Year's end meme

A look back at 2008 via the first words I posted each month:

January: The first day of the new year... woke up hung over and irritable.

February: I found myself in work this morning before the sun had even come up. That's just wrong.

March: HESS truck! It lights up, and that's about it.

April: Well, our new found Irish friend completed the restoration of our stone wall today.

May: RIP Albert Hofmann.

June: In the normal course of a day, I send roughly 20 some emails to various people asking them to complete, correct or re-do work. That's my job.

July: In order to help fill the state coffers, Massachusetts just put into effect an additional $1 per pack cigarette tax.

August: Sorry, guys. I have no information about Wall E stuffed animals. If there are any, I'd like one.

September: Got my copy of The Bunny Boy today.

October: Needless to say, I can not wait!

November: Well, the trick or treating was light, but over all it was a fun day.

December: You may now refer to me as Rev. TK8103.

Thanks to Mycalls for the idea. Here's hoping 2009 is a decent year, filled with happiness, prosperity, and more inane drivel from yours truly.

And my apologies to KG for dumping champagne all over her.

Chores

In order to teach TKJr some responsibility and allow him to earn a small allowance, KG came up with a list of chores for him to do after school. Before he can have a snack or watch TV, he has to do the following:

1. Shake sand out of his shoes and put them away.
2. Take lunch box out of backpack, put dirty sandwich box in sink, put lunch box and backpack in green bin.
3. Pick up toys from living room floor and put away in brown boxes.
4. Wash hands with soap and water.

She made up a poster with the list and hung it in the kitchen. TKJr liked it, and so far has been good about doing them. Shortly after KG explained the list to him and hung it up, I found him at the table, busily working with a marker and a piece of paper. At the top of the paper he had written "Mom and Dad", and down the side were the numbers 1-9. I asked him what he was doing, and he told me he was making a chore list for us. He then dictated the following list to me. I wrote it down verbatim, and it is now hanging in the kitchen along with his chore list. I think #8 is my favorite.

1. Eat snacks that are healthy, don't eat spicy ones.
2. Tickle TKJr when he's silly.
3. Take good care of the cat.
4. Never, ever spank Mommy.
5. Put your jammies on quick before midnight.
6. Be an early bird, just like TKJr.
7. Don't blow bubbles with bugs flying in them.
8. If there's a fire in your room, call the fire fighters but please don't run out of town.
9. Always wash dishes when you see little dirt spots on them.

Mosaic meme

Oh, and it's click-o-riffic!

So, I found this on Mycalls blog, and thought it would be fun. Of course, he has a nice actual mosaic showing on his page. Me, I just don't feel like joining Flikr today. So my meme, you gots to click the link to see the picture. Here's the rules:
1. Type your answer to each of the questions below the mosaic into Flickr Search.
2. Using only the first page of results, pick an image.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into mosaic maker.


1. What is your first name? Christopher,
2. What is your favourite food? "What? Oh, not much, hanging out, eating some pizza...",
3. What school did you go to? Salmacis,
4.What is your favourite colour? water droplets in the shower - o.k. bokeh,
5.Who is your celebrity crush? Come for the celebrities,
6.Favourite drink? Mmmm, there's more in here....,
7.Dream vacation? Reminder to Self: Slow Down on the Caffeine,
8.Favourite dessert? angry CIA killer,
9.What you want to be when you grow up? The Snuff Film,
10.What do you love most in life? An old Killarney home,
11.One Word to describe you? DEEP SEA HARDHAT DIVER #8 "NO EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH",
12.Your nickname? The Power of Blood (2nd in a series)

My answers? (highlight)
1. Christopher
2. Pizza
3. Mount Ida
4. Blue
5. Katee Sackoff
6. Sam Adams
7. Tropical island
8. Tapioca
9. Content
10. Kerry
11. Eclectic
12. Schultzy

Merry Meme

Mycalls posted this, so I'll share the yule cheer.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Paper for the kids, bags for everyone else.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real tree and wreath this year.

3. When do you put up the tree? The second weekend of December, usually.

4. When do you take the tree down? In the past, when it was good and dead. This year I suspect it'll be sooner.

5. Do you like egg nog? Hood's new gingerbread flavored is really good.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Anything Star Wars, most of which I still have. And the aforementioned Green Machine.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? We have an incomplete one somewhere. I was thinking of filling in the missing players with action figures.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My parents. They really don't need any more shit.

9. Easiest person to buy for? The kids. They're more than willing to express their desires.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail this year. usually I just forget all together.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My grandmother gave me a horrid sweater one year. Damn near scarred me for life.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? It's a toss up between A Christmas Story and It's a Wonderful Life.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? In earnest around mid November.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Indeed.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Italian cookies. Eggnog, pumpkin pie.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? We usually have clear, but the kids voted for colored this year.

17. Favorite Christmas song? "Merry Fucking Christmas" from the South Park Mr. Hankey album. "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" still gets me, mostly because it's always relevant.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We do a bit of traveling.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Did I mention I have kids? That'd be a yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Last year we had a Darth Vader head. This year, a star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People being rude because they are so frazzled... it seems to get worse every year.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I've got a boatload of Star Wars ornaments. Enough said.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Homemade pizza and chocolate soy milk. That'll do just fine.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A wood burning stove would keep me happy

Unexplained bacon

So, I checked in mycall's blog and discovered a meme. It's been a while since I posted one, so here it be.


Does someone love you?
Yes, indeed. That's the grease that keeps my wheels turning.

Do you know anyone named Dave?
I do.

Ever kissed anyone with the name starting with a J?
I did. A few times.

Has anyone ever mistaken you for a family member?
My father many, many times.

What colour are the walls of your parent's bedroom?
Huh? Off white, I think.

Do you think that hair extensions look skanky?
There's one girl at work that looks dynamite in them. Not my thing really, but some people can pull it off

Are you named after a grandparent?
Nope, for a saint who is no longer a saint.

Say you were given a drug test right now. Would you pass or fail?
I keep talking about quitting my job to work at Home Depot. They wouldn't hire me.

Are you taller than 5'6"?
By 3 inches..

Do you know anyone in jail/prison?
Not that I'm aware of. But that's just because they haven't been caught.

Ever see a dead body?
Hundreds of them.

Do you like the colour green?
I do.

What is your best friend's Dad's name?
Bill.

How old are you?
34.

Who was the last person to send you a text message?
KG when we were playing with our new phones.

Ever drove into the ghetto to buy drugs?
I used to work in Bridgeport, CT. So yes.

Last restaurant you went to?
China Pearl, which used to be International Buffet. I usually wouldn't suggest International Buffet, but this one was attached to a Chinese supermarket and had really good food.

What is the weather like today?
Foggy morning breaking up into midday sun. In the high sixties.

Last voice mail you received?
A clinician with a problem which I ignored.

What did you do yesterday?
Woke up, went to work, got in trouble, picked up Belly from daycare, went home, had dinner, watched the last installment of The War, cruised Fark, went to bed.

What's the first thing you would do with five million dollars?
I really don't know. I'd probably buy something foolish. Because I could.

What nationalities are you?
Heinz 57.

How many hours did you sleep for last night?
5

Any upcoming concerts you want to attend?
I'd love to see the Zepp reunion.

Who's the last person that you felt was stalking you?
My ex wife.

What jewellery are you wearing?
My wedding ring. That's it.

If all of your friends were going on a road trip, would you?
Depends on where they were going.

How much money do you have?
Not nearly enough

Do you swear at your parents?
If they ask for it.

Is your phone right beside you?
yes, I'm on call tonight.

Have you cried today?
I had to pretend to cry to entertain TKJr..

Do you think that someone is thinking about you right now?
Probably not. That's not a bad thing.

Do you untie your shoes every time you take them off?
Never!

What is the colour of your bedsheets?
Beige.

Have you ever crawled through a window?
Many times.

Are you photogenic?
I guess.

What's your star sign?
Aquarius.

Where do you spend most of your money?
Home repairs.

What was the last thing you did?
Scratched my balls.

Do you have a tattoo?
Three. You want details? A tribal dragon on my right shoulder, Kokopelli on my left arm, and a bluebird on my right arm with Belly's name.

Do you still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings?
I have kids.

Is there a secret you've never told any of your friends?
Possibly.

Have you ever told someone you loved them but didn't mean it?
Nope.

Have you ever changed your clothes while in a vehicle?
On occasion.

What are you doing in 2008?
Sleeping, hopefully.

What is your ring tone?
The Imperial March

What were you doing at 2am last night?
Drooling into my pillow.

Are your parents married/divorced/separated?
Divorced, remarried, divorced again, remarried.

What are you doing tonight?
Catching up on Curb Your Enthusiasm, smoking butts and typing out a meme.

What are you doing tomorrow?
Same shit.

Who did you last message on Myspace?
An old friend from high school.

What's your opinion on sex without emotional commitment?
Why the hell not?

Does it annoy you when someone says they'll call but never do?
Not really.

What did you dress up as for your first Halloween?
The Lone Ranger.

Favourite Disney movie?
Cars

What is the wallpaper on your cellphone?
"Cyberspace"

What can you do with 130 minutes?

You could watch Conan the Barbarian.

You can learn that hypercarbia or mild hypothermia are ineffective in ATP recovery after ischemia.

You could watch The Perfect Storm.

You could take this picture.

You could melt a cube of frozen vinegar at room temperature.

Or, you could do what I did today and travel 10.1 miles from work to the kid's daycare.

As much as I miss the gang, that drive sucks my soul.

On the plus side, Pierce Brosnan is going to be narrating Thomas the Tank Engine next year, and the Yardbirds with Page and Beck will be touring.

Oh, and I got to hang out with the gang, and that was worth it.

Ahh, another meme, complments of Mycalls:
Four things you may not have known about me! (but probably do if you're a regular reader of this blog)

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. House keeper

2. Funeral Director

3. Gas Station Attendant

4. Video Store Clerk

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:

1. Office Space

2. Star Wars

3. Dawn of the Dead

4. Airplane!

C) Four books I have loved:

1. Cat's Cradle- Kurt Vonnegut Jr

2. World War Z- Max Brooks

3. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay- Michael Chabon

4. And The Ass Saw the Angel- Nick Cave

D) Four places I have lived:

1. Ridgefield, CT

2. Weymouth, MA

3. Quincy, MA

4. Somerville, MA

E) Four TV shows I love:

1. Battlestar Galactica

2. Lost

3. The Office

4. Sesame Street

This last one's thanks to TKJr... he brings out the kid in me.

F) Four places I have been on vacation:

1. San Francisco

2. Las Vegas

3. York, Maine

4. Cleveland, OH

G) Four of my favorite foods are:

1. KG's homemade pizza. I force myself to save enough for lunch the next day.

2. KG's minestrone soup. More curative powers than chicken soup.

3. Tapioca pudding.

4. KG's Thanksgiving dinner. I married her for a reason.

H) Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Anywhere warm. I'm tired of feeling like Hedwig everytime I go out for a smoke.

2. Asleep.

3. In my own house.

4. I hear Amsterdam is fun.

I) Four friends I think will respond first:

1. Molius may, if the mood strikes him.

2. I'm cross posting, so perhaps a JSer or two?

3. Names? Names? Names?

4. Anyone else want to surprise me?

Year End Meme

Got this little meme from Love and Other Strange Drugs : Post the first sentence from the first post from every month of 2006. So, here goes nothing:
Jan: Plane crashes are something else.
Feb: Never, ever borrow someone else's video-game controller.
Mar: I live on a quiet side street.
Apr: KG and I received a nice surprise kick in the figurative balls today.
May: Not much happening over here worth reporting.
Jun: There's a bit of a disconnect between what is and what should be.
Jul: My little sister just turned 31.
Aug: Coolest freakin toy ever...
Sep: After looking at 30+ houses, I think we may finally be done.
Oct: Oh, I'm sure some day the boy will hate me for this.
Nov: I've said again and again that I've lost my ability to be outraged.
Dec: One of my favorite SNL bits ever...

Stupid Hyperfocus

Finally, after 3 days, I'm done tagging all 329 posts on this damn blog. Here's a breakdown:

Asshole Neighbors (6) ( I thought there would be more of these)
Current Events (17) ( none of them current now)
Friction (2) (creative writing)
Fubar (18) (messed up shit from around the world)
Life. It's Bigger. (134) (my life, not surprising it's the highest number)
Lists (16) (memes, etc)
Misc (30) (mostly links)
Pics (40) (I thought this would be higher as well)
Prose (7) (more creative writing)
Rant (31) (again, I thought this would be higher)
Star Wars (37) (not surprising)
The Residents (8) (They deserve their own tag)
Trooping (14) (I don't get out much)
Video (7) (youtube)
Work (30) (sucks)
Zombies (2) (I need to talk more about this)

So, that was fun. Pointless, but entertaining.

meme

Well, if nothing else, it'll push the post with my horrid high school portrait down. So, compliments of Names, who picked it up from Mycalls, here we are:


1. One book that changed your life: The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang. That pretty much snuffed out the last lingering shreds of altruism that might have been lurking around inside of me.

2. One book that you've read more than once: Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut. It makes me laugh out loud every time.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island: A complete Calvin and Hobbes collection would keep me highly entertained.

4. One book that made you laugh: I'm not a huge Stephen King fan, but the story about Lard Ass Hogan in "The Body" made me laugh out loud for several minutes.

5. One book that made you cry: About 3 years ago, for some strange reason, any book concerning the death, dismemberment, mutilation or harm of a child highly disturbs me.

6. One book that you wish had been written: The New Testament. I can promise you's like my version better.

7. One book that you wish had never been written: I'll agree with Mikey and Names. All stories must be told, even the ones we disagree with.

8. One book you're currently reading: The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. It's not a matter of if, but when.

9. One book you've been meaning to read: I have an entire bookshelf taller than me for just such books.

10. Now tag five people: Knock yourselves out.

Lemmings

They don't actually commit suicide in droves. See here

That said, I'm all for jumping on the bandwagon. So, here's a meme, thanks to ella.

Consider yourself tagged, if you go for that sort of thing.


NAME SIX THINGS YOU ARE ADDICTED TO:
1. cracking my knuckles
2. cigarettes
3. caffeine
4. my children's laughter
5. masturbation
6. ella

NAME SIX THINGS THAT YOU ARE SCARED OF:
1. raccoons
2. brain cancer
3. zombies
4. losing my family
5. debt
6. George W
NAME SIX WORDS THAT YOU THINK SOUND FUNNY:
1. rucksack
2. moist
3.kerfufal
4. heifer
5. fece
6. nigga

NAME YOUR SIX FAVORITE PLACES TO SHOP:
1. eBay
2. Newbury Comics
3. IKEA
4. Old Navy
5. Toys r us
6. Ralph America

NAME YOUR SIX FAVORITE RESTAURANTS:
1. Pizzeria Uno
2. Chillis
3. El Sarape (local Mexican joint)
4. Bickford's
5. any greasy spoon diner
6.Abington Ale House

NAME SIX THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN HOW TO DO:
1. Play the guitar well
2. Raise well adjusted kids
3. Quit smoking.
4. Get along with my wife.
5. Use the Force.
6. become invisible.

NAME SIX SCENTS YOU LOVE THE SMELL OF:
1. napalm in the morning
2. coffee
3. moist vagina
4. babies
5. fresh cut grass
6. autum leaves

NAME YOUR SIX FAVORITE OFFICE SUPPLIES:
1. my red Swingline stapler
2. Post Its
3. drug company pens
4. stress balls
5. binders
6. paper clips, large

NAME SIX PROFESSIONS YOU WOULD SUCK AT:
1. food service
2. retail
3. sales
4. law enforcement
5. politics
6.prostitution

NAME SIX FAMOUS PEOPLE…THAT SOMETIMES…YOU WISH YOU COULD JUST PUNCH IN THE NOSE:

1.George Bush
2.Dick Cheney
3.Bob of Bob's Furniture
4. David Copperfield
5. Michael Bay
6. Foghorn Leghorn

Cars

Oh, I've owned a few. In the 17 years I've been driving, here's what I've owned:

1983 Chevy Impala I called him Elwood. It was a former Maine State Police car. 380cc 4bbl. Piece of shit that cost me thousands, but I loved it.
1985 Chevy Citation this one only lasted a few weeks. I hated it.
1985 Reliant K Another short lived car. I lost the exhaust system and then returned it. I disliked this car as well.
1987 Grand Prix Probably the nicest looking car I ever owned. It was a piece of shit. No power at all.
1990 Geo Metro The Smurfmobile, so called because it was bright blue. I loved this car. Small, dorky, 40 miles to the gallon.
1988 Isuzu Pup My first, and only, pick up. This car was awesome, and I loved it. bright red, I called it Sniff. I drove that sucker into the ground.
1974 Chevy Nova Looked kinda like this, except it had 4 doors, was hand painted, and completely rusted out. I bought it as a project car. Apparently, the project was to pay $300 for a car, leave it in a driveway, and then pay $50 to have it towed and junked.
1988 Pontiac 6000 My parents gave KG and I this car. You could usually get it to start by jamming a screwdriver into the carb. The suspension went, it sat on the street and got towed away. We didn't notice. This "free" car cost me $600 in parking tickets and $100 more to have it junked.
1988 Plymouth Horizon Another "free" car, this was my first manual transmission. After driving it once, I had to replace the transmission. KG and I dubbed it "little Lisa". It last a month or two.
1998 Saturn SL-1 My current, and to date, best car. I really can't complain. In the 5 years I've had it, I've replaced the exhaust and brakes twice, replaced the tires, batteries and rear brake lights. Other than a leaking moonroof, it's done me well.

That's it, so far.

meme!

Because I'm bored and it's too late to start anything else:

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
Thomas' Railway Word Book "Heat from the firebox turns water into steam."

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you touch?
I just cracked my hand into the wall.

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Thomas the Tank Engine

4. Without looking, guess what time it is:
11:15

5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
11:05

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
The humidifier in my kids room (on the monitor) and the furnace. And my wife watching The Ben Stiller Show in the bedroom.

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
8:30, for a smoke.

8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
ella's latest entry.

9. What are you wearing?
This:
Black sweatpants, a maroon long sleeve T and a gray T that says "WXLZ", black Nikes. I was painting today, OK?

10. Did you dream last night?
I dreamed I was sleeping.

11. When did you last laugh?
A few hours ago when I put my son to bed.

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Pictures of my kid, pictures of my wife as a kid, a glamour shot potrait of me in my stormtrooper armor, a framed print of some cat painting.

13. Seen anything weird lately?
My sister stopped by for a visit.

14. What do you think of this quiz?
It's entertaining me.

15. What is the last film you saw?
Some Aussie flick that was on IFC late last night.

16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
A really big house, and some biker scout armor.

17. Tell me something about you that I don't know.
I have a tattoo of Kokopelli on my left arm.

18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
I'd kill my upstairs neighbors. Petty, but true.

19. Do you like to dance?
Depends on the amount of alcohol.

20. George Bush:
Fucking twit.

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Nicola.

22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
He is.

23. Would you ever consider living abroad?
New Zealand, in a heartbeat.

24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
Umm, sorry about that.

25. 4 people who must also do this meme in THEIR journal:
Well, I stole this. So, if you've just read it, you'd better do it too.

meme!

Found this fun meme over on Love and Other Drugs

Here are the rules:

Grab the nearest book
Open the book to page 123
Find the fifth sentence
Post the text of the next 3 sentences (#5,6,7) on your blog, along with these instructions.
Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! Just grab what is closest. No cheating.

The closest book to my computer is actually "Guess How Much I Love You." But, children's books don't have 123 pages. So, a blind reach into the bookcase results in "The Master Magicians: Their Lives and Most Famous Tricks" by Walter Gibson. My sentences are:

He decided to make up for it with another grand tour, this time including Europe on his route. In December, 1904, Ching Ling Foo arrived in London with a company of Chinese jugglers, contortionists and acrobats. His troupe opened as the headline attraction at the Empire Theater.

Thanks, Mycalls. That was entertaining.

I'm Mr. Stagger Lee!

Top 5 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds albums


1. Murder Ballads . Dark, dark humor abounds on this album. 10 songs, all as the title suggests, murder ballads. Nick joyfully inhabits the mind of the various killers. "Stagger Lee" has my all time favorite line in a song ever... "I'd climb over 50 good pussies just to get to one fat boy's asshole."
2. Henry's Dream. Atmospheric, moody... this is a great album. "Christina the Astonishing" is a haunting track.
3. The Boatman's Call Nick's first post-rehab album. It's an abrupt about-face from his usual over the top ballads. Here we find deeply, painfully personal thoughts. It's not a happy album, but a great one none the less. It was my soundtrack for a few years.
4. Let Love In This is probably his best known album, contains the track "Red Right Hand." My personal favorite is "Do You Love Me (Part 2)", but as already shown, I have strange tastes.
5. B Sides & Rarities I wish more bands, esp The Rez, would do this. A 3 disc box set of every B side, outtake and non-album track ever. I'm a completist when it comes to my favorite bands, and it costs an arm and a leg trying to collect all the EPs and singles. Thank you, Nick, for putting it all together in one place. Best track, his duet with Shane Mcgowan on "What a Wonderful World."

Eat exuding oinks!

This list was tough. I've been putting off doing these guys because it's so damn difficult to come up with my favorite 5. Each album is such a unique creation it's hard to rate. That said, this is what I managed to nail down...

Top 5 The Residents albums

1. Residue DeuxThis compilation of out takes served as my introduction to the eyeballed ones. For a collection of orphaned tracks, it does a fairly good job of introducing a newbie. Before "The Sleeper" was half over, my heart was taken.
2. The Big Bubble Probably one of the most unpopular Residents album out there. You either love it or hate it. This one is like a soundtrack to insanity. Sung completely in gibberish, the raw emotion is unnerving. According to legend, the band was at odds with their label. It shows. Me thinks this whole album was a big old "fuck you." I love it. "Gotta Gotta Get" is one of my favorite songs in the whole world.
3. Stars and Hank Sadly, I only have this on LP, so I don't get to hear it much. One side is Hank William songs, covered in a fairly straight forward manner (Residentially speaking, of course). Side 2 are Sousa songs. The Sousa side is recorded with ambient crowd sounds, so it seems like you're on the sidewalk watching a parade go by. One crazy friggin parade, mind you.
4.Wormwood "Curious Stories from the Bible." Indeed. Probably one of the crowning moments for the Rez, this album takes some of the darkest, most fucked up stories from the Old Testament and puts them to music. Sung from the perspective of the characters. Musically this is the residents at their peak. This was the second album I got, and doomed me to drooling fanhood forever more. "Burn Baby Burn", I love that song!
5. The Warner Brothers Album This is actually part of the Rez's pre-history, and never officially released. I've heard 2 remix versions now (Eyeball sanctioned), but I'm fortunate enough to have a copy of the original, and I love it. Immensely. The unbridled enthusiasm, the raw sound... you can't beat it.
6. Diskomo 2000/Goosebumps Told you I couldn't do 5. When I first heard about The Residents, it was the Goosebumps EP that was described to me. The teller of the tale didn't remember the album title, only that it was scary renditions of nursery songs. I lusted after this, and amassed most of my collection before finally finding it. This is perhaps my most beloved album. It really is kind of creepy.

Well, I could go on and on, but that'll have to do. Thank you Molius for introducing me to Mozilla. Cntrl + Tab makes these lists a whole lot easier!

Schnappschub ein familienfoto

Top 5 Peter Gabriel Albums

1.Passion . The soundtrack to "The Last Temptation of Christ". Say what you want about the film, this album is incredible. Haunting, moving, inspiring. I would often listen to this while writing.
2.Us . A deeply personal and introspective album. I've liked this album since it was released, but it wasn't until a car trip from Ohio that it really started speaking to me.
3.Peter Gabriel 4 aka Security . I actually bought this album for the sole purpose of visiting my friend Jen P when she worked as a cashier at Caldor . Ended up being one of my all time favorite albums. "Rhythm of the Heat" and "Lay Your Hands on Me" simply kick ass.
4.Peter Gabriel 3 aka Melt . Gabriel once said he wanted his albums to be like magazines. Same title, different content. First time I ever got rip assed drunk (on SoCo, no less), I sang a very painful, off key rendition of "Biko" to my girlfriend on the phone. "Intruder" is a great track as well. I've been listening to this one a lot lately.
5.Ein Deutsches Album . Same album as #4, except sung in German. The mixes are a bit different as well. I poked around trying to find info on why Gabriel rerecorded the album in German. Didn't find much except one mention of it being a response to his solo work not being very big in Germany. At any rate, it brings a whole new dimension to an already outstanding album. I just picked it up on CD after only having it on vinyl for the last 10+ years. I also just discovered that he also recorded Security in German, so I guess I'll be hunting for that soon.

Top 5 Led Zeppelin

Ahhh, screw y'all. I'm getting the obvious ones out of the way first. I was going to pick the box sets for # 1 & 2, but that pretty much encompasses every single album. So I'll try not to cheat...

1.Led Zeppelin . Right out of the gates these boys were a force to be reckoned with. Favorite track.. "How Many More Times"
2.Led Zeppelin III . Mmmm, mmm, good.
3.Led Zeppelin II. What can I say, the best albums had no proper title. "The Lemon Song." Woohoo!
4.Physical Graffiti. I'd put this in my top 10 just on the power of "In My Time of Dying." God damn, that song rocks.
5.BBC Sessions. For the longest time I only had a cassette of this, taped off of BCN back when BCN played music. Perhaps my all time favorite rendition of "Dazed and Confused."

Next up, something slightly more esoteric....

Let the lists begin...

So, I decided to kill a few days worth of posting with a bunch of Top 5 lists. No real reason, I just feel like doing it.

I'm going to start with Top 5 albums, by band. These lists are completely subjective. I'm going strictly by what albums I own, and which ones I listen to the most. Take issue if you must, this is by no means a scientific, accurate or relevant list.

Top 5 Pink Floyd albums

1. Echoes . I usually don't go for the "best of" collectections, but this 2 disc set really hits home. Excellent selection of songs, and the tracks are laid out well. Great for first time listeners, long time fans, anyone looking to chill out for a few hours.
2.Dark Side of the Moon . Goes without saying, really. KG's fave as well. Awesome album from start to finish.
3.The Final Cut . Probably one of the least popular albums. It was their coda, and is pretty much all Waters. I don't know, though... for some reason I really enjoy it.
4.Animals . I first got into Floyd when I was watching WKRP. Johnny Fever was playing "Dogs", much to Mr. Carlson's dismay. I really dug the sound, and this was my first Floyd album.
5.The Wall . High school, angst, The Wall. This album was the soundtrack to my late teens.

That's all for now!

Smelly Tongues

Oh, The Residents. How I love them. Can I just say how happy I am my bud Molius is a Smelly Tongue now? Very very happy. It's good to share the insanity.

You know TV has run out of ideas when the History Channel has an hour of programming dedicated to CGI re-enactments of WWII dogfights.

I'm too lazy to think of anything original to say, and BG will be on soon, so I'm going to "borrow" a list from Mycalls . Cuz I like lists.

5 Things That No Longer Scare Me
1. Death. I've given it a lot of thought over the years. I'm in no hurry, but I'm not afraid either.
2. Dust bunnies. I was a strange child, I thought they were alive.
3. Nuclear war. I haven't traded that fear for anything else, but it's nice to know that global destruction is no longer a realistic threat.
4. Talking to girls.
5. Monsters. Sure, if I actually saw one I'd promptly shit my pants. But I'm not afraid of them lurking under the bed anymore.

5 Things That Still Scare Me
1. Having no money. I gots me a kid, enough said.
2. Cancer
3. "Them"
4. Raccoons.
5. My ex-wife.

5 Things That Never Used to Scare Me...But Do
1. Americans.
2. Being a father.
3. Health care. I work in the field... y'all should be scared too.
4. My own body.
5. Losing my hearing. Sometimes I suspect it already started.