This is one of those "notes" that's been circulating around Facebook. I thought it would make an interesting blog post. Here are the rules: Pick one artist, and answer the following questions using titles from their songs. I chose The Cure, which may have been a mistake because they have SO many titles that fit me.
The Thursday 13: Albums I can listen to over and over and over...
There are more; these are just the first 13 I thought of. And they're not necessarily in order. And some I only have on vinyl so I can't listen to at all.
1. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" soundtrack
2. "Disintegration" by The Cure
3. "Bloodletting" by Concrete Blonde
4. "Shake These Blues" by Pinkie and the Snake Shakers
5. "Pretty in Pink" soundtrack
6. "Promise" by Sade
7. Sue Saad and the Next (self-titled)
8. "Strong Persuader" by Robert Cray
9. Chris Isaak (self-titled)
10. "Grace" by Jeff Buckley
11. "Dummy" by Portishead
12. "Chimera" by Delerium
13. "You've Done Lost Your Good Thing Now" by B.B. King
1. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" soundtrack
2. "Disintegration" by The Cure
3. "Bloodletting" by Concrete Blonde
4. "Shake These Blues" by Pinkie and the Snake Shakers
5. "Pretty in Pink" soundtrack
6. "Promise" by Sade
7. Sue Saad and the Next (self-titled)
8. "Strong Persuader" by Robert Cray
9. Chris Isaak (self-titled)
10. "Grace" by Jeff Buckley
11. "Dummy" by Portishead
12. "Chimera" by Delerium
13. "You've Done Lost Your Good Thing Now" by B.B. King
So maybe I should appreciate my job a little more...
Sometimes (OK, a lot of the time), I complain about my job. Freelance journalists don't earn enough, don't get much respect, and of course there's the no benefits/health insurance/401k disadvantage that comes from being self-employed. And much of the time I feel like I'm writing "fluff" pieces, or articles that probably won't even be read. But every now and then something reminds me why I became a journalist.
I just finished an article about two women who adopted children from another country, and who are now starting a charity to help that area. During the interview I'm already feeling a little guilty about how I complain about my sluggish computer, or the two digital cameras that don't work, when I'm hearing about the thousands of people who live in fear of constant violence and may not always even have food. At the end of the interview, the children want to say hello to me. One thanks me for writing the article and "helping people in the Congo." I may communicate for a living, but I had no idea what to say to this teenage boy. Sure, I was excited about writing an article about a good cause. But I just thought of it as interesting story about the benefits of adopting from another country, or about the dedication involved in starting a charity. I never thought of my article as something that might directly help people halfway across the world. Equally surprising, I realized that sometimes, the best reward is just a "thank you." And I feel I owe him, this boy half my age, a thank you for reminding me not to complain so much.
I just finished an article about two women who adopted children from another country, and who are now starting a charity to help that area. During the interview I'm already feeling a little guilty about how I complain about my sluggish computer, or the two digital cameras that don't work, when I'm hearing about the thousands of people who live in fear of constant violence and may not always even have food. At the end of the interview, the children want to say hello to me. One thanks me for writing the article and "helping people in the Congo." I may communicate for a living, but I had no idea what to say to this teenage boy. Sure, I was excited about writing an article about a good cause. But I just thought of it as interesting story about the benefits of adopting from another country, or about the dedication involved in starting a charity. I never thought of my article as something that might directly help people halfway across the world. Equally surprising, I realized that sometimes, the best reward is just a "thank you." And I feel I owe him, this boy half my age, a thank you for reminding me not to complain so much.
I just don't get kids today...
I say this more and more often. Just a few years ago, I was the one older friends and relatives came to for insider information about "modern youth culture." I knew what bling and tramp stamp meant, and could decipher some basic text/IM abbreviations like TTYL and BRB. I was also quite proud of knowing the meanings of FML, WTF? and STFU. Lately, though, I have no clue what anyone under the age of 30 is saying. Plus, their music annoys me and I am quite confused by their fashion sense. Apparently, sometime in the last few years, I became an "old fogey." Before long, I will be spotted sprinting out of my house carrying a broom and chasing away those no-good JDs who trample my flower garden.
"Get away from my daffodils, you whippersnappers!"
What showed me just how old I've gotten? Video games. In my day (*groan*), we had Pac-Man, a strange little creature running around eating dots and making beeping noises. (I had the Texas Instruments version - "Munch Man.") I still remember when Super Mario Bros was introduced. Wow! Look at the pretty colors! And all those characters! And all those levels!
For my generation, video games were just an entertaining diversion; today they are a way of life. There are magazines, organizations, online gaming groups. Video games are now complex alternative universes. Learning the rules and lingo for those is hard enough, and I'm way out of my league when it comes to virtual reality games. Isn't it enough work creating a "real" identity for myself? Now I have to pick an online persona as well? Blue hair? Black hair? Schoolgirl uniform? Overalls? Tall? Short? Slender? Uh, "full-figured?" I'm still trying to figure out who I want be when I grow up, in the offline world, I mean, and I can't help but think I could put all that energy and creativity to better use. Still, it's not just the teens and tweens who speak a language I can't understand, play games I don't get and dress in things I wouldn't have been caught dead in when I was younger. People my age are adopting all of this too. And wouldn't I be narrow-minded not to at least try to figure out what all this is about? Besides, I'm a journalist. I could call it "research."
So, with what's left of my weekend, I think I'll fire up my old Texas Instruments computer, read a fashion magazine or two, maybe even watch "Gossip Girl" or "One Tree Hill." Or maybe I'll just watch Mystery! on PBS, listen to one of my old Cure CDs and pass out after the evening news.
"Get away from my daffodils, you whippersnappers!"
What showed me just how old I've gotten? Video games. In my day (*groan*), we had Pac-Man, a strange little creature running around eating dots and making beeping noises. (I had the Texas Instruments version - "Munch Man.") I still remember when Super Mario Bros was introduced. Wow! Look at the pretty colors! And all those characters! And all those levels!
For my generation, video games were just an entertaining diversion; today they are a way of life. There are magazines, organizations, online gaming groups. Video games are now complex alternative universes. Learning the rules and lingo for those is hard enough, and I'm way out of my league when it comes to virtual reality games. Isn't it enough work creating a "real" identity for myself? Now I have to pick an online persona as well? Blue hair? Black hair? Schoolgirl uniform? Overalls? Tall? Short? Slender? Uh, "full-figured?" I'm still trying to figure out who I want be when I grow up, in the offline world, I mean, and I can't help but think I could put all that energy and creativity to better use. Still, it's not just the teens and tweens who speak a language I can't understand, play games I don't get and dress in things I wouldn't have been caught dead in when I was younger. People my age are adopting all of this too. And wouldn't I be narrow-minded not to at least try to figure out what all this is about? Besides, I'm a journalist. I could call it "research."
So, with what's left of my weekend, I think I'll fire up my old Texas Instruments computer, read a fashion magazine or two, maybe even watch "Gossip Girl" or "One Tree Hill." Or maybe I'll just watch Mystery! on PBS, listen to one of my old Cure CDs and pass out after the evening news.
The Thursday 13: Mental Vacation
I'm trying to be a good little worker bee, really I am. But I am feeling a bit restless and in need of a day off. So I thought for today's Thursday 13, I'd let myself think about all the places I wish I was, in the hopes of temporarily getting it out of my system. Then maybe I can get back to work. Maybe.
Physically I am at the computer, but mentally I am here:
1. At the State Fair.
2. At the Million Dollar Museum in White's City, N.M. (They had mummies and a really cool fortune-teller machine.)
3. Anywhere my dogs are welcome. : )
4. At any one of the, like 50, concerts I've missed lately.
5. At Starwind, which used to be my favorite store but no longer exists.
6. Anywhere that requires at least an hour's drive.
7. Roller skating.
8. At an arcade.
9. At a midnight showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
10. At the library.
11. At a poetry reading.
12. At a thrift store, antique shop or garage sale.
13. Somewhere where there's no Internet or cell phone.
Physically I am at the computer, but mentally I am here:
1. At the State Fair.
2. At the Million Dollar Museum in White's City, N.M. (They had mummies and a really cool fortune-teller machine.)
3. Anywhere my dogs are welcome. : )
4. At any one of the, like 50, concerts I've missed lately.
5. At Starwind, which used to be my favorite store but no longer exists.
6. Anywhere that requires at least an hour's drive.
7. Roller skating.
8. At an arcade.
9. At a midnight showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
10. At the library.
11. At a poetry reading.
12. At a thrift store, antique shop or garage sale.
13. Somewhere where there's no Internet or cell phone.
The Thursday 13: Things I Promise NOT to Do to You on Facebook
1. I will not throw Justin Timberlake, Barack Obama or any other public figure at you.
2. I won't "poke" you.
3. I won't invite you to take every quiz I take.
4. I won't tag you in a photo without your permission.
5. I won't tag you in a note unless you regularly tag me in notes.
6. I won't start a pillow fight, water gun fight or any other kind of virtual war with you -- but will be forced to defend myself if you start one with me. : )
7. I won't send you Farm Town, FarmVille or Mafia Wars gifts unless I know you're an active player.
8. I won't ask you to take my "How well do you know me?" quiz.
9. I won't ask you to join a cause.
10. I won't say anything too private or personal in a wall post or status update comment - after all, I remember how to use e-mail and the telephone.
11. I won't mention you by name in a note without your permission.
12. I won't ask you about your plans for the evening/weekend/lunch, etc. on your Facebook page.
13. I won't post "remember when" comments about grade school, junior high, etc. on your Facebook page.
2. I won't "poke" you.
3. I won't invite you to take every quiz I take.
4. I won't tag you in a photo without your permission.
5. I won't tag you in a note unless you regularly tag me in notes.
6. I won't start a pillow fight, water gun fight or any other kind of virtual war with you -- but will be forced to defend myself if you start one with me. : )
7. I won't send you Farm Town, FarmVille or Mafia Wars gifts unless I know you're an active player.
8. I won't ask you to take my "How well do you know me?" quiz.
9. I won't ask you to join a cause.
10. I won't say anything too private or personal in a wall post or status update comment - after all, I remember how to use e-mail and the telephone.
11. I won't mention you by name in a note without your permission.
12. I won't ask you about your plans for the evening/weekend/lunch, etc. on your Facebook page.
13. I won't post "remember when" comments about grade school, junior high, etc. on your Facebook page.
Music sounded better on 8-track
My first 8-track? "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" soundtrack. My mother bought it for me when I was about two -- after she'd taken me to see the movie. It was stolen -- so she bought it for me again on vinyl.
The Thursday 13: Some of My Favorite Addictions
Don't worry; they're all PG-rated. :-)
1. Anything chocolate
2. Pinball
3. Skee-ball
4. IM
5. Lip balm
6. Mystery novels
7. Farm Town and FarmVille
8. Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chocolate chip muffins
9. Thrift stores
10. Crossword puzzles
11. Blogging
12. Coca-cola
13. Eggplant parmigiana from The Olive Garden
1. Anything chocolate
2. Pinball
3. Skee-ball
4. IM
5. Lip balm
6. Mystery novels
7. Farm Town and FarmVille
8. Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chocolate chip muffins
9. Thrift stores
10. Crossword puzzles
11. Blogging
12. Coca-cola
13. Eggplant parmigiana from The Olive Garden
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