from Friday The 13th to Frustrated Poet

Day 533, Session 101:
When/Where: Wednesday December 5th - Out in front of the house shoveling the first snow of the year, then back inside warming up and having lunch.
First song: Friday The 13th by Royal Crown Revue
Last full song: Frustrated Poet by Clem Snide
Progress: 1499-1513 of 5568
Total Songs Heard: 1202

The first snow of the season led me into another in a series of depressing realizations of adulthood. As I was shoveling the snow from our steps and small portion of sidewalk I remembered the days when shoveling snow was something that led directly to some form of payment (allowance from the parents or some small payoff from the neighbors.) Now, it's something I have to do because I own that small stretch of sidewalk. Ok, technically, I only own 1/3rd of that stretch of sidewalk, but I can hardly expect the neighbors to pay me for shoveling it seeing as how they do most of the yard work. Shoveling your own sidewalk... just one more "grown-up thing to do."

Previously I've had this same thought while mowing the lawn, taking out the trash, and writing a huge check for the kitchen remodel. I don't even know why it surprises me anymore. Although, I guess it's a good thing. When I get to the point where it no longer occurs to me how "grown-up" some of the things I'm doing are... well, that's probably when I will actually be a grown-up. And I'm certainly not ready for that.

I did feel good that I was shoveling snow as the song Frosty The Snowman came on. It's hardly the traditional arrangement. It's more like Frosty got sideswiped by Tequila (the song, not the drink) but it still counts. Just imagine a snowman on a Hawaiian island and you'll be all set.

Frosty The Snowman - The Ventures

from Freedom to Frenesi

Day 529, Session 100:
When/Where: Saturday December 1st - Driving back from Evanston
First song: Freedom by Blues Traveler
Last full song: Frenesi by Eydie Gormé
Progress: 1480-1485 of 5513
Total Songs Heard: 1187

One hundred times I've strapped the iPod to my head to listen to songs in alphabetical order. Well actually, that's a bit of a lie, sometimes I've plugged in an old cassette tape converter and listened in the car. This was one of those times.

Things kicked off with Freedom by Blues Traveler. The wife commented that she would have preferred if I had the song Freedom by George Michael. I explained to her that the song she was thinking of was actually titled Freedom! '90. You see, I was a big Wham! fan growing up and I knew that the song was titled Freedom! '90 to distinguish it from an earlier Wham! hit that was also titled Freedom. That's right, I knew that immediately and felt the need to share it. And now, apparently, I've felt the need to share it again. (For those of you reading this that are too young to remember, before being a solo artist, George Michael was one half of the group Wham!, thus the need to distinguish his newer solo song.) (For those of you reading this who are too young to remember George Michael as a musician... he was a punchline on late night talk shows for quite some time after being caught soliciting a male police officer in a public restroom.)

Sadly, despite the fact that I own "Make It Big" on record (that's right, actual record) I have not yet transferred it into my music collection. So you'll just have to take my word for it that Freedom by Blues Traveler, Freedom by Wham!, and Freedom '90 by George Michael are all different songs.



Freedom - Blues Traveler

from For the Widows to Free Ride

Day 515, Session 99:
When/Where: Saturday November 17th - At home while watching college football and playing a round of golf.
First song: For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti by Sufjan Stevens
Last full song: Free Ride by Nick Drake
Progress: 1441-1465 of 5472
Total Songs Heard: 1181

I'm off to Nashville to eat some southern fried bird and attend the last of my old college roommate's weddings. There will be a proper post about this set of songs later, but for now, I would just like to point out that I was right all along!

"John Mayer is an insufferable douchebag!"

Just remember, even though you're just reading about it on TMZ now, you heard it here first. I'd like to think one of the sites that led Mr. Mayer to his conclusion was this one (but probably not.) Thanks to Rachel for the heads up.

Proper posting resumes next week, when I discuss why the song Frank's 2000-Inch TV makes me both happy and jealous.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

Frank's 2000-Inch TV - Weird Al Yankovic

from Food & Creative Love to For The Ladies

Day 497, Session 98:
When/Where: Tuesday October 30th - Wandering the aisles of Jewel, looking for walnuts.
First song: Food & Creative Love by Rusted Root
Last full song: For The Ladies by Stephen Lynch
Progress: 1396-1410 of 5401 (one duplicate skipped)
Total Songs Heard: 1156

So you'd think with me being jobless (5 weeks today) and all that there'd be a lot more writing around here. Yeah, I'd have thought so too.

Although I left the job 5 weeks ago, it was only this week that I finally severed ties completely. Up until Wednesday night I had still been taking part in the company bowling league. (Oddly, the initial reaction of many people when they found I was leaving was to immediately ask, "But you're not quitting bowling right?" I'm hoping this was because I was fun to hang out with at bowling and not because it's always challenging to find a sub.) The last night of bowling was weird because I realized that it really was the very last time I'll see many of those folks that I've been working with for the last 4+ years.

Since I quit I've had a lot of time alone with my thoughts (while not listening to music or writing obviously.) Upon full review, leaving was still the right thing to do. I was miserable at the job. I had been treated rather poorly and in turn allowed that to affect my job performance. Continually being questioned about my job performance was doing nothing to help my mood and the whole thing just kept cycling downward. A mature adult probably would have said to themselves, "Well I can't just quit my job without having a new job to go to, so I'll stick it out here until I find one."

Needless to say, I am not a mature adult. Maybe some day I will be, but not yet. So I left.

And here I am. Struggling to find purpose, (also porpoise, I haven't seen any dolphins anywhere) but in a better place I think. Even if I'm not, change is right around the corner. After all, I can't stay unemployed forever. The wife would kill me.

For Now - Avenue Q

from Flowers In The Windows to Fontanelle

Day 486, Session 97:
When/Where: Sunday October 21st - Aboard Southwest flight 499 from Philadelphia to Chicago.
First song: Flowers In The Windows by Travis
Last full song: Fontanelle by Clem Snide
Progress: 1385-1399 of 5413
Total Songs Heard: 1142

Synergy people, synergy. I hit the section of songs that start with the word fly while I was in an airplane, flying back from Philadelphia. You couldn't plan this stuff any better. I managed to hear seven 'different' songs that started with fly. Different is in quotes because they were actually only 4 different songs. I have 3 versions of Fly by Moxy Fruvous and 2 versions of Fly From Heaven by Toad the Wet Sprocket. As an added bonus, the other two fly songs were by the same guy: John Denver.

I'd be lying if I didn't say it creeped me out a little to hear John Denver singing about flying while I myself was in an airplane. Luckily my flight ended without incident (of course all of his flights did too until the last one.)

The reason I was in a plane to begin with? I was flying back from Philadelphia where I served as the officiant at my cousin's wedding. This was actually my second wedding as Reverend Matt. My first was last summer for my sister and brother-in-law. That one went extremely smoothly as they had written out every single word that I was going to say during the ceremony. I got a hold of everything with enough time to add a few personal touches. It ended up being a fantastic experience all the way around.

This past weekend was also an experience. Not as much content was written for me before hand (just the vows,) so I surprised myself by writing a 15-minute ceremony just a few hours before things were supposed to get underway. Things ended up going great and of course the important part was that the bride and groom were satisfied (and married) at the end... but man oh man was it stressful.

The good news is, if you're getting married and need a Reverend, I have a ceremony written and ready to go.

The final song of the day tied in nicely to the whole wedding vibe. Fontanelle by Clem Snide was the song that I danced with my Mom with at my wedding. Due to the song's prayer like quality, I actually wanted it as part of our ceremony but apparently the Catholics have rules about what can and cannot be sung in a church. But if you're going to have me do your wedding, you should know that I have no such rules. You can definitely use this song.

Fontanelle - Clem Snide

Oh, and just so you don't have to look it up... fontanelle is the soft spot at the top of a baby's head. (The title of the cd the song is on? "Soft Spot".)

from Flight to Flowers in December

Day 481, Session 96:
When/Where: Tuesday October 16th - Driving home from dropping a friend off at class.
First song: Flight vs. Invisibility by John Hodgman
Last full song: Flowers in December (live KCRW 1996) by Mazzy Star
Progress: 1381-1384 of 5413
Total Songs Heard: 1127

Perhaps you first met John Hodgman through his work on The Daily Show, or maybe you know him as the PC guy in Apple's commercials. I first got to know John Hodgman through his work on This American Life, specifically his Flight vs. Invisibility story in the "Superpowers" episode. The entire premise of the story is this... if you can be granted either the power of flight, or the power of invisibility (only one, no other super powers are offered,) which do you choose?

The story gives plenty of interesting ideas for ways to use each power, but it seems to center on one basic idea. Flight is more of a power for good, while invisibility is more a power for evil. Ok, maybe not evil. But there are definitely more nefarious uses that immediately spring to mind for invisibility.

And so obviously I choose invisibility. At least I did at first. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that I would not be able to overcome the temptation that invisibility would have to offer. I would try to use my power to steal things and to sneak into movies and concerts and sporting events and other places that I don't really belong. And if I had the power of invisibility in high school? Man, you would have had to tie me down to keep me from trying to see live naked ladies. (Now, of course, I'm married and have no need whatsoever to even acknowledge the existence of other women.)

But if you have the power of flight... mostly good comes out to of that right? I mean, maybe I'd finally stop being late for things because of traffic or public transit. With an established flying speed of 1000 mph, it would take just about 30 minutes to go visit my new nephew (who I may now refer to as the 'newphew.') It would take less time than that to go visit the parents. I could fly to California or Vegas or London in an evening. What in this world is more valuable than possessions? Time.

Time > Stuff (even boobs)

So in the eternal battle of flight vs. invisibility, I'll take flying. You?
That's a hint, the comments are open.

Flight vs. Invisibility - John Hodgman

Updated 12/17/07: I've noticed update a fair number of people coming to this page in search of the above file, but it's only recently that I was informed that the link wasn't working. Try it again, I think I fixed it. Thanks for visiting...

from Fire to Flight Of The Passing Fancy

Day 460, Session 95:
When/Where: Tuesday September 25th - Sitting at my new desk at work. My third new desk this year.
First song: Fire by Josh Joplin
Last full song: Flight Of The Passing Fancy by Squirrel Nut Zippers
Progress: 1346-1369 of 5329 (1 skipped podcast)
Total Songs Heard: 1123

Way back in May I posted about the song First of May by Jonathan Coulton. Actually heard it in order today and it remains awesome. It also is one of those things that, when children eventually do come along, will lead to an awkward conversation. Instead of actually having that conversation, I plan on showing my future children this video.

(***WARNING*** this video contains scenes of animated debauchery and should definitely not be viewed by my parents.)



That way they'll also know more about World of Warcraft, a game their future father has spent way too much time playing.

I also heard Five Guys Named Moe today. If you ever have a chance to see the musical Five Guys Named Moe, I highly recommend it. The show features the music of Louis Jordan, who I happen to think is one of the great underappreciated figures in American music. I saw it at Ford's Theater in Washington D.C. on a school trip. I remember thinking at the time how strange it was to be seeing a show at the same theater where President Lincoln had been assassinated (Abe and I were tight) but the music was so infectious that 10 minutes in I didn't give poor dead Linc another thought.

Hearing it again set me off thinking about how much I enjoy the sound of human voices in harmony. The moments in music of really good harmony are the moments that I tend to get goosebumpy. I'm sure there's some scientific explanation for why harmony is pleasing to the brain, but I'm probably not smart enough to understand it (feel free to try to explain it to me, I'll nod like I understand.) All I know is that if there had been harmonious singing in Our American Cousin instead of lines like "Don't know the manners of good society, eh? Well, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, old gal—you sockdologizing old man-trap..." there's no way Booth could have stayed mad enough to go through with the shooting.

Five Guys Named Moe

ETA: Oh yeah, I'm also leaving my job. So if anyone was ever thinking about approaching me about sponsoring this blog, now would be a good time.

Technical Difficulties

Hello,

We're having some technical difficulties at the moment. There may be a post before the end of the week, but more likely we will return to active blogging next week.

Thanks for stopping by.

Matt