day 2: Bubblegum 45s (Jim Boggia/Jonathan Coulton): Jim Boggia is a singer-songwriter Rand introduced me to. This one’s interesting in that Jonathan Coulton has a songwriting credit. I think the story is that Coulton wrote a song that he ended up not using for anything, and Boggia took it and wrote new lyrics. (I don’t know if he rewrote the melody.) I’m going to share the album version, and then in the comments, I’ll post a live version of him performing it with Coulton and Paul & Storm.

Day 3: Fantastic Voyage (Coolio): There were a number of ways I could have gone with this…but I thought back to songs that remind me of a specific summer. (I dug up an old blog post about this.)

I spent a lot of time driving around in cars, forced to listen to the radio in the summer of 1994. Here’s one of the songs that reminds me of that summer:

(I also considered posting “Here Comes the Hotstepper”)

Day 4: More than Words (Extreme)

This song reminds me of my high school boyfriend, and that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

Day 5: Renegade (Styx)

Despite having grown up in Steeler country, my selection of this song has nothing to do with football. I just like it.

Day 6: Uptown Funk (Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars)

I never, ever get tired of this song.

Day 7: Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas)

I knew day 7 had to be classic rock. I wavered on my specific choice, but settled on this.

Day 8: The Old Black Rum (Great Big Sea)

Day 9: Just Can’t Get Enough (Depeche Mode)
So, this is hard. I have an entire playlist on youtube that’s titled “BE IN A GOOD MOOD” that’s meant to be a pick-me-up when I’m feeling down. And this list is far from complete.

When I replied to Rob’s post on this day, I chose “Wandrin’ Around” by Carbon Leaf. And that’s a good choice. It always makes me happy. But today, I think I’m going to go off list and choose a song by a group people don’t usually think of when they think “happy.” 🙂

Day 10: Cranes Over Hiroshima (Fred Small)

Well. There were certainly a number of songs I could have chosen for this. I actually browsed a list of the 50 saddest songs of all time, and no arguments from me, for the most part. I considered choosing their #6 choice, “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” by George Jones, which may just get my vote for saddest song ever.

But instead, I chose this one. The first time I heard it, I just cried and cried and cried.

Album meme (expanded version)

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So, I did the facebook “10 album” meme that’s been going around, but I had some additional thoughts. And I thought, “Oh yeah, I have a blog! So here goes.

First, a repost of the 10 (okay, 11) I posted to facebook, covering roughly the years 1987-1993.

True Blue–Madonna

Licensed to Ill–Beastie Boys (Yeah, I know the many ways this album is, uh, problematic. I also know it’s not the best Beastie Boys album. But I was 13, and I listened to it A LOT.)

Batman Soundtrack–Prince Well, y’know, Prince. 

Faith–George Michael

Appetite for Destruction–Guns ‘n Roses

New Jersey–Bon Jovi I loved Bon Jovi so, so much, you guys.

Hysteria–Def Leppard

Rhythm Nation 1814–Janet Jackson

Blacks’ Magic–Salt n Pepa

River of Dreams–Billy Joel

Bat Out of Hell–Meatloaf This obviously did not come out while I was a teenager, but my high school years were when I got into it. Also, It’s a miracle that it took me so long to figure out that the man responsible for these songs also wrote “Making Love (Out of Nothing at All)” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”

My taste in music could best be described as “mainstream.” 🙂

Here are some albums that were important to me earlier in life:

Annie–Original Broadway recording When the movie version of Annie came out, I had been listening to this album for a couple of years. I was kind of a tiny hipster, annoyed by how different it was. The songs that were left out. The songs that were created/added. I still prefer this version. Oh, and as a side note, we’ve been re-watching 30 Rock, and it tickles me how much Tina Fey (or someone in the writers’ room) loves Annie. The songs come up rather frequently.

Grease soundtrack (movie)

Just Sylvia–Sylvia My mom had this album, and I was obsessed with the song “Nobody.” I would pretend that I was going to sing it on a gameshow. (which I think might have been the 80s version of The Gong Show?)

*honorable mention: “Eye in the Sky”–Alan Parsons Project…it doesn’t get a full spot because I only bought the 45, but it was the first music I purchased with my own money*

Air Supply–Greatest Hits  I had originally stayed away from including greatest hits collections, but this one was a huge part of my childhood. My mom had it on cassette…in my memory, it was a copy, and it had Bonnie Tyler on the other side.

The Other Side of Life–The Moody Blues My dad was a huge fan of The Moody Blues, and I remember listening to many of their albums on cassette, in the car. I know not everyone is a fan of this record, but I liked it quite a bit (and was kind of obsessed with the single, “Your Wildest Dreams.”)

Hi Infidelity–REO Speedwagon I really, really liked this album when I was 9. In fact, I got in trouble for bringing it to school once, due to the risque cover.

She’s So Unusual–Cyndi Lauper

Hangin’ Tough–New Kids on the Block I went on a trip to the beach with my friend Heather and her family the summer I turned 14. We had a tape that had Hangin’ Tough on one side, and Appetite for Destruction on the other. It’s really kind of hilarious.

Dirty Dancing soundtrack So, who else can sing the Kellerman’s anthem?

And a few later (college/after college) offerings:

Pop! (The First Twenty Hits)–Erasure This is just one of the greatest hits albums that was a very big thing for me when I was first building my CD collection–which didn’t happen for me until early college. Billy Joel. Journey. Styx. Queen. REO Speedwagon. etc.

Jesus Christ Superstar–Original London recording

Les Miserables–complete symphonic recording

I never would have discovered my love for these musicals if it hadn’t been for my roomie/bestie Jen…

Jagged Little Pill–Alanis Morrissette I admit, I wasn’t on board the Alanis train right away. I was, in fact, kind of put off by the aggression and what, at the time, I felt was vulgarity of “You Oughta Know.”  Then, I don’t know, a year or so later, I went through a bitter breakup and was all “AND I’M HEEEEEEERE TO REMIIIIIIND YOU…”

Shakespeare My Butt–Lowest of the Low This is the quintessential album for surviving your 20s. It’s about being broke, getting fired, falling in love, breaking up, and trying to figure out your place in the world.

All about me (AV edition)

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As seen on the blog of miss_shortskirt:

I think the best shows on TV right now are

Lost
How I Met Your Mother
Chuck

I think the best show(s) NOT on TV is (are)

The West Wing
Arrested Development

Shows I think I would like but haven’t watched yet are

Castle
Dollhouse

The show I am most anticipating is

Glee (oh, yes! me too!)

My go-to movies for repeat viewings are

When Harry Met Sally
Say Anything
The Princess Bride

I will watch any movie starring

Paul Rudd

I will listen to any CD by

Um…Ookla the Mok? (hee)
Carbon Leaf
Great Big Sea
Hawksley Workman
Ron Hawkins

My favorite musical soundtracks are

Rent
Les Miserables
Jesus Christ Superstar

My favorite Beatles song

Let it Be
or Come Together

My favorite Regina Spektor song

(Sorry, I don’t know who that is)

My favorite Weezer song

Uh….Buddy Holly? I’m actually not all that intimate with Weezer.

*ETA* Just realized that “Island in the Sun” comes up in my Pandora station all the time. I <3 that song.

My favorite Simon and Garfunkel song

Kathy’s Song

My favorite Britney Spears song

Sorry, got nothin’ here

My favorite movie soundtracks

Garden State
Juno
Moulin Rouge
**can’t really argue with those, but I will add:
Once
and also, Walk Hard (the Dewey Cox Story)

My favorite Disney movie

HOW CAN I POSSIBLY CHOOSE?
Um.
The Little Mermaid.
No, The Lion King.
No, Beauty and the Beast.
No, Aladdin.
Definitely one of those. 😉

My favorite song from a Disney Movie

Friend Like Me
or Kiss the Girl
or Under the Sea

My favorite songs at this exact moment are

Pregnant Women are Smug
The Future Soon
Cold, Cold Heart
Short Skirt, Long Jacket

How well do you know me-answers

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Yes, this is the quiz that’s been making its way around facebook. I’m amused by it. If you’re not, feel free to move along. 😉

Click here to take it on facebook (if you’re my friend there), or just see below the break for the answers!

Continue reading →

How well do you know me?

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Yes, this is the quiz that’s been making its way around facebook. I’m amused by it. If you’re not, feel free to move along. 😉

Click here to take it on facebook (if you’re my friend there), or see below the break. I’ll post the answers (with commentary) in the next couple of days.

Continue reading →

Birth order quiz thingy

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You Are Likely an Only Child


At your darkest moments, you feel frustrated.

At work and school, you do best when you’re organizing.

When you love someone, you tend to worry about them.

In friendship, you are emotional and sympathetic.

Your ideal careers are: radio announcer, finance, teaching, ministry, and management.

You will leave your mark on the world with organizational leadership, maybe as the author of self-help books.
In fact, I am an “oldest” (of two), but I’ve always suspected that I had more than a little “only” in me, as I was 7 when my brother was born.

Tagged!

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Linda tagged me on this one.

Make a list of things you can see without getting up: the TV, the Wii I just bought (still in box) , lots of books and DVDs, Rand, the dinner dishes.

What were you like when you were five? Shy.

What are you wearing now? blue sweatpants, a cream mock turtleneck, slippers and my robe.

What story/book/novel have you read over and over again in your life? A Wrinkle in Time

What’s the last thing you read/are currently reading? An ARC of Ally Carter’s Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover, Garth Ennis’ Hitman

Do you nap a lot? Occasionally.

Who was the last person you hugged? Rand

What’s your current fandom/obsession/addiction? Lost

What was the last thing you ate today?Half a clementine

What was the last thing you said aloud? Why does he merit an article?

What websites do you always visit when you go online? Facebook, Google Reader, Twitter

What was the last thing you bought? a Wii

What are you listening to right now? commercials

If you could have any super power, what would it be? Telekinesis

What is your favorite weather, and why? Sunny and warm, but not too hot or humid.

What time do you usually get up? Around 6:20 am on the weekdays

What is your most challenging goal right now? Being a better teacher

Say something to the person who tagged you: Linda, I’ve so enjoyed being your “wedding buddy” and getting to know you through our blogs!

If you could have a house–totally paid for, fully furnished–anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? I’d like to have a beach house somewhere…not to live in year-round, but for vacations.

Favorite vacation spot? Uh…Vermont was nice. I also like beaches. I guess I don’t really have a favorite.

What is your favorite children’s book? I’ll say The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, just to have a different answer from the one above.

Name one thing you just can’t resist no matter how bad it is for you: Cupcakes

If you could meet anyone famous – dead or alive – who would it be? Shakespeare

What was your first job? Babysitting. Or working at the public library.

What’s the last movie you saw? Silver Streak, via Netflix

TAGGED: Samantha, Eden, Emma, Stephanie, Julia, Caren, Jessica, and Amanda

(I won’t be offended if you don’t want to do it, really.)

THE RULES:
Step 1: respond and rework—answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.
Step 2: tag—eight other un-tagged people will be tagged.

Movie meme

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The movie quote meme, which I saw first at So Anyway…

1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search or other search functions.

Looks like we’ve got ’em all, folks…thanks for playing! 🙂

1. I got a question. If you guys know so much about women, how come you’re here at like the Gas ‘n’ Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere? (Say Anything, Emma)

2. There’s a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours. (The Princess Bride, Adam Selzer, Eden)

3. That’s it? Some faceless guy rips off all your clothes, and THAT’S the sex fantasy you’ve been having since you were twelve? (When Harry Met Sally, Emma, Eden)

4. I’ve loved two women in my life. I lost one to cancer, and I lost the other ’cause I was so busy keeping my job I forgot to do my job. (The American President, Emma, Adam Selzer)

5. I mean, Led Zeppelin didn’t write tunes everybody liked. They left that to the Bee Gees. (Wayne’s World, Eden)

6. Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K. (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Adam Selzer, Eden)

7. I’ll trade with anyone who has a Jacuzzi. (The Muppets Take Manhattan, Lyanne)

8. I believe in two things: discipline and the Bible. Here you’ll receive both. Put your trust in the Lord; your ass belongs to me. (The Shawshank Redemption, Amanda/pafuts)

9. This is the captain. We have a little problem with our entry sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and then – explode. (Serenity, voiceofkiki)

10. I got it! You daughter’s not your daughter, and the cash that used to be the jewels is now your underwear! (Oscar, guessed correctly by mom! Yay, mom!)

11. Oh, Joel Miller, you’ve just found the marble in the oatmeal. You’re a lucky, lucky, lucky little boy. ‘Cause you know why? You get to drink from the fire hose! (UHF, Adam Selzer)

12. In fact, I think most Scottish cuisine is based on a dare. (So I Married an Axe Murderer, Eden, Jenn)

13. It’s not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting *ideas*, and *thinking*… (Beauty and the Beast, Eden, Deoris)

14. Son, if I’d only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes… now that would have been a tragedy. (Field of Dreams, Adam Selzer)

15. Please get out of my Van Halen t-shirt before you jinx the band and they break up. The Wedding Singer, Adam Selzer

100% Pittsburgh

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You are 100% Pittsburgh

Great job! There’s nooooo doubt about it. You’re from Da Burgh. You deserve a reward, so go have an Ahrn City or two. And GO STILLERS!

How Pittsburgh Are You
See All Our Quizzes

Although, the fact that I understand Pittsuburghese doesn’t necessarily mean I *speak* Pittsburghese. 😉

(I do, though, catch myself doing the whole “The grass needs cut” thing…)

Seen at So Anyway…