You Can Trade Your Rights for Several Wrongs & Your Songs of Love for a Love of Songs...

A customer of mine brought in another cd of a favorite singer-songwriter of his, which I thoroughly enjoyed. He's brought me several such prizes over the last year, & I've always meant to return the favor but I always forget to, so tonight, before the game, I'm gonna get it started, finally. Making compilations is a great pasttime of mine, sometimes there's a time period or a type of music it's limited to, or sometimes it's limited to one artist, or even one artist during one time period, sometimes there's a theme behind it, Bob Dylan stole my idea on this one for his Theme Time Radio Hour(well, probably not). The latest show is songs about coffee, it's a shame he doesn't include his own songs.

My favorite of these that I made a few years ago has been a compilation of songs about trains, all from my collection. At first, I thought I'd be struggling to fill up a cd, but you'd be amazed at how many great songs there are involving a train.

For this comp, though, I'm going to keep it random as possible. The fun of these is the transition from one song to the other, making you wonder how one song could possibly be on the same cd as the next, but yet somehow all fit together. Maybe I'll go from Charles Mingus to the Roots, or Woody Guthrie to Stereolab, it's all part of the fun.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Nothingman-Pearl Jam, A Live One

Everybody feels this way from time to time.

Looks Like I'm Up Sh*t Creek Again-Nora O'Connor, Down from the Mountain, Five Years of Bloodshot Records

You wouldn't think a song with a title & a refrain like this could be so beautiful, it's all in the delivery.

A Night In Tunisia-Art Blakely & the Jazz Messengers, A Night in Tunisia

Drum solos have always bored me to tears, all of 'em 'cept this one.

Tombstone Blues-Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited

Faded from the Winter-Iron & Wine, The Creek Drank the Cradle

Today's blog is brought to you by Claussen's Pickles, enjoy a Claussen's Pickle with a Boca Burger today!

Happy Wednesday, friends, I hope your mixed tape is full of happy songs!

andrew

We Drove That Car as Far as We Could, Abandoned it Out West...

I think I've found a way out of my horrible 5 year lease on my Malibu. I still rank that decision as the worst I've ever made in my life, leaving voting for George Bush in the 2000 election far behind at #2. I'm going to pay dearly for that little decision, (the car that is, I won't comment on #2) but I think I've found the best way out of it, thanks to the fine folks at Gage Motor Mall.

My next decision is whether to buy a cheaper new car or go with a little bit nicer used car. I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow. Who knows, maybe I'll still be stuck with it, still.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

At Last-Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Got My Mojo Working-Muddy Waters

Muddy was a badass, there's no two ways around it. I still can't decide who was the best blues harmonica player of all time, Little Walter or Sonny Boy Williamson. For today, it's Little Walter

I Was Meant for the Stage-the Decemberists, Her Majesty the Decemberists

"mother please be proud, father be forgiving, even though you told me son, 'you'd never make a living'..."

Tears of Rage-Bob Dylan & the Band, the Basement Tapes

Ah, the glorious Basement Tapes...

When the Roses Bloom Again-Wilco, Nashville 2006

Today's blog is brought to you by the 2002 Chevy Malibu, a great car to drive unless you lease it for five years...

Happy Tuesday, friends, wherever you may roam...

andrew

This Town

I'm finding more & more that I'm enjoying living in a small town. Work & personal lives seem to be woven together, & I think much of that comes from the fact that everybody realizes that they've got to somehow get along. Who wants a bunch of neighbors they don't like? That's not to say that there isn't a fair amount of materialism & class divide, but it doesn't seem to effect relationships with other people. Today, I had lengthy conversations with painters, waitresses, an owner of a factory, & the owner of a very large development company & during all of them, everybody treated everybody else the same. I like my job.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Keeping Me Awake-Tarkio, Omnibus

It always seems to me that for every significant time period in life, there's a song that both reminds you of that time period & somehow frames the period at the same time. What a simple, bittersweet, brilliant, little song.

All Those Yesterdays-Pearl Jam, Wishlist

See above...Gotta go listen to this one again.

Thunder Road (song by Bruce Springsteen)-Bonnie "Prince" Billy & Tortoise, the Brave & the Bold

What's the point of covering a song if you can't bring something new to it that's not in the original? No worries here.

Amelia-Joni Mitchell, Hejira

What Can I Do For You?-Bob Dylan, Contract with the Lord

"you have given everything to me, what can I do for you? You have explained every mystery, what can I do for you?" "How about the best harmonica solo I can come up with?" Bob seems to be saying in this song. This song always reminds me of "Little Drummer Boy".

Have a good weekend, friends. It looked to be nothing but work for me, but it appears as if friends are coming over Saturday to watch the Pistons & my pal Katie's coming over Sunday. There's still work, but oh well...

andrew

Three Days, Three Great Men

May 23-25 boasts the best string of important birthdays in the history of the world.

My nephew Quinn turned four yesterday. I love watching that little fella discovering things, everytime I see him he does & says things I never could imagine him saying & it cracks me up everytime. I feel a special kinship with him, seeing as how he too is vastly outnumbered by women as I was as a lad. It'll only make him stronger, maybe he may pick up a thing or two about style. He knows a thing or two about tractors, he's a man's man. My favorite thing about Quinn? He's got a bit of curmudgeon in him. He's gonna need it to get along with those women.

Bob Dylan turns 65 today, & as I sit & listen to the latest version of my favorite song, Desolation Row, from April 29, I can honestly say he's still the most engaging performer on the planet. He's still on the road, performing 100+ concerts a year, no two the same (no matter what songs he plays), rather than resting on his unsurpassed body of work.

Ryan turns 27 tomorrow. You hear the cliche all the time that somebody is like a brother. This was never truer than it is with Ryan. Cheers, pal. I'll put some Cash in the player & raise a glass (or a can) for ya tonight at JW's, wish you could be there.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Desolation Row-Bob Dylan Jackson, 4-29-2006

you wouldn't think to look at him, that he was famous long ago, for playing the electric violin on Desolation Row...

Quinn the Eskimo (the Mighty Quinn)-Shepherd's Bush

when Quinn the Eskimo gets here, everybody's gonna jump for joy!

Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)-Sufjan Stevens, Michigan, Greetings from the Great Lakes State

Shelter Me-Buddy Miller, Universal United House of Prayer

Forever for Her (Is Over for Me)-the White Stripes, Get Behind Me Satan

Today's blog is brought to you by Rymar Wood Sealing Products. I was delighted to find out today that this company I buy deck stain from is owned & is run by one family. The owner's son came out today to do us a huge favor & tell us all about his products. He's got me sold, if I wasn't already.

Happy Wednesday, friends. Happy Birthday, gentlemen...

andrew

2-0

Yesterday was a great day of Detroit sports, starting with the Tigers game, my first in a couple of years. It's always great to watch the Tigers play, though I do miss Tiger Stadium. Everything is just a bit too nice & clean for my tastes, but oh well. It's a beautiful park, & it was a beautiful day, if not a bit chilly.

We bought the tickets before finding out the Pistons game would be at 3:30 on Sunday, the baseball game was at 1:05. So our best bet was a shutout from the hometeam, & they didn't disappoint. It was a pitcher's duel, with the Tigers not scoring 'til the 9th, my favorite kind of game. It was quick, too, allowing us to catch the final three quarters of the Pistons game at Ryan's, thanks in part to his brilliant navigation of his fair city. It was a stress-free deciding game, with the Pistons causing Lebron James to be ineffective in the second half.

It was a great day, a good time was had by all. Ryan's new place is great, right in the heart of Grosse Pointe, & a major upgrade from his place right in the heart of downtown Detroit (though that place was great, too). It was a very charming place, with a nice little market on the corner, & a nice coffee shop down the street. I'm proud of the ol' boy.

Dan, Jr & I had plenty of laughs on the way & back, too. A great day.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Highwater (for Charley Patton)-New Orleans Jazz Festival, April 2006

folks losin' their possessions, folks are leavin' town...

Very prophetic, methinks...

Like a Rolling Stone-New Orleans Jazz Festival, April 2006

When you ain't got nothin', you've got nothin' to lose, you're invisible now, you've got no secrets to conceal...

Why? (What's Goin' On?)-the Roots, the Tipping Point

Springtime Can Kill You (Get Out of the House)-Jolie Holland, Springtime Can Kill You

This House-Kevin Davis

the ones you love are walkin' tall with their diplomas in their hands, but they've never really graduated...

Today's blog was brought to you by Majestic Painting of Grand Haven, paint jobs that last the duration...

okay, the image wouldn't upload for some reason...

have a good week, friends...

andrew

Opa Holds Court

I got a welcome visit from Opa & Jane yesterday at work. It was as if a celebrity came to visit, he kept everyone at the store laughing during their stay. All the important topics were covered, religion, romance, sports, Britton, Adrian, business & much much more. We went & had a nice lunch at the Morningstar, they took a tour of my place, Jane bought some paint (Gloria helped her pick out colors & quantities, I hope she likes 'em!) & they were on their way. I hope they had as much fun as I did.

In other news, Gloria & I went to a couple of greenhouses today & I bought some plants to brighten up the patio, it's looking pretty mean. It's good to know experts!

It's going to be a busy day of Detroit sports, tomorrow. Jr, Dan & I are driving to Detroit to go to the Tigers game with Ryan tomorrow. We are hoping for a quick victory (shutout, maybe?) so that we can make it to Ryan's to watch the majority of the Pistons game. Why do they schedule a game for 3:3o? My prediction for the Pistons is that they'll finally realize that they really do need to win & pull out a convincing win. Chauncey will break out of his slump, Tayshaun will hold Lebron James to under 50 points, Ben Wallace will make one free throw, Rasheed Wallace will only get one technical foul.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

All Along the Watchtower-Bob Dylan, Las Vegas April 7, 2006

Ever since Jimi Hendrix transformed this song from a low-key folk song into an electrified masterpiece, Bob Dylan has been trying to copy it in concert. Hendrix's cover of Bob's song turned out to be one of the best rock & roll songs of all time, & it's one of the few, if not the only, cover song that I enjoy as much as the original. Bob & the band come close to Jimi's arrangement, with Denny Freeman mastering the "train going over the tracks" sound that Jimi had. Has there ever been a more ominous opening lyric to a song? There must be someway out of here, said the joker to the thief...

Arthur Murray-Vic Chesnutt, the Salesman & Bernadette

She's so fashionable, she's a nazi when she's shopping...

Born in the 70's-the Fruitbats, Spelled in Bones

Whatever happened to you?

If I Needed You-Townes Van Zandt, Rear View Mirror

I would swim the seas for to ease your pain...

Highwater (for Charley Patton)-Bob Dylan, Ann Arbor November 7, 2002

Today's blog is brought to you by cool, refreshing Pabst Blue Ribbon, voted America's best in 1893!

Happy Saturday, friends...

andrew

Hanging on to a Solid Rock...

They are building new condos next door to me, the same builder that built mine. I've been keeping an eye on the progress daily, & I can't help but think how frail it all is. Move some dirt around, throw some foundations in, drop a bunch of rocks, throw up a frame, put some siding up. That's not to say that they're doing a bad job, it's just amazing how quick it all is. One hurricane, one bulldozer or some other major disaster could take it all down. Good thing we've got the solid rock, made before the foundation of the world...

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Oh Well-Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine

I saw somebody at JW's the other night that looked just like Fiona Apple.

I try to talk sense to myself, but I just won't listen...

How Was I to Know?-Nil Lara

I saw this guy play at Borders Books in downtown Ann Arbor when I was seventeen or so, it was an incredible show, just him & his guitar. He only made the one album, & it's remained one of my favorites. It's a shame he's never made more.

Floater (Too Much to Ask)-Bob Dylan, Love & Theft

my grandfather was a ducktrapper,
he could do it with just dragnets & ropes
my grandmother could sew new dresses out of old cloths
I don't know if they ever had any dreams or hopes
I had 'em once, though, I suppose
to go along with all the ring dancin' Christmas Carolers
on all the Christmas eves
I left all my dreams & hopes
buried under tobacco leaves...

Cold Irons Bound-Kansas City, Bob Dylan 4.17.06

reality has always had too many heads...

Please Tell My Brother-Jeff Tweedy

Happy Wednesday, friends!

andrew

We Could Talk About the Weather

I try to avoid using weathertalk for small talk at work, & anywhere in general. First of all, %90 of the time it's a complaint, too hot, too cold, too rainy, too snowy, too this, too that. Second of all, I start to get annoyed, both with myself, & the other person talking about the weather, because whatever words are exchanged are usually the same things over & over again. I have one customer that whenever he comes in, we do our best to come up with every weather cliche in the book.

"Hot enough for you?"

"You know what they say about Michigan, if you don't like the weather, stick around!"

"How's the roads?"

It's the little things in life, I guess...

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Living Proof-Cat Power

When I Get to the Border-Richard & Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

Positively Fourth Street-Bob Dylan, Memphis, 2006

This version is an absolute train wreck, but I love it. It sounds like he's trying his best to make it as wierd as he possibly can.

At My Window Sad & Lonely-Wilco, Nashville 2006

Handshake Drugs-Wilco, Nashville 2006

"if I ever was myself, I wasn't that night..."

Off to watch the Pistons, it's guarun'sheed!

Happy Monday, friends...

andrew

Mother, Summer, I

Philip Larkin

My mother, who hates thunderstorms,
holds up each summer day & shakes
it out suspiciously, lest swarms
of grape-dark clouds are lurking there;
but when the August weather breaks
and rains begin, and brittle frost
sharpens the bird-abandoned air
her worried summer look is lost,

and I her son, though summer born
and summer-loving, none the less
am easier when the leaves are gone
Too often summer days appear
Emblems of perfect happiness
I can't confront: I must await
a time less bold, less rich, less clear:
an autumn more appropriate.

How Many Roads?

Ever think of the streets you've travelled on the most in your life? Maybe I drive too much, or maybe I have to much time on my hands to think up questions like these. I was in the car for six hours today, give me a break.

If I had to guess, the streets I've spent the most time on are as follows:

Lake Michigan Drive-I can drive down Lake Michigan drive & point out at least five places I've lived almost directly off of Lake Michigan drive, & when I didn't live on Lake Michigan drive, it was the main thoroughfare to get to work. Driving back & forth to school, & driving from Grand Rapids to Grand Haven, Grand Rapids to Lansing, Grand Rapids to downtown Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids to Allendale, Allendale to Grand Rapids. I know it like the back of my hand.

I-96-This one may be tied for the most time on one road. West Michigan to East Michigan. 'Nuff said.

Waltz Rd-Holy cow! I just realized that I don't remember the street that goes through Waltz? It's Waltz Road, right? I haven't travelled much time on this road in my own car very much, quite a bit with the parents, but the most time put into this little street was on bike or on foot, back & forth to bud's. I don't care what they call it now, it's always buds to me. They sold me alot of baseball cards, Faygo Cream Soda's & combos.

Some other contendors:

US-31-the lakeshore's only highway

i-94

i-275

Colony Rd

Yup, too much time in the car, today, & too many miles put on the car over the years. I can't possibly keep it to five songs today, Here's ten:

In My Hour of Darkness-Gram Parsons, Grievous Angel

Daylight-the Drive By Truckers, A Blessing & a Curse

A World of Hurt-the Drive By Truckers, A Blessing & a Curse

The Book of Right On-Joanna Newsom, the Milk Eyed Mendor

Jesus Savior Pilot Me-hymn

For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti-Sufjan Stevens, Michigan, Greetings from the Great Lake State

Details of the War-Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah

Love Me, I'm a Liberal-Phil Ochs, There But for Fortune


On the Corner, New York Girl, Thinkin' of One Thing & Doin' Another, Vote for Miles-Miles Davis, On the Corner

This ain't no Kind of Blue.

I & I-Bob Dylan, Berkeley, CA, 1995

I make shoes for everyone, even YOU, & I still go barefoot!

Have a good week, friends...

andrew

It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Blogging)

So, Bob Dylan on his new radio show, Theme Time Radio Hour, has picked songs about mothers for this week's theme. It was pretty good, but here's the song's I would've picked.

Tell Me Momma-Bob Dylan
Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?-Elliot Smith
Motherless Child-Eric Clapton
Send a Picture of Mother-Johnny Cash
Mama, You've Been on My Mind-Bob Dylan
Julia-John Lennon
It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)-Bob Dylan
Come All You Tenderhearted-Ralph Stanley
Life Without You-Stevie Ray Vaughan
Mother Rose-Patti Smith
Sweetness Follows-REM
White Dove-Ralph Stanley

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

She's a Jar-Wilco, Summerteeth

"When I forget how to talk I sing..."

Sometimes-Daniel Lanois, Shine

"could it be, ever really be alright?"

The Long Cut-Uncle Tupelo, Anthology 89/93

"we'll get there eventually..."

Ain't You Wealthy? Ain't You Wise?-Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Master & Everyone

Things Have Changed-Las Vegas, April 7, 2006

"I hurt easy, I just don't show it, you can hurt somebody & not even know it..."

happy mother's day...

andrew

I Don't Believe You

Apparently, I met the keyboard player of Deep Purple today at Damon's in Grand Haven. He had the accent to fit the part, & plenty of stories that seemed to fit the part, so I had no reason not to believe him. He liked Donovan's music, though, fair enough. They call it Mello Yellow. It all started by him overhearing that my ex-girlfriend's father was British. He'd never heard of Nick Drake or Philip Larkin, though, which makes me a bit suspicious.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Supersede-Jackie Greene, American Myth

Hard Life-Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Master & Everyone

Angel to Be-the Subdudes, Anunciation

Five Long Years-Eric Clapton, From the Cradle

La Familia-Kevin Davis & Valerie Marincic, Eulogies for November

Happy Friday, friends!

andrew

Buckets of Rain

We're in hour 16 of continuous rains & high winds. This is probably the worst May has to offer.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Blind Hope-Son Volt, Wide Swing Tremolo

here's one for you, leave one for me...

A Hard Rain's a Gonna Fall-No Direction Home Soundtrack

Oh, what'll you do now, my blue eyed son?
What'll you do now, my darling young one?
I'm a goin' back out 'fore the rain starts a fallin'
I'll walk to the depths of the deepest dark forest,
where the people are many & their hands are all empty,
where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters,
where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prisons,
where the exectutioner's face is always well hidden,
where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten,
where black is the color, where none is the number,
and I'll tell it and think it & speak it & breathe it,
and reflect from the mountains so all souls can see it,
then I'll stand on the ocean until I start sinking,
but I'll know my song well before I start singing,
and it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard,
it's a hard rain's a gonna fall...

When the Roses Bloom Again-Wilco, Nashville, 2006

Gonna Be a World of Hurt-Drive By Truckers, A Blessing & a Curse

Volver, Volver-Los Lobos, Just another Band from East LA

Playing this cd at work today brought forth alot of unwanted opinions about immigration. Oh well.

Happy Thursday, friends!

andrew

Whatever Colors You Have in Your Mind...

I've been in charge at the store for over a year now, & I think it's about time I do some redecorating. I'm sick of looking at the dingy white walls with pushpin holes from various memos from the past which've long outlasted their usefulness. I want an office that looks like it's not a paint store office. So, today, I finally replaced the old fax machine that had about a %25 success rate, I took a bunch of obligatory posters off the wall & moved them to the back room. I went back to the old mistake pile to try & find a color that would work, & painted a couple of color samples on the wall. This gave me an idea, why not have these little samples all over the place? So, what's going to happen is I'm gonna paint the walls a neutral color, then paint a bunch of different color swabs (no colors repeating) in 4" wide by 6" long sections up close to the ceiling. Good idea?

Gloria didn't like the idea, but the rest of the gang was on board. Democracy rules! Actually, I would've done it anyway. Being in charge rules!

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Tear Stained Eye-Son Volt, Trace

It's hard to believe it's been over 10 years since I first heard this album. There was no better radio station than 93.9 out of Windsor for a young lad such as myself who was interested in music like this which was outside of the radio mainstream. They played all kinds of stuff that you could never hear on any other commercial radio station. Unfortunately, it switched to an easy listening format soon after I went away to college. Son Volt is still one of my favorite bands, though.

Mexican Blue-Jolie Holland

I've always been more interested in Holland's singing rather than her songwriting, but this is mighty fine, quite possibly her finest!

White Dove-Bob Dylan, Irving Plaza, 1997

This is my favorite of the many Stanley Brothers tunes that Dylan's covered, it's great with the bandmembers singing harmony. the savior needs angels up in heaven...I wonder if Stevie Ray Vaughan thought of this lyric when he wrote the angels have waited, for so long, take your place...from "Life Without You". Man, now I gotta go listen to that one...

Give Back the Key to My Heart-Uncle Tupelo, Anodyne

Or just drop it in the mail...

Died a Little Today-Alejandro Escovedo, the Boxing Mirror

This is Escovedo's first album from his near-fatal bout with hepatitis C. It's pretty good, the production is a little too slick for my tastes, Alejandro's in good voice. This song is incredible. I'm going to see him at the Wealthy Street Theatre next month, should be good...

Happy Wednesday, friends!

andrew

6-0 6-1 6-4

An ugly first "official" night to the unofficial tennis season. Dan & I got smoked in our first full night of tennis. I couldn't serve right, he couldn't return the serves right, it was ugly. Fun, though. At least there's Thursday when I can emberass myself at golf.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day (just today)

Into My Arms-Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, the Boatman's Call

I've always found this song to be rather disturbing, but fascinating at the same time. It's a beautiful little melody. The singer seems to be an atheist (I'm not sure if it's autobiographical or not) but is torn between the love for the girl who isn't & his stubborn beliefs. The songwriter seems to not want anything to do her faith, but uses it instead to woo her. Either that, or he has some doubts. It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where the dentist converts to Judaism for the jokes. But, like my old man always says about people who show up in church, it doesn't really matter how you got here, as long as you're here. Or something like that. If the songwriter starts thinking about Christianity because he's interested in the imagery, even if he doesn't believe a word of it, maybe somehow it'll sink in.

Easy on Yourself-the Drive By Truckers, A Blessing & a Curse

The greatest rock band playing today (in my not so humble opinion, anyway) in what seems to me their best record yet. This is a great song.

I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight-Richard & Linda Thompson

Pass Me Not, Oh Gentle Savior-Bob Dylan, Live 2000

Springtime Can Kill You (get out of the house)-Jolie Holland

Jolie Holland made a jazz record! It's pretty good too, although her voice is better suited to be upfront & center. Her vocals get kind of lost in some of the arrangements.

Happy Tuesday, stop on down to JW's!

andrew

Back on track!

We had one of the busiest days in a long time today, & we needed it!

Five favorite songs of the day

Here I Dreamt I was an Architect-the Decemberists, Castaways & Cutouts

"And I am nothing of a builder, but here I dreamt I was an architect and I built this balustrade to keep you home to keep you safe from the outside world."

Music for dorky english majors!

Visions of Johanna-Birmingham, Alabama, April 30, 2006

Desolation Row was recently added to the Oxford Anthology of American Poetry, it could've just as easily been this song, though. This is one of the best versions since the great ones from 2000.

Get Right With God-Lucinda Williams, Essence

Sing it, sister!

Wide River to Cross-Buddy Miller, Universal United House of Prayer

This is fast becoming one of my favorites.

Go Pistons!

andrew

The Month of May

by Wendy Cope

The Month of May, the merry month of May,
So long awaited, and so quickly past.
The winter's over, and it's time to play.

I saw a hundred shades of green today
And everything that Man made was outclassed.
The month of May, the merry month of May.

Now hello pink & white & farewell grey.
My spirits are no longer overcast.
The winter's over & it's time to play.

Sing fa la la la la, I dare to say,
(Tried being modern but it didn't last)
The month of May, the merry month of May.

I don't know how much longer I can stay.
The summers come, the summers go so fast,
And soon there will be no more time to play.

So carpe diem, gather buds, make hay.
The world is glorious, Compare, contrast
December with the merry month of May.
Now is the time, now is the time to play.

Yesterday, everything was moving too fast, today it's moving too slow...

Well, back to normal speed, actually. I've been busier than a one legged man in an ass-kicking contest lately (pardon my french, but I couldn't compromise that great saying) with work & other stuff.

I just got through one of the worst months my little store has seen since I've been in charge. Business was down from last year, an unwelcome change of pace & ridiculous customer complaints seemed to come out of the woodwork. We got through it, though, with minimal damage, & we managed to keep the customers happy with minimal expense to the store. On to May!

In addition to spending late hours at the store, golf season started, with the first league night on Thursday. Considering I hadn't played yet this year, I did relatively well & had a good time.

I was happy that the weekend came, as my longtime pal Ryan came over & hung out. We played golf a couple times & also hit the tennis courts! I came up with one of the biggest upsets in amateur sports history by tieing (yes, that's right, tieing) Ryan one set to one before we hit the links, where it was back to losing as usual.

The third, semi-annual dart tournament went over splendidly, the Kirby Grill was a great place to have it. We had our own room & our own waitress serving us drinks & food. A good time was had by all.

Last & probably least, I'm sitting at my bar, typing away on my new laptop (or should that be bartop?). This is one way to spend more time in the kitchen. Let the record show that the fancy, self-cleaning stove which I swore I'd use alot after I moved closer to work, has only been used twice, both times to cook frozen pizza. At least I have a good view of it.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Mr Tambourine Man-Bob Dylan, Memphis, April 25, 2006

It seems Bob finally remembered how to sing on this tour. The organ is a nice change of pace from the goofy keyboard he was using, also. It'd still be nice to hear him play the good 'ole acoustic guitar again, though.

The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth-Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah

I hated this album when I first heard it, it sounded like a hundred other indie rock bands I've heard, but it's really growing on me.

Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!-Sufjan Stevens, Illinois

This album has that strange effect on me where, sometimes it annoys the daylights out of me, & other times I think it's the best thing I've ever heard. I keep listening to try & figure it out.

When I'm Gone-Phil Ochs, There But for Fortune

This is a beautiful little tune, that I don't necessarily agree with. Great song, though.

Happy tuesday, friends...

andrew