the sloppy copy

I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to a friend from grad school (and, by association, her brother) who first introduced me to Elliott Smith’s music. Almost as soon as I heard Figure 8 for the first time, he became my favorite artist. So on the off chance you’re reading this, thanks Jenn.

“Looking over my shoulder” / Elliott Smith (2007)*

*released posthumously. Not sure when it was actually recorded.

As also published on Facebook.

As a girl, I wanted to be like Blanche Devereaux when I grew up, before I fully comprehended what that meant. I would do what my Mom called the “Blanche Walk” through our house: shoulders back, hips in full swing, sashaying like an alleycat in heat.  I wrapped floral sheets around myself, spoke in a ridiculous Southern accent, and used the word “lanai” in everday speech, though I was only vaguely aware that it was some sort of architectural feature that our house may or may not have possessed.

As a grown woman, I’m not sure my aspirations have much changed.

Rest in peace to the incomparable Rue McClanahan.

Does this video win for Worst Homemade Youtube Music Video ever? If not, it’s in the top five. “Hey, Jason – I think this picture’s out of focus!” “Nah, you’ve just had too much moonshine, Walt. Put it up!”

“Ramblin’ Man” / Allman Brothers (1973)

Happy Birthday to Ronnie Dunn. Also, I love this song.

“My Maria” / Brooks and Dunn (1996)

Say whatever the heck you want about this song, but it wasn’t written to please everyone (note the link to info about the song itself).

“Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” / Toby Keith (2002)

Also, do we wish others a “happy” Memorial Day? How about a “hopeful” one, as in “let’s get our people home in one piece”?

Activities that we have witnessed our neighbor doing with a beer in one hand:

1. Sitting on his patio on a sunny afternoon
2. Working on a dilapidated Isuzu that is usually parked in his carport
3. Taking in our town’s Homecoming parade
4. Tending his garden
5. Mowing his yard
6. Pulling his granddaughter around the yard in a little red wagon
7. Stacking firewood in progressively-messier piles along the fence
8. Sitting on his patio at 3:00 am
9. Mowing his yard, in the rain
10. Hiding additional beer behind his air conditioning unit
11. Hiding additional beer in his garden shed
12. Driving the aforementioned Isuzu through his small, fenced-in back yard
13. Standing on a stepladder, trimming branches from a small tree using a FUCKING CHAINSAW.

Race weekend!

“Back Home Again in Indiana” / Jim Nabors

In Sideways World,* Julie ran with the Velvet Underground and did lines with Andy Warhol. I swear, it happened.

“Walk on the Wild Side” / Lou Reed (1972)

*Haha, LOST reference that I do not completely understand but appropriated for my own use anyway!

I don’t know why this song is in my head, but this video is just downright awesome.

“Good Times Gonna Come” / Aqualung (2005)