Every Day I Write The Book

I know that Summer does not start until the solstice on June 23rd, but to me Summer begins on Memorial Day Weekend & ends on Labor Day, like bookends. This Summer, I plan to do a great deal of reading, a favorite activity at Post Apocalyptic Boehemia, along with whole lot of writing.

Nothing is quite as lovely as a book in the back garden or reading at the beach on Sauvie Island, spread out naked on a blanket, with a thermos of Vodka Lemonade.

Today I meditated on & recorded a list of 10 Books That Changed Me. Would you care to share your list, please?

The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving

Tales Of The City by Armistead Maupin

A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood

Flesh & Blood by Michael Cunningham

United States by Gore Vidal

Pentimento by Lillian Hellman

Myself Among Others by Ruth Gordon

My Dog Skip by Willie Morris

Mississippi Sissy by Kevin Sessums

Top 10 Songs Of 2011

The Husband & I had a New Year's ritual for decades We would prepare a list of our top 10 albums of the year & our favorite track from each. On the evening of New Year's Eve, when we would return home after working, we would open our envelopes & starting with #10, we would announce & listen to each of our choices. We would do this while drinking Champagne. We would become rather intoxicated by the time we got to our #1s & we would become woozily sentimental, bursting into tears from spending time with our favorites, which of course often overlapped, but the choices were almost always ranked differently. Then we would make out & have drunk sex while the music played on.

The ritual fell aside with the downloading of tunes instead of buying LPs & eventually moving to CDs. I have not purchased a CD since Amy Winehouse's Back To Black (a nearly perfect album) in 2006. 

In that spirit, I offer up my favorite songs of 2011. You don't have to get drunk (well, maybe a little Champagne), make out or have sex... but, I would be interested in your choices for Best Songs of 2011. Care to share?

Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2011:
Pumped Up Kicks- Foster The People
Rolling In The Deep- Adele
I Won’t Let You Go- James Morrison
The Lazy Song- Bruno Mars
Moneygrabber- Fitz & The Tantrums
That Is Why We Fight- The Decemberists
Shake It Out- Florence + The Machine
Poison & Wine- Civil Wars
Calgary- Bon Iver
Our Day Will Come- Amy Winehouse

I love Lists

With only 20 days left to endure, 2010 has been, mostly certainly, the roughest year of my life... so far. The year is close to over, & some of the few things that I can really enjoy about the month of December are Best Of lists, Critics' Awards & Year End Wrap-Ups.

In the notebook that I carry in my handsome & masculine manpurse, I have been making note of things that I have never done, that most people in the USA have done, or that others would find surprising that I had never experienced. Example: At close to 60 years old, I have never been to a funeral. Really.

At brunch last week (the husband made Sourdough French Toast with maple basted, baked pears) I introduced the question: What is something that you have never done or experienced, that most people in our country have? My circles' answers were surprising & telling. Can you name something? I am proud to add that list; I have not seen Avatar, but I am looking forward to the Justin Bieber 3-D movie about his life. Can you say the same?

My person of the year is Steven Slater, the gay flight attendent for Jet Blue, who, after landing at JFK, & after a fight with a passanger, announced on the PA system: "To the passenger who called me a motherfucker, fuck you. I've been in this business 28 years. & that's it. I'm done." He then grabbed 2 beers & then slid down the plane's emergency chute. He is a hero to me.

My favorite new word of the 2010: "refudiate". Thank you, Sarah Palin. You never disappoint.

My Top 50 Songs Of The Aughts

1. Babylon - David Gray (2000)
2. Heaven- Brett Dennen (2009)
3. Things Have Changed- Bob Dylan (2000)
4. Beautiful Day - U2 (2000)
5. By Your Side - Sade (2000)
6. In My Place - Coldplay (2002)
7. White Flag - Dido (2003)
8. Collide - Howie Day (2003)
9. Don't Know Why - Norah Jones (2002)
10. Please Forgive Me - David Gray (2000)
11. Heaven - Los Lonely Boys (2003)
12. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day (2004)
13. Viva La Vida - Coldplay (2008)
14. The Space Between - Dave Matthews Band (2001)
15. Love’s Divine- Seal (2003)
16. Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Fray (2005)
17. Shattered (Turn The Car Around) - O.A.R. (2008)
18. Phantom Limb - The Shins (2006)
19. You Know I'm No Good - Amy Winehouse (2007)
20. Why Don't You & I - Santana (2002)
21. Ordinary People- John Legand (2003)
22. If I Had Eyes - Jack Johnson (2008)
23. Think I'm In Love - Beck (2006)
24. She Moves In Her Own Way - The Kooks (2007)
25. Come Away With Me -Norah Jones (2002)
26. Breathe (2 AM) - Anna Nalick (2004)
27. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol (2006)
28. Rehab- Amy Winehouse(2008)
29. Your Body Is A Wonderland - John Mayer (2001)
30. Mushaboom - Feist (2005)
31. Crazy - Gnarls Barkley (2006)
32. In A Little While - U2 (2000)
33. Trouble- Ray Lamontagne (2004)
34. The Underdog - Spoon (2007)
35. Feel Good Inc- Gorrilaz (2005)
36. Funny The Way It Is - Dave Matthews Band (2009)
37. Black Horse & The Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall (2005)
38. Missed The Boat - Modest Mouse (2007)
39. Soul Meets Body - Death Cab For Cutie (2005)
40. Mercy - Duffy (2008)
41. Walking With A Ghost- Tegan & Sara(2006)
42. Waiting On The World To Change - John Mayer (2006)
43. A-Punk- Vampire Weekend (2008)
44. Read My Mind - The Killers (2006)
45. How To Save A Life - The Fray (2005)
46. Supernatural Superserious - R.E.M. (2008)
47. 100 Years - Five For Fighting (2003)
48. Chasing Pavements- Adele (2008)
49. Falling Slowly- The Swell Season (2006)
50. Electric Feel - MGMT (2008)

Random

A random list of things that I like a great deal:

My husband
Summers in Portland
Making lists:
http://listverse.com/
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
Sex
Cocktails
Hot tubs
Bed-headed skater boys
Pizza
The Obama family
Ipods
The first ½ hour of the Today Show
Listening to music
Thunder & lightning
Gardens
The World Wide Web
Magazines
Having $ in the bank
Wholesale
NYC
Mad Men
The Gym
Drag Queens
Dogs
Sauvie Island & Rooster Rock
Ugly Betty
Blogging
My Job
Good friends- old & new
30 Rock
Good movies that move me, make me think or make me laugh
Naked men
Ampersands
Beer
Walking/hiking
Being gay
(I consider it a gift from God… really. Otherwise, I would be a middle aged white straight male)
The ocean
Collections
The big four award shows
Dragonflies
Robins

A random list of things that I truly dislike:

Being broke
Closet cases
Going to the dentist
Religious fundamentalists
Jackhammers
Leaf blowers
People who walk 3 or 4 across on the sidewalk
Parking on the sidewalk
People that don’t pick up their dog poop
Talking during a movie
Inappropriate cell phone use
Crazy, berserk, fact challenged conservative Christians
Having exotic wild animals as pets
Carl Rove
Dolls
Nazis
Puppets
Full price retail
Syringes
Racism * sexism * homophobia
Vomit
Waiting in line
Comcast (although I do nothing about it)
Not using your turn indicator
People who don’t vote
Michael Vick
Steak Houses
Cockroaches
Really loud music emanating from souped-up automobiles
Job hunting (I tend to stay at jobs for a long time… I am at 7 years with my current company)
Bathrooms on airplanes
Rashes
The Bush Family
Theme parks
Winter in the PNW

I would be interested in your lists.

from the library (uncensored & raw)

From my Itunes Library:


Number of Songs: 4420
Most Recently Played Song: One Note Samba, John Pizzarelli
Most Played Song: Once In A Lifetime, Talking Heads
Most Recently Added Album: Best Of, Radiohead

First Song Alphabetically: A-Punk, Vampire Weekend
Last Song Alphabetically: 99 Miles From LA, Johnny Mathis
Smallest Song Numerically: 0:71, Roseanne Cash
Largest Song Numerically: 7 Days to Change Your Life, Jamie Cullum

Shortest Song: Love Moment #1, Ari Gold (0:38)
Longest Song: Stay, Jimmy Somerville (19:00)

First Album Alphabetically: Absolutely, ABC
Last Album Alphabetically: Zoolander, Original Soundtrack
First Band Alphabetically: a-ha
Last Band Alphabetically: !!!

First Ten Songs That Pop Up On Shuffle:

Satellite, Lou Reed

Le Femme Parallel, Thievery Corporation

Happy Heart, Marc Almond

Downtown Lights, The Blue Nile

God, John Lennon

Adore, Prince

I Will Survive, Shirley Bassey

Green Light, John Legend

I Melt With You, Modern English

Modern Love, David Bowie

I've got the music in me

Music has always been the most important element in my life (well maybe after love & sex).

My parents both have good singing voices & my mother played flute. The Spokane public school system tested all students in the 3rd grade for musical ability & then made a recommendation to the parents as to what that child should or should not study (this was in the early 60s). I am quite sure they don't offer this service now. It is just wrong that schools have continued to cut The Arts from curriculum.

I had started piano at age 6 & studied until my junior year of high school. The school district's recommendation was for me was to play drums, but my parents said no to that. I wanted to play flute like my Mother, but she thought that playing flute would make me a homosexual...& we all know how that turned out. I started with trumpet & then I got braces. I switched to cello. I played cello until Jr. High when the conductor asked me to switch to String Bass because no one played it. I thought it was a great way to be first chair with little effort. I guess I was pretty good. I played in the Spokane Junior Symphony & had a scholarship at 14 to Tangelwood.

I gave up being an instrumentalist my sophomore year of high school to concentrate on being on stage. I was able to use my musical training as an actor a few times. I played the cello when I played Henrik in A Little Night Music (the pit cello usually played & the actor mimes) & I played the bass in Pump Boys & Dinettes (R thinks that it was my best show ever).

One of my favorite blogs- Deep Dish, challenged readers to name their 35 most influential songs.

Here is my entry:

Once In A Lifetime- Talking Heads

Beyond The Sea- Bobby Darrin

Waters Of March- Antonio Carlos Jobim

Every Breath You Take- The Police

God Only Know- The Beach Boys

Shiver Me Timbers- Tom Waits & Bette's version

If I Had A Boat- Lyle Lovett

Naive Melody- Talking Heads

My Hand Over My Heart- Marc Almond

I Get Along Without You Very Well- Frank Sinatra

Vivaldi's Song- Michael Franks

Train in Vain- The Clash & the Annie Lennox version

Things Have Changed- Bob Dylan

The Windmills Of Your Mind- Dusty Springfield

Fly Me To The Moon- Frank Sinatra (& others)

Take Me To The River- Talking Heads & the Annie Lennox version

One For My Baby- Frank Sinatra

I Get A Kick Out Of You- Jamie Cullum (& lots of others)

One- U2

Mack The Knife- Bobby Darrin (& lots & lots of others)

Little Red Corvette- Prince

Let's Dance- David Bowie

I Will Survive- Gloria Gaynor

I Remember- Stephen Sondheim

Every Day I Write The Book- Elvis Costello

Every Time We Say Goodbye- Annie Lennox

Crying- k.d.lang & Roy Orbison

Older- George Michael

Cigarettes & Chocolate Milk-Rufus Wainwright

Across The Universe- The Beatles

The Ballad Of Lucy Jordon- Marianne Faithfull

God Give Me Strength- Elvis Costello

Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most- Julie London

Anyone Can Whistle- Stephen Sondheim

End Of The World - Matt Alber

Care to contribute yours?

My First Post

I am a daily follower of several blogs, but never really thought I would do one of my own. But, 2009 is about doing things I have never done before. I started on January 1st by trading the sides of the bed that the husband & I sleep on, for the first time in 30 years...we both liked it better & I have very vivid & fantastical dreams now. I received an email from my friend Erika yesterday that was one those "about you questions" lists. Here was my response:

Welcome to the 2008 edition of getting to know your Friends. press FORWARD then change all the answers so they apply to you, and then send this to your friends including the person who sent it to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known!

1. What time did you get up this morning?
3:55 am

2. Diamonds or pearls?
pearls, but only black

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Slumdog Millionaire (five stars)

4.What is your favorite TV show?
Current: Mad Men / of all time: I Love Lucy

5.What do you usually have for breakfast?
oatmeal

6.What is your middle name?
Lindsey

7.What food do you dislike?
I don't eat meat...besides that: nothing

8.What is your best quality?
sublime good taste

9.What kind of car do you drive?
VW Jetta Wagon

10 Favorite sandwich?
Veggie Reuben

11 What characteristic do you despise?
entitlement

12. Favorite item of clothing?
black leather anything

13.If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
NYC

14. Favourite brand of clothing?
Armani

15. Where would you retire to?
Vancouver BC

16.What was your most recent, memorable birthday?
18, my dad gave me a '59 Tbird

17 .Favorite sport to watch?
Ice Skating

18 .Farthermost place you are sending this?
NoPo

19. Person you expect to send it back first?
Robert

20. When is your birthday and where were you born ?
January 3rd, Oakland California

21. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Morning, but every once in a while, I like to stay up all night

22. What is your shoe size?
You know what they say about shoe size... Big shoes=Big feet

23. Pets?
Two canines

24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?
My husband is quitting his job & striking out on his own

25. What did you want to be when you were little?
a TV star

26. How are you today?
Why? What have you heard?

27. What is your favorite candy?
I don't really like candy

28. What is your favorite flower?
peonies

29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
July 31st, 2009

30. What is your full name?
Stephen Lindsey R********

31. What are you listening to right now?
DJ Stevie Steve's January Mix/ My Funny Valentine- Chet Baker

32. What is the last thing you ate?
veggie spaghetti at Bye & Bye

33. Do you wish on stars?
I try not to do any wishing

34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
flesh

35. How is the weather right now?
cold & clear, just like my attitude

36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?
I hate the phone... nobody yet

37. Favorite soft drink?
whiskey

38. Favorite restaurant?
Pure Food, NYC

39. Real hair color?
when I had hair-strawberry blond

40. What was your favorite toy as a child?
red wagon

41. Summer or winter?
summer

42. Hugs or kisses?
kisses

43. Chocolate or Vanilla?
vanilla

44. Coffee or tea?
tea

45. Do you want your friends to email you back?
yes

46. When was the last time you cried?
this morning on the MAX train at 4:50am

47. What is under your bed?
dog hair & porn

48. What did you do last night?
fitful sleep

49. What are you afraid of ?
not being noticed

50. Salty or sweet?
salty

51. How many keys on your key ring?
11

52. How many years at your current job?
7

53. Favorite day of the week?
Sunday

54. How many towns have you lived in?
7

55. Do you make friends easily?
no

56. How many people will you send this to?
5

57. How many will respond?
1

58. Favorite Actor/ Actress?
Gary Cooper/ Barbara Stanwyck

59. Favorite musical group or performer?
Elvis Costello/Annie Lennox

I guess that is a start.

I review on yelp. Check it out:http://stephenr.yelp.com/