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June 28, 2005

Better than Botox

This weekend Andy signed us up for Yahoo! Music and it's become my new obsession. Basically we've set up the computer in the living room, hooked to the stereo, and can access all of Yahoo's music with a click of the mouse.

I have used it mostly for "good" purposes. I have been expanding my horizons: right now I'm checking out my brother Christopher's most recent favorite: The Mars Volta (which has potential ... if I'm looking for something darker than I normally listen to) and have checked out Dar Williams, who, despite the constant plugging by Alison, pjm, and Becky, I had actually never heard before. Me gusta. I have been breakfasting with Miles Davis in the morning, and jazz isn't something I usually seek out. And although I'm familiar with some of Pete Yorn I'd wanted to give him a good sit down, which I did on Sunday. Plus, I've been revisiting some great stuff that I haven't listened to in years - namely that "second side" (what an outdated term!) of The Joshua Tree. I've gone through three of those CDs and one seriously worn tape over the past two decades and currently have no Joshua Tree. I haven't had one in years. On Saturday night I just lay on the floor in the dark listening to the last half of that CD and had the same feeling I had when I listened to it at 16 - like I wanted to be completely surrounded by it to the exclusion of everything else.

BUT ... the service has an evil side. I mean, seriously - Glen Campbell!? (I had to hear Rhinestone Cowboy and Galveston. I'm sorry.) And then ... John Denver?! Thank GOD I'M A COUNTRY BOY! A little Gordon Lightfoot (actually that was pretty good - Sundown, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.) And then, this morning, I stretched and lifted weights to The Captain and Tennille! I was almost late for work I couldn't turn it off! Muskrat Love, Love Will Keep Us Together, You Better Shop Around ...

Oh it's all so ugly. At the same time, all this stuff takes me right back to being a kid. I'm seven again! (Or younger - Rhinestone Cowboy was my very first favorite song ever. I remember my grandfather and aunts and uncles at one particular family Christmas - probably '75 - asking me what my favorite song was and that being my answer. It was probably one of those cute things that my mom prompted everyone to ask me.) Going through my parents' records was one of my favorite pastimes. I remember the Roberta Flack album cover that had a 3-D type baby grand piano that I accidentally tore because I thought it was a pop-up with something behind it. I also remember the Some Girls cover, with the record sleeve that had pictures that lined up with cutouts of women's heads on the cover so that, when the sleeve was all the way in the cover, Mick and Keith and the boys all looked like they had women's hairdos.

I'm going to have to listen to that Gordon Lightfoot again, but not before I check out something new - maybe Bloc Party? They're coming to ACL Fest this year. My friends Megan and Heather have suggested that there *is* help for this addiction. But I think I can get control of myself before something like The Carpenters happens. (oops. forgot. too late.)

Posted by jenandmats at 7:18 PM | Comments (1)

Better than Botox

This weekend Andy signed us up for Yahoo! Music and it's become my new obsession. Basically we've set up the computer in the living room, hooked to the stereo, and can access all of Yahoo's music with a click of the mouse.

I have used it mostly for "good" purposes. I have been expanding my horizons: right now I'm checking out my brother Christopher's most recent favorite: The Mars Volta (which has potential ... if I'm looking for something darker than I normally listen to) and have checked out Dar Williams, who, despite the constant plugging by Alison, pjm, and Becky, I had actually never heard before. Me gusta. I have been breakfasting with Miles Davis in the morning, and jazz isn't something I usually seek out. And although I'm familiar with some of Pete Yorn I'd wanted to give him a good sit down, which I did on Sunday. Plus, I've been revisiting some great stuff that I haven't listened to in years - namely that "second side" (what an outdated term!) of The Joshua Tree. I've gone through three of those CDs and one seriously worn tape over the past two decades and currently have no Joshua Tree. I haven't had one in years. On Saturday night I just lay on the floor in the dark listening to the last half of that CD and had the same feeling I had when I listened to it at 16 - like I wanted to be completely surrounded by it to the exclusion of everything else.

BUT ... the service has an evil side. I mean, seriously - Glen Campbell!? (I had to hear Rhinestone Cowboy and Galveston. I'm sorry.) And then ... John Denver?! Thank GOD I'M A COUNTRY BOY! A little Gordon Lightfoot (actually that was pretty good - Sundown, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.) And then, this morning, I stretched and lifted weights to The Captain and Tennille! I was almost late for work I couldn't turn it off! Muskrat Love, Love Will Keep Us Together, You Better Shop Around ...

Oh it's all so ugly. At the same time, all this stuff takes me right back to being a kid. I'm seven again! (Or younger - Rhinestone Cowboy was my very first favorite song ever. I remember my grandfather and aunts and uncles at one particular family Christmas - probably '75 - asking me what my favorite song was and that being my answer. It was probably one of those cute things that my mom prompted everyone to ask me.) Going through my parents' records was one of my favorite pastimes. I remember the Roberta Flack album cover that had a 3-D type baby grand piano that I accidentally tore because I thought it was a pop-up with something behind it. I also remember the Some Girls cover, with the record sleeve that had pictures that lined up with cutouts of women's heads on the cover so that, when the sleeve was all the way in the cover, Mick and Keith and the boys all looked like they had women's hairdos.

I'm going to have to listen to that Gordon Lightfoot again, but not before I check out something new - maybe Bloc Party? They're coming to ACL Fest this year. My friends Megan and Heather have suggested that there *is* help for this addiction. But I think I can get control of myself before something like The Carpenters happens. (oops. forgot. too late.)

Posted by jenandmats at 7:18 PM | Comments (1)

June 27, 2005

Nag Power!

Three friends in four days told me I needed to get off my butt and blog. So I'll give it a shot.

Posting on the internet my hopes, dreams, fears, frustrations, and personal observations about Our Fine Sport never posed any serious dilemma for me, although it did take a little getting used to at first. I really enjoyed it. And I can't wait to do it again. The problem lately, however, is that I'm going through a phase ... and it's the first time since I started this running thing eight years ago ... where I just don't know what to do with my running. It's the Rest of Life that has my near-complete attention right now, and I'm just not as comfortable putting that stuff out there for all the world. But maybe blogging about running (and even some of the other stuff) can become something I look forward to each day again, even if the posts (like the running) don't really have a set direction.

The end of the session was especially brutal this year. We're talking a morale-killing, spirit-crushing week that left me dazed, confused, demoralized, and nearly-beaten. It's going to take a while to recuperate. So the day after the session ended I felt like I was emerging from a bad dream, suddenly 34 years old and in a job that I suddenly doubted I was well-suited for, even though I enjoy it for the most part. It was a huge "what the hell do I do now?" Fortunately I didn't have too long to sit around feeling sorry for myself before the governor called a special 30-day session (started last week) to address the issue of school finance, which they've been unable to successfully address for two regular sessions and one special session last year (after three special sessions on redistricting.) It hasn't directly affected me too much, but it has prevented all of us from moving into the interim take-your-comp-time-as-you-please mode, which we all seriously need. More morale-killing. Remember my ideal world? Well it's going to have to wait another three weeks or so.

I have been making regular loops around Town Lake. Lately it's been 4 miles three times a week and then 7 or so on the weekends. 19 miles! But I do try to make sure I get some strides in there several times a week. One aspect of a more aggressive running schedule that I've been avoiding - and that has served as a deterrent to really getting back out there - is having to pack my whole day out the door by 6:00am and showering at work and then unloading it all at the end of the day just to pack it all back up again. I know ... wah. But *maybe* when we have more flexibility with our arrival time at work I'll be able to accommodate a longer run *and* a shower and breakfast at home afterward.

Oh gawd what a depressing return entry! [edited to remove something funny but possibly inappropriate ... see what I mean? sticking to running is always easier!]

(Thanks to Paul and Joe and Heather for making me do it!)

Posted by jenandmats at 7:58 PM | Comments (6)