I was just watching a show about parasites on The Science Channel. For God’s sake, if you visit the Amazon, don’t pee in the water.
(This Candir? shown several times larger than actual size.)
Why They Don’t Call It The “Taste Network”
I’m shocked. Yesterday I received email confirmation from the domestic goddess herself that The Style Network declined last month to renew The Brini Maxwell Show. Well, if you ever needed proof that ([style] != [taste]), there you have it.
But on the positive front, Brini has a new weekly video podcast! I’ve already been subscribing to her popular weekly NPR audio podcast since the very beginning, but this is so well timed that I’m now positive Brini is my feminine alter ego. I just got a beautiful lime green Creative Zen Vision: M for my birthday and so now I can enjoy Brini on the subway or wherever I am! And it looks like she’s going to be showing clips from her original cable access show which is even more exciting. She actually gets a little naughty and sardonic. Is there anything this lady doesn’t do well?!
Finding My Favorite Music
Here’s a music survey about some of my favorite music. Like Chris over at Kriofske-Mix, where I found this survey, it took me about two weeks to complete. I found it very difficult as I wanted to include as much of my favorite music as I could. Still the results are pretty rewarding.
Name 5-10 wistful/bittersweet songs that come to mind:
The Sundays, “Can?t Be Sure”
Tori Amos, ?Winter?
Jann Arden, ?Mend?
Kate Bush, ?Watching You Without Me?
Chantal Kreviazuk, ?What If It All Means Something??
Emm Gryner, ?Serenade?
Martha & the Muffins, ?One Day in Paris?
Do-Re-Mi, ?The Happiest Place in Town?
Everything but the Girl, ?I Don?t Understand Anything?
The 4 Best Songs Ever Written:
Jane Siberry, “One More Colour”
Jane Siberry, “The Walking (And Constantly)”
Kate Bush, ?Suspended in Gaffa?
The Reivers, ?Once in a While?
3 Current Favorite Songs:
Sufjan Stevens, “Chicago”
And really, isn?t that enough? I am so swept away by ?Chicago.?
Classic Early Evening Drinking Music:
The Reivers, ?Karate Party?
3 All Time Faves That Never Get Old To You:
Abba, “Dancing Queen”
R.E.M., ?Fall On Me?
Martha & the Muffins, ?Danseparc (Every Day It?s Tomorrow)
Song You Want To Play At Your Wedding:
Magnetic Fields, “The Book of Love”
Song You Want to Play At Your Funeral:
Happy Rhodes, ?Save Our Souls?
4 Records You Really Dug from 2005:
Kate Bush, Aerial
Sufjan Stevens, Come On Feel the Illinoize
Gentleman Reg, Darby & Joan
Jorane, The You and the Now
4 Favorite Records From This Year So Far:
Sufjan Stevens, Avalanche
Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Blood
Those are the only 2006 albums I have that I can think of!
5 Good Angry Songs:
Nine Inch Nails, “Head Like a Hole”
Tori Amos, ?Precious Things?
Dalbello, ?Baby Doll?
Martha & the Muffins, ?Women Around the World at Work?
Talking to Animals, ?Playground?
One of Your Favorite Lyrics:
“You?re forgettable like 1993” ? Emm Gryner, “Disco Lights”
5 Cover Songs Arguably Better Than the Original:
Emm Gryner, “Pour Some Sugar On Me” (Def Leppard)
Holly Cole, ?I?ve Just Seen a Face? (The Beatles)
Luba, ?When a Man Loves a Woman? (Percy Sledge)
Bette Midler, ?Do You Wanna Dance? (Bobby Freeman)
The Carpenters, ?Superstar? (Rita Coolidge)
Ironic Song to Brutally Murder Someone to in a movie;
Deborah Conway, “Only the Bones”
Great Dance Song You Maybe Never Realized Was a Great Dance song Back in the Day:
Michael Jackson, “Don?t Stop (?Til You Get Enough)”
A Good Album To Put You In the Mood (that is Not Sade, Marvin Gaye or Barry White):
Anything by Morcheeba
5 Good Rock Songs That You Can Dance To:
The March Violets, “Turn to the Sky”
Garbage, “Stupid Girl”
Joan Armatrading, ?Drop the Pilot?
Face to Face, ?Out of My Hands?
Toronto, ?You?re Daddy Don?t Know?
4 Good Dance Songs (any kind):
Martha & the Muffins, ?Danseparc (Every Day It?s Tomorrow)”
November Group, ?Shake It Off?
The Cure, ?In Between Days (Without You)?
Spider, ?Better Be Good to Me?
Songs That Are Too Damn Sad:
The Magnetic Fields, “Acoustic Guitar”
Tori Amos, ?China?
Jane Siberry, ?The Taxi Ride?
Jane Siberry, ?Goodbye?
Jill Sobule, ?Life Goes On Without You?
4 Happy, Life Affirming Songs:
Sufjan Stevens, “Chicago”
Jane Siberry, “One More Colour”
Chantal Kreviazuk, “What If It All Means Something?”
Happy Rhodes, ?Collective Heart
5 Great Love Songs:
Mae Moore, “Because of Love”
Chantal Kreviazuk, “Before You”
Kate Bush, “Hounds of Love”
The Reivers, ?Once in Awhile?
Joan Armatrading, ?Heaven?
Song To Cheer Up A Friend:
Pizzacato Five, “Happy/Sad”
Song To An Ex That Isn’t Meanspirited:
Tori Amos, “Tear in Your Hand”
Song To An Ex That Is Kinda Meanspirited:
Jann Arden, “I Only Wanted Sex”
Song to Listen to While in The Country Looking at Stars:
Syd Straw, ?People of Earth?
Song to Lose Your Mind To:
Dalbello, ?Heavy Boots?
Song To Cry In Your Pillow to:
Wendy & Lisa, “Jonathan”
Songs That Make You Feel Amped and Inspired:
Queen & David Bowie, “Under Pressure”
Great Semi-Obscure B-side:
Eurythmics, “Grown Up Girls”
Song That Makes You Miss Your Mom:
Wendy & Lisa, “Valley Vista”
Tough Break-Up Songs:
The Magnetic Fields, “Oh Yeah”
So Happy It Makes You Wanna Skip:
Book of Love, ?You Make Me Feel So Good?
Feel No Shame: Great Current Pop Songs:
I just looked at Billboard?s Top 100 songs and curiously, I don?t know a single one.
Album No One Would Expect You To Love:
Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine
Album No One Would Expect You To Dislike:
10,000 Maniacs ? most of them.
5 Desert Island Discs off the top of your head (30 sec clock):
Kate Bush, Hounds of Love
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
Sufjan Stevens, Come On Feel the Illinoize
Martha & the Muffins, Danseparc
The Reivers, Saturday
3 Contemporary Artists That Were Your Faves 10 Years Ago:
Kate Bush, Garbage (are they still contemporary?), Jann Arden
Fave Electronic Record You Own:
BT, 10 Years in the Life
Random Album You Loved In High School But Are Afraid To Admit It:
Oh there are so many? how about Styx, Cornerstone
Album You May Have Listened To More In Highschool than Any Other Album:
A toss up: Fleetwood Mac, Rumours or Heart, Little Queen, Side A
If You Could Enter A Wrestling Ring to a Song It Would Be:
Wendy & Lisa, “If I Were Brave?” or
The Tragically Hip, ?Grace, Too?
Album To Clear A Room With:
Veda Hille, Spine
A Billiant Album That’s Also Stark & Lonely:
Suzanne Vega, Suzanne Vega
Hope I didn’t miss any worthy songs or albums, but I’m sure I did.
Collecting my 50 States
So, many people know that Scot and I are trying to get all 50 states. Here’s a nifty little website that lets you chart your own map of visited places! I’m doing pretty well. I’ve visited 32 states, and I will be picking up two more in the next three months. Thanks to myxcents for tipping me off to this useful tool
create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out ourCalifornia travel guide
Harvard Students Help in New Orleans
Since visiting New Orleans last month and rekindling my connection with that beleagured yet magnetic city, I have been more attuned to news of the city’s reconstruction. In yesterday’s Boston Sunday Globe I was heartened by a story about five Harvard students working to restore the neghborhood of Broadmoore, in the center of the city.
Repeatedly while the American Library Association took place in New Orleans, residents praised librarians for being brave enough to return to the city and hold our conference there. We were greeted, thanked, even hailed by some as heroes. While I’m not denying that holding the conference, which brought nearly 18,000 people into the city, was a wonderfully helpful thing, it truly is the people who live in New Orleans and return who are the true heroes. The ones who struggle to rebuild and restore the magic of this singularly unique city to what it was. Thanks to the students at Harvard for pitching in and helping out.
Read the story here.