A vinyl fixation.

Thanks to my good friend Lori, I was recently able to procure a working hi-fi - one of those fancy vintage cabinet types, you know, the ones that will not only play 331/2 and 45rpm but 78 and *gasp*deargod* even 16rpm albums. The kind with a changer you use to play a number of albums at a time without having to get up off yer lazy arse. Or a least, once upon a time you could. For a while it was on the blink, and in my attempts to fix the problem, I kind of fubar'd the auto-play function. Totally fixable, but requires the assistance of someone with nimbler fingers and far more patience than I myself happen to possess.

The small collection of records I've held in storage for the last ten or so years consisted mainly of three subsets of records:

• Albums hand-picked for me by my best friend and her husband when they were forced to leave the bulk of his 1500+ album collection in London when they moved to the Great White North. These include some of my favorites from the time, such as The Doors and Blondie and 54-50, as well as some 'Here-you-might-like-these's' like the Patti Smith Group and Alice Cooper and the Cult.
• Duplicate albums culled from my parents collection - those which overlapped when when they got married. These are mostly typical of what you'd find in teh collection of young Newlyweds in the mid-70s - Elton Johns' Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Rolling Stones 'Hot Rocks' and one of my personal favorites, Harry Chapin's Greatest Stories Live (incidentally, this album contains two particularly awesome fuggin' tracks that can't be had on the CD version)
• Albums given to me, via my parents, from my Grandmother when she decided to clean out HER collection. This is an interesting bunch. First, therein lies the lone set of 78's in my collection - Ruth Wallis' Holiday Party. I've been told that as a child, my father was not allowed to listen to this one, as it was 'too racy' for little ears. There's also 'Music to Strip By', a number of 'Sing ALong with Mitch Miller' albums, and an absolute fuckton of Christmas Albums. I could celebrate Christmas 8 months of the year and not run out of holiday themed tunes.

The difference in sound between digitally recorded music and this analog format is one I never appreciated when I was younger and my parents were constantly playing records. They just sounded scratchy and skipped a lot. I find now (and whether this is the format or the player itself) that the sound is fuller, deeper.

Today, I happily discovered that my local pawn shop also carries a small collection of LP's, at the not unreasonable price of $2 a piece. For this evening's listening I've picked myself up the following:

• The B-52's -
  
• The Pretenders II
• The Go-GO's - Beauty and the Beat
• 25 Old Tyme Fiddle Hits
  

Was on a bit of a new wave kick, yes. I enjoyed discussing the fun of having eclectic musical tastes with the new counterguy at Uncle Bucks, and was quite excited to get home and throw one of these babies on. I've covered side A of the B-52's and I'm digging it. It's pretty weird and out there, but makes pretty cool 'getting dinner ready' music, as it carries a decent beat for dancing around the kitchen.

Off I am now to sample some more of these delectable audible goodies, for the place is an unholy disaster and there is much to be done.

It's like a type re-birth, but not.

So I'm shutting down my MySpace account soon, or dismantling it, at any rate. The blog is the last thing there of any importance to me, since I don't browse the forums, and my groups are dead, and most of my MS friends have migrated to Facebook which is frankly, just fine and dandy by me. I'm in the midst of the massive task of archiving all my MySpace blogs dating back to 2006, so that I can keep them on record. Already had 145 pages worth of bloggage from my MSN spaces blog before that.

I still feel I need a place to vent, bitch, moan, contemplate and be overall just kind of goofy so this is why I'm here. Do I know who's going to see it? I don't know. I'm on the fence about how open I want to be in this particular forum. We'll see.

Names shall be changed to protect the innocent. The guilty can feel free to bite me.

I'm back and single once again, but in a better place about it, since it was my own decision this time, and things ended amicably. I've been taking some time working on forgiveness with those who have also hurt me in the past, and feeling better for it, if somewhat guarded.

Still loving my little cottage, my little home. I feel at peace here. The winter will tell though, when the freedom to escape to the outside (read: my comfy spot on the futon on the porch).

My little one lost her first tooth today. I should be feeling those pangs of the imminent growth of my youngest born, and the knowing that this is the last 'first loose tooth' and yeah, it has struck me to a certain extent, but I'm not heartbroken or anything. Maybe if I was more maternal, it would. Reminds me though, gotta scrounge up some change for the tooth fairy, that cheap, mooching wench.

To those whom read this, welcome.

I don't usually do this...

I'm not generally one to post other people's song lyrics in a blog, but it's also rare that I come across a song that completely describes how I am and am feeling at a particularly space in time. This is from one of my current favorite artists, Kimya Dawson. I highly recommend checking her out. I know a few of you out there who would probably really enjoy her.

So Nice, So Smart

I was quiet as a mouse
When I snuck into your house
and took roofies with your spouse,
in a nit, and out a louse
Lice are lousy all the time
They suck your blood, drink your wine
Say 'Shut up and quit your crying
Give it time and you'll be fine'


You're so nice and you're so smart
You're such a good friend,
I have to break your heart
I'll tell you that I love you
Then I'll tear your world apart
Just pretend I didn't tear your world apart.


I like boys with strong convictions
And convicts with perfect diction
Underdogs with good intentions
amputees with stamp collections
plywood skinboards ride the ocean
salty noses, suntan lotion
Always seriously joking
And rambunctiously soft-spoken
I like boys that like their mothers
and I have a thing for brothers
But they always wait until we're under covers
to say "I'm sure glad we're not lovers"


You're so nice and you're so smart
You're such a good friend
I have to break your heart
I'll tell you that I love you
then I'll tear your world apart.
Just pretend I didn't tear your world apart


I like my new bunny suit
When I wear it , I feel cute.

Strange Magic

I feel as though I must be putting some odd energy into the atmosphere as of late. My dreams have been exceptionally vivid and vaguely disturbing, which leads me to believe that subconciously I'm into my 'waiting for the other shoe to drop' state of mind.

Things are well, over all. I've been enjoying the easy comfort of actually dating someone who is neither a douchebag nor a complete headcase. It's drama-free and relaxing. I love my new home, my fortress, my yard and my street and all those lovely things. I still sit back so often and marvel at my girls and how they're growing up so fast, and how lucky I am that they are healthy and well-adjusted and just plain nice little girls.

But I digress.

My dreams and the day-to-day seem to co-mingle in a way that stems beyond mere coincedence. Lately life is made of any number of odd coincedences.

I check my cell phone for messages (since I rarely hear the alerts go off) only to have it ring in my hand.

I dream of a friend I haven't seen in months nor spoken to in weeks, only to have her call the next day.

A former lover, again not in seen in months, comes up in conversation. The very next day I pass him in my car as he is walking down the street.

I'm feeling incredibly creative and motivated for reaching goals lately. Some of this may stem from being in a place I can call my very own (even if it does still belong to my parents). Some of the energy may stem from being in the company of someone who likes making me feel like an extra-special person (and I thank him for that).

Whereever it's coming from, I'm getting much accomplished, in spite of, or perhaps in conjunction with all the craziness of summer, the same craziness that seems to be stretching into the fall.

Next weekend, I have absolutely nothing planned.  NOTHING.  The sheer excitement of having no previous obligations is too thrilling to even describe fully.