Diagnosis Music

Since the new year, I have found myself listening to lots of bands I heard about from friends & other sources such as NPR's All Songs Considered with Bob Boilen & NYLON magazine.  Rather than log onto MySpace & feel guilty for neglecting Tom & my "friends" from various past part-time jobs, I was able to listen to them on Grooveshark, which you may remember me singing the praises of in "When the dog barks, when the bee stings."  You remember that one, right, Mom?  Well I'm going to keep singing them.  Who are these great new faves of yours truly?  Well, that's what I am trying to tell you.  Right now.



Mayer Hawthorne
Album: A Strange Arrangement

He is from Ann Arbor, MI, so I like him immediately (since I am originally from a town that's just a short jot up Dexter Trail), but when I first heard him on NPR, I could not believe mine ears.  He's got the retro Motown sound that takes you back (to an era I was not actually a part of), but uses modern references that avoids his sounding dated.  As Boilen so aptly noted, he plays with the idea of this genre and is fully aware of all it entails.  He has a gorgeous voice with no prior training and even wrote and plays all the music himself.  If you dig the old school Motown/R&B/Soul, you will definitely love him.







Tennis
Album: Cape Dory

The story behind this album is heart-warming, I don't care how stony your heart: In 2009, a Denver-native newlywed couple decided to take a sailboat down the East coast for eight months.  They had no prior experience & wrote this album on their journey.  It is beachy & romantic & again, takes you back, this time to 1950s girl group doo-wop.  The lead singer has the clearest most angelic voice backed by dreamy rhythms.  The lyrics will melt your heart and the overall vibe will soothe your soul.  Definitely recommended for the office as an escape, but be warned, it may make you want to find a random patch of sun and take a nap like a baby post-teat.





Neon Indian
Album: Psychic Chasms

Now the hipster/indie set already know about them (and probably everything else I am writing about) but not everyone does.  So go ahead & gimme the bird and self-righteously sip your macchiato while I attempt to explain to this marvelous band: if I were tripping on acid, this is what it would be like.  It is fun & upbeat with funky beats that make me feel like I am in a John Hughes movie. One second it sounds like a Nintendo game, the next you hear some Pink Floyd influence.  And they totally sample "What a Fool Believes" in "Laughing Gas."  Definitely worth a listen.







The Suzan
Album: Golden Week for the Poco Poco Beat

This band is an all-girl indie group from Japan that rocks your socks off as they go against the bubblegum pop grain of their motherland.  Their music creates a spectrum of moods that are inevitably back dropped with aural happiness.  In their mix of instrumentals and haunting vocals you'll find ominous tones that are simultaneously playful.  I love love love them and will be seriously disappointed if you do not give them a try.








Girl Talk
Album: All Day

A skinny white guy that does amazing remixes that can only be rivaled by DJ Dangermouse's Grey Album.  He mixes every genre and every decade from 80s pop to rap to Miley to classic rock, making you want to dance the night away no matter your day job taste.  Seriously in love with him for making me want to go clubbing when I am not one to frequent clubs (I only own one pair of heels and a stack of thigh-worn JCPenney jeans). I'm pretty sure his mixes make me a better dancer too, so if that isn't incentive enough, I don't know what is.







Give these bands a listen and tell me what you think.  If you have already heard some or all of them and have some fun factoids or want to tell everyone how wrong I am, that's cool too. OR if you want to give some recommendations of some new amazing musicians/bands/artists, share that too!  Always looking to expand my music library beyond Johnny Rivers.


good tunes, naps & sunshine,

bunny

Sewing Circle

Yes, yes, I know it has been forever since I have posted.  Between Canadian visitors & general life nonsense, I haven't had the time and/or motivation.  But I am here, so listen up:

For a long time, I didn't think I liked girls.  I thought they were annoying & catty and I felt like I could have more, unscrutinized fun with my guy friends.  But it's not the same.  We need that bond between women b/c at the end of the day, who else are you going to complain about your significant other to or laugh about lady problems and terrible sexual experiences with?  Plus, guys can be tough to be friends with b/c sometimes they are too conscious of the fact you are a woman.  Like they belittle your problems or leave you out or try to slip you the One Eyed Willie.  Uncomfortable, no?  So here are some reasons I love the ladies I love:

1) They make me laugh.  I do not enjoy people in general if they do not have a good sense of humor.  The more I ponder on that quality & the people who have come & gone from my life, the more I understand what that really means.  It's not just that they can make funny jokes or faces, but they don't take themselves too seriously and can find the humor in everyday situations.  They are the people I can travel with and know that when shit hits the fan, after we are done being assholes to each other, we will laugh it off.  Nor are all their jokes mean-spirited observations about others.  I learned from my mom at a young age that you're not funny if you're humor is being mean, anyone can do that so sit on it and spin.

2) They are not your run-of-the-mill gossipy back-stabbers.  Even though we may have our own little competitions & squibbles between us, they genuinely want to see me succeed and I hope the same for them.  They stick up for me & admire me for my qualities, the good & the questionable, and vice versa.  They just want to be my friend and spend time with me and be there for me, plain & friggin' simple.

3) They are themselves no matter the situation or how hard they try not to be.  They snort, they tell crazy long stories, they talk awkwardly loud in quiet situations, they have big laughs, they get grumpy or bossy at their scheduled times or they stand by what & who they believe in.  And I love them for it.  This goes hand in hand with their sense of humor, but I admire them for their ability to be themselves and never apologize for it.  Or they are themselves and they do apologize and then keep on keepin' on, because, really, who has time to sit around and be a boring robot that everyone can get along with but has the personality of a box?  They are just genuine beauties through & through.

4) They defy traditional expectations and make up their own rules.  Whenever people try to pin them down as one thing, they prove they can be something completely different.  And they bust their butts.  Gotta love those ambitious & self-reflexive people.

Basically, what constitutes a woman I want to hang out with is what constitutes a guy I want to hang out with.  But us ladies can be our own worst enemies which is what gives us a bad rep on both sides of the table.  We keep ourselves down by talking trash & being ugly when there is no real motivation for it.  We let those judgmental freaks make us feel bad about ourselves when they are just insecure.  And we buy into the stupid societal expectations when we need to own who we are and do what works for us, so long as it isn't hurting anyone else in the process.

Like this.  Don't do this.

But there's another side to that too, we need guys to quit staring at their own cocks for two seconds.  No, really, it's pretty unfair how harsh men can be about women's humor or ideals or past times when most of the time, they aren't that different than theirs.  I've said it before & I'll say it again: the only way for us to break this gender barrier is to raise strong and open minded women AND men.  Women & men: have that confidence, follow your dreams and when & if you decide to be in a relationship, make sure you and your partner are working towards an EQUAL compromise.  Don't hate on the opposite sex, listen to what they have to say and hold each other accountable.  Both sides deserve respect and we need to quit worrying about what makes a "man" or a "woman" and worry more about what makes a "human".  So I love both sides, don't get me wrong, but quit generalizing.  You sound like an ignorant prick or bitch and you aren't any better than the superficial girls or douche guys you like to belittle.

So I got a little out of hand on this one and it is more serious than funny, but until I moved away, I didn't realize just how important those female friendships have been in my life and how important they still are.  So keep in touch with the downass womenfolk out there, support them, and ignore those nasty wenches out there that make you self-conscious.  They're the ones losing in the end.



peace, love & sunshine,

bunny

Throw some D's on that bitch

I have come up with a plan for peace within our government that will put everyone on the same page:

Obama & the government should be on the next episode of Glee.  Obama would sing "Why Can't We Be Friends?" by War.  The American people will get a spot with Bob Marley's "Misty Morning."  The media will sing "Dirty Laundry" - DUH - by Don Henley.  At one point we will have John Boehner sing "The Club Can't Even Handle Me Right Now" by Flo Rida.  Congress could totally do "We Are the World."  There is literally something for everyone.  We should definitely have the top 1% that control 42% of the wealth in our country sing "Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing.  New addition: the banks should sing "S&M" by Rihanna.  And Joe Biden should sing "I'm No Angel" by Gregg Allman.  Just because how hilarious would that be?  Here's some help if you are having trouble picturing it:

I'm no politician (or angel), but this is the only solution I can come up with.  Let me know if you have some better song ideas or special guests you think I am missing such as Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, the environment, etc.  I'm telling you, puro genio.  Oh, and Stevie Wonder should totally end scene that shit with "Sir Duke."



flowers & sunshine,


bunny

You make me feel like a natural woman (wom-aaan)

Why does Hills look awesome without any make up?  It's all that power & Paris.

O and nevermind what it's for.  Libya, shmibya.  News, snooze.  Blues, clues.  Go to HuffPost.  I'm not your PoliSci prof, OK?  I do my research, you do yours.  It's called being a well-informed adult.  Put that in your pipe & smoke it.  K back to work.


flowers & sunshine & au natural power vixens,


bunny

When the dog bites, when the bee stings

Good Afternoon!

First, let me start my post by saying please send your thoughts & prayers & maybe even a $10 donation to the Red Cross for Japan.  Also send some good vibes to our peeps on the West coast & Hawaii so they don't have the same magnitude of disaster on their hands.  They are all on my mind, so to make myself feel better, I am going to do a list of my current favorite things that make my workday better:



Lean Cusine Santa Fe-Style Rice & Beans

These are amazing when I am running late (not uncommon) and I haven't had time to make a lunch for myself (again, not unusual).  It is actually really good for a light vegetarian frozen dinner.  If you want to jazz it up, you could always bring tortillas to work with you or chips or guac or something, but I usually just do the beans & something else.









Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds Dark Choc flavor

These are SO GOOD and they actually only have 1g of sugar & no more sodium or fat than the regular Emerald dry roasted almonds.  So indulge & get a little sweetness.  Remember that almonds have lots of protein so great to keep you chugging 'til you can eat a real meal, but there is lots of fat, so take it easy too.  I usually just fill the cap & eat that & then close them away until next snack time.









My office plant

It has gotten HUGE since I got it.  And it was only $3.99 at Wright's IGA by my apartment.  I don't know what it is about me & tropical plants, but they LOVE me.  And I love them.  Thanks for the memories.







Company receptionist

The lady that works at the front desk in front of me is hilarious.  She & I both talk to ourselves and rant about people peeing on seats or salespeople complaining about stupid things & generally see eye to eye.  As I have said before, I am an old lady at heart.  I gave this doll a Valentine b/c she makes me so happy.


Bob & Tom (on KRXO 107.7)

I have at least 30 - 45 minutes to commute to & from work each day & the mornings are much better because of this show.  I tell stories about them like I am actually friends with them & I am seriously considering getting a VIP membership to their site even though we all know that's a dumb idea.  Isn't it?  I also admit that I have a crush on Chick.








market pantry dried apricots, cranberries, banana chips & SunMaid raisins

These puppies are not only delicious, but they help me get in a good amount of fruit AND fiber.  It took me awhile to figure out why I was having normal BMs until I realized that my 4-5 dried apricots & new coffee addiction were the culprits.  I'm so happy now.  Don't get the dried apples, they taste like someone peed on some earwax.


Black & Decker 5-cup coffee maker

This has been a lifesaver.  The people I work with never clean the office coffeepot & I wanted some other flavor so I got myself this little guy for $10.50 at Super Target.  It got bad reviews on target.com BUT I figure some people had success & it's only $10.50 so why not?  So far so good, but don't hold me to it.  I registered my warranty, though.  I'm not stupid.  Well a little, I don't know how much that actually helps when something is a piece of shit.







The Laughing Cow Light Blue Cheese

Just got them last night.  Ate it today on raw tomato & carrots.  Dear God, if you love blue cheese, don't hesitate to get these little guys.  Nom nom nom.











Grooveshark

I LOVE that it quenches my thirst to download illegal music without being illegal about it.  I can make playlists or listen to the radio for FREE so it makes my day better at all times.  I will say it can be a drag when they don't have what I want, but oh well, good outweighs bad.









Cadbury creme eggs

Either you are in the camp that is disgusted by these & the people who love them, or you are one of the nasty weirdos that joyfully licks that sugar-packed creme out of that delectable chocolate shell.  Clearly, I am in the fatass camp.  But when I get to have my Cadbury egg for the day (since I decided this week they are my new daily vitamin) my day is instantly better.




Warehouse vending machines

Whenever I am bored or need to get up & walk around or I just need some soda & treats, I go through our break room to the warehouse & buy a 65 cent can of Diet Coke and an 85 cent candy bar.  It makes me feel like I did when I went to camp & at the beginning of the week you could pay $10 and pick out a candy bar & soda that you got to have for each day of the week when the camp closed down for siesta.  I wish that was my life now, but alas, it is not & I have to settle instead for a soda with barely any fizz & the regret of eating a candy bar I don't need. I'm not bitter, but this is my reality and these little things still bring happiness & fond memories.


L'Oreal lipstick in Rambling Rose

Can't remember which line the lipstick is in, but it's the line that's on sale for $1 less at Target right now.  I love it b/c when I am bored and have a quick sec, I put it on and stare at my lips.  And then I get back to work.


These are a few of my favorite things - mostly food - that get me through my new, full-time working stage of life.  I have some funny things to share about my workplace at a later date, but for now, you get to read my vices.  If I were Oprah and people showed up for my Favorite Things show & this is what I gave them, I'm pretty sure I would get banana cream-pied.  If nothing else, this list reminds me how lucky I am that this many things make me happy and for once I don't have a shit job.


flowers & sunshine,


bunny