good ol' vinyl...so much music, so little time

Last night after getting home from an insanely busy night at work, I was on a search for something to help me relax. Just something simple to enjoy and forget about my day. I found it when I decided to take a gander at my old vinyl collection. What a journey that turned out to be!!

I spent hours searching through albums, ending the evening without enough time to even listen to any of them. As I began my search, I saught out The White Album first. I needed to know it was still OK. Kind of like a long lost love. I was satisfied with its condition and can't wait to get home to listen to it. I've listened to that album all my life...what great memories it carries with it!! I am fortunate enough to have several Beatles albums, even some that were never released in the U.S. I have my dad to thank for that.

It was exciting to find some things I had forgotten I owned. I have to credit my father with a good majority of the collection. Although I do tend to spend way too much time and money searching for vinyl at antique shops, garage sales, etc. It's amazing to me some of the treasures I have found for maybe a quarter or less. So many people don't care, or maybe don't know the value of what they have.

So, tonight, I have plans to spend some quality time with myself and my turntable. I love the old crackle behind all those great songs. My plans for tonight include a pretty wide range of music. I'll be pulling out some Led Zeppelin, of course. I'm ready for No Quarter and the Rain Song...just a couple of my favorites. I also came across The Who-Tommy....YES!!!!! What a great album...Thank you Pete Townsend!!!

I got a good laugh when I found an old Cheech and Chong record. That should prove to be pretty entertaining. Also on the list for tonight will be some Curtis Mayfield and Eric Burdon. Both are musicians I haven't listened to in a great while. I came across a couple Deep Purple albums that I'm not real familiar with, so I'm anxious to hear what they have to offer.

I have so many more albums to go through. It's been so long since I've taken the time to enjoy them. It's such a great way to reminisce. My father was a huge fan of music, and music has always had a tremendous influence in my life. It is always a great escape for me. In good times and bad, music has always been there for me. That's more than I can say for most things in my life.

So, tonight, I plan on going home and finding my "quiet place" within while listening to the crakle of my old turntable. I only wish I had more time. Falling asleep to some Miles Davis is the plan to end my evening.

So much music, so little time.........

A little jealous of Sandy...you may not understand

OK, I've heard enough about Sandra Bullock marrying Jesse James!!!

Give the poor girl a break. Just because she normally does pretty lame chick flicks, doesn't mean she's too good for a tattooed, rough housing, bike mechanic.

Personally, I think Jesse James is a pretty good catch!! I could see myself rubbing those nicely cut, tattooed arms...and,well, we'll just leave it at that!! Plus, I bet that little beauty looks pretty hot on the back of his chopper!! I guess you could say maybe I'm a little jealous of Jesse too!!!

I say way to go Sandy!!!!

quotes from musicians.....

Just searching for something interesting & came across a website of quotes by musicians. These are just a few that caught my attention. There are thousands to read at www.brainyquote.com You might find some of them very interesting....


**"Most people wouldn't know good music if it came up and bit them in the ass"----Frank Zappa

**"It's better to burn out than fade away"---Neil Young

**"I'm shopping for something no one else will like"----Jerry Garcia

**"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do"----Jerry Garcia

**"Who is the strongest, who is the best, who holds the aces, the East or the West. This is the crap our children are learning"----Roger Waters

**"The piano has been drinking, not me"----Tom Waits

**"Take care of all your memories. For you cannot relive them."----Bob Dylan

**"Life is what happens when you're busy making plans."----John Lennon

**"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdon is better than silver or gold."----Bob Marley

**"Every life has a measure of sorrow, and sometimes this is what awakens us"----Steven Tyler

**"Life's a journey, not a destination"----Steven Tyler

**"Music is forever; music should grow and mature with you, following you right on up until you die"----Paul Simon

good wine, Black Crowes, and Tom Petty

Well, I just got back from a nice little getaway. Ryan took me on little surprise outing on "The Winery Tour" of southern Indiana. We hit seven different wineries in southern Indiana in two days. It was a beautiful trip.

As we left Kokomo on Wednesday, I had no idea where we were going. All I knew was that I wouldn't be coming home that night. Ryan, knowing that I'm a big wine buff, decided that this would be something fun, and romantic to get me away for a couple days. What a sweetheart!!!

I also love to drive, especially in southern Indiana, where we actually have some beautiful land. The rolling hills, the Ohio River, the natural forests, and the caverns in this area have always been areas I love to explore. Driving, along with some good music, is the perfect form of entertainment to me. I have to say, I didn't miss the flatlands of Kokomo much at all.

The Oliver Winery (piture above) was the first we hit, and by far the most touristy. There was a lot to do and see there. The grounds were beautiful. They had georgeous gardens and waterfalls. There was a huge lake with picnic areas all around. It was perfect for being outside, enjoying the beautiful weather, and just sitting back with no worries. I believe that an environment like that and all that fresh air is good therapy for anyone. I felt great when we left there. (I'm sure the wine had something to do with that)

Some of the other wineries were not quite as elaborate, but the wine would have never given that impression. I think my favorite was the Winzerwald Winery. It is placed in the middle o the "Hoosier National Forest" so, of course, it was beautiful. They specialize in mostly German wines, which I was not very familiar with, but my palate was very pleased!!! I definitely spent more money than planned in there :-)

To end my week of fun, I went to the Tom Petty and Black Crowes concert last night. I think we headed to Nobleville underneath the rembrants of the hurricanes. The storms held off most of the night. Chris Robinson blew me away. I love that scratchy voice of his!!! That man kicked some ass on some blues and played some pretty mean harmonica for the crowd. It threw a lot of energy out to all of us braving the storm!

When Tom Petty came out, the skies kept getting darker. That didn't stop any of us though!! We just kept drinking and shaking our asses. We weren't going to let a little rain get us down. Before the rain actually started, we were all in awe over the spectacular lightning show overhead. It was absolutely beautiful!! However, the beauty was short lived. We tried to stay dry under our three dollar panchos as long as we could, but when the rain actually started to hurt, we decided it was time to go.

I think we made it through the majority of the show, but I guess I need to find someone that braved the whole thing to find out for sure.

Once again, good times were had by all...........

dreams.....

I've learned a lot about how and why we dream what we dream over the last couple of years. We dream in the form of metaphor. The majority of our dreams are not about the actual object, situation, or circumstance that is actually in the dream.

Lately, I've noticed a pattern in my own dreams. I continue to have dreams that don't turn out how I would expect them to. Some seem to contain a lot of unfulfilled expectations. I'm having a hard time figuring this pattern out. I can normally relate the metaphor pretty easily to things happening in my life. Right now, I'm perplexed because I'm not sure what my mind is trying to tell me. I've definitely had unfulfilled expectations in my life. My mother not being around when I was young, my father dying when I was only 22, my failed marraige. But, I feel that my life is very fulfilling now. I don't feel empty or lost like I've felt for so many years of my life. That is why I'm confused. I feel like I'm at a point in my life when this shouldn't be a concern any longer. Somewhere deep in my subconscious, I still have some things to work through. I also worry that something in my life is not going to turn out how I expect it to. As long as this has nothing to do with my current relationship, I'm ready for the surprise!

I also have had several dreams over the last few months about an old house, a very creepy old house. It actaully reminds me of a place where I saw a concert back in December. After visiting "The Southgate House" I have had recurring dreams about it. (I included a picture above) Sometimes the dream is not specific to the Southgate House, but what I'm dreaming will remind me of this house. It is an old home in Newport, KY that has been converted into a bar and music venue. There is a lot of intersting, but dark history surrounding this house. I have been almost obsessive about it ever since I stepped foot inside. I have researched the house and some of the families that have lived there trying to find an answer to my obsession. The one thing that the house is well known for is the fact that the first "Tommy gun" was invented (or built) there. Yes, dark history. There is a lot of Mafia history there as well.

It was so strange when I first saw the house. Somehow, it seemed very familiar to me. I even knew where things were in the house before ever stepping foot inside. ( If my family reads this, they will probably think I'm crazy!!) My heart was racing as we walked in. I was not scared or nervous. I just had a very strange feeling going in there. I just wish I could find some answers to why it is in my head so often. Pretty wierd, huh?

well, well, well

I've never been a big fan of renting homes, but after all the trouble I've had as a home owner over the last few years, I'm beginning to think it might be nice again.

I found out last week that I'm going to have to have my yard dug up to either replace pipes that may be leaking, or possibly dig a whole new well. I have been without water for over a month now. This is getting rediculous!!!

This has been an ongoing problem with my home for years. In the past when the water pump has lost its prime, I can usually prime it and get it going again. Not this time!!! I've tried and tried to get it going with no success. What a pain!!!

The big problem with having to dig to get to the well is that we have no idea where the well is. There is no evidence of it in my yard whatsoever. I at least know which side of the house its on, because I know where my septic is, and they have to be at least 50-60 ft apart.

After I get this fixed, I think I'm going to put my house on the market. I'm so tired of dealing with all the problems. In some ways, there is a part of me that would like to have a landlord to call every time something went wrong, but I really don't think I'll ever rent again. I plan on looking for a newer home. Hopefully with less trouble than the one I'm in now. I feel sorry for the poor soul who gets stuck with my house!!!

Rockin' with E.H.

Here's a picture of Eric... the greatest drummer ever!! The rest of the band is in the other picture.(L-R Eric-drums and vocals/Steve -lead guitar and vocals/ Cliff-bass guitar, harmonica, and vocals/ Dave-keyboards,guitar, and vocals/ Ed-gutiar and vocals/ Johnny Starcatt- all the crazy percussion intruments)

Well, I'm still recovering from our weekend trip to Ohio to see Ekoostik Hookah. Needless to say, we had a blast!!!

Ryan and I hit the road at about noon on Friday. That's pretty early for me!! I was proud of myself. Anyway, we had a great time on the way there, talking and listening to a lot of different music.

Since we went on Friday, we were considered the "early birds." There's really not a lot going on at the camp ground for the early birds, but it gives you a chance to get a good camp site. There were maybe another 15 or 20 people there when we pulled in. We got a great site under a big tree and right in front of a big field...how conveniant. I don't think I need to explain the field :-)

Anyway, we set up camp and walked around and talked to a few people we met. Always a friendly bunch of folks at these shows. I love talking to all the different people and just sitting back and watching everything going on around me. You never know what or who you'll see around there.

After sitting by the fire and talking to a few random people walking by, we decided it was time to get to bed. We snuggled up on our twin size air mattress ( good thing we're both skinny) and fell asleep to bongo drums off in the distance...

Saturday, I woke up to the sound of Frank Zappa playing outside my tent. It was time to get up and get the day started!! We saw the "Disco Pizza" vendor rolling in. We were glad to see him. He always feeds us a couple times while we're there. The guy that runs it is pretty cool. Just an old hippie, traveling around from show to show taking care of everyone's munchies!!! What a great gig!!

The show Started at 6:00 Saturday night. We stopped and talked to Eric (the drummer) for a few minutes before their first set. We talked about tattoos and bikes...God, I love this guy!! I also got a rare chance to talk to Steve (the lead guitarist) for a few minutes. He is usually a little harder to find around the shows. He keeps to himself a lot. So I was glad to talk to him for a minute. He always remembers me when he sees me. That always makes me feel good.

Hookah played three sets. About five hours of music. It was awesome!! The guys were in rare form. I saw Cliff (the bass player) in the corner dancing a few times. It's always fun to see him get into the music. They are all a lot of fun to watch. I got to hear a few songs that I was hoping for, so I was a happy little girl. They closed the night off with a phenominal cover of "Run Like Hell" by Pink Floyd. I swear these guys can do anything!! And, in my opinion, sometimes they do things better than the original artists. ( I could never say that about Pink Floyd though)

After the show, we headed back to the tent to eat and hang out with our new neighbors. We had a pretty big fire that attracted several people. That was fun. We had quite a few different people stop to chat about the show and whatnot. We ate, drank, and danced around the fire for hours. The weather was perfect. Just right for a big campfire. One of the guys who stopped for a minute put on a flame throwing show for us. It was short compared to some I've seen at the shows before, but it always amazes me to see those people. I don't know how they do that!! It's crazy!!

Sunday, we woke up feeling a little rough around the edges, but it didn't take us long to get it together again. We were just excited that we has another whole night of Hookah.

They only played two sets Sunday night, but they still played for quite awhile. I had two songs I had thought of after the show the night before that I wanted to hear. I was hoping to talk to Eric to request them, but never got the chance. Low and behold, there was no need for my request....they played them both for me anyway!!! I really wanted to hear "Deep River Blues" because Eric sings that. He doesn't sing lead very often, so I go crazy when he does. They also played "Baby, Don't do it." Another one of my favorites. It was originally done by Marvin Gaye. I go absolutely nuts when they play that!! I don't know why. I can't help myself. Eric and I exchanged a few glances during the show. He gets a kick out of watching the crowd. We'll usually pick out the jackasses and make comments silently during the show back and forth to eachother about them. It's a fun little game Eric and I play.

After the show, they had a huge fireworks display. Ryan and I sat in the grass eating pizza from good ol' Disco Pizza, and enjoyed the end of our night. When the fireworks were over, we went back to the tent for awhile. There weren't many people back at the camp sites yet, so we decided to wander around to see what was going on. We ended up back at the Disco Pizza vendor talking to the guy that runs it. Ryan got a few free beers from him and we all hung out and talked until about 1:00 A.M. He put up a screen and started playing a video with Warren Hayes and Les Claypool playing together. What a combination!!! They were great together. I've got to find that. It was a nice end to our evening. We headed back to our tent a little glum knowing that we'd be heading home the next morning. No more Hookah until September!!!! Poor me!!!

I wish I had all night to keep writing about our adventures this weekend, but I could go on forever. All I know to say is, if you've never seen these guys live, you're missing out. If you appreciate good musicians at all, you really should see them live. Their studio albums don't do them justice. I feel that way about most bands. They hit a lot of mid western states since they're from Ohio. So if you're interested, check them out. It's the best show you'll ever see for twenty bucks or less.

I'll kill her with kindness...

Why is it that when I get into an argument with someone, I always think of things I wish I would've said , but didn't?

I am not at all a confrontational person. If it's really worth my time, the passive aggressive route is usually the one I take. Mostly, I just ignore people who piss me off. Once in a great while, someone will do or say something so out of line or so rediculous, that I'll just snap!!!

Yesterday was one of those days. I actually confronted a woman at work after hearing that she had been talking about me. She was just being a little too vocal about a situation that didn't concern her and she knew nothing about. I was irate after hearing that she, of all people, would have the nerve to speak up about anything after her actions at work in the past.

I asked her if we could talk. She confirmed that what I had heard was true and that she was pissed at me. Then, after telling me this, she doesn't understand why I'm upset with her??? She's even more ignorant than I thought!! ( Ignorance is one of the most intolerable characteristics in my book) I didn't like the feeling that I needed to explain myself to her.

Short and sweet version....NONE OF HER BUSINESS!!!!!

My natural passive aggressiveness was totally overwhelmed with fury. It was a weird feeling for me. I'm usually the mediator in these situations. I have to admit, it did feel good to stand up for myself.

There are so many things that she has done that I wish I would have thrown in her face. But, it seems like I can never spit out what I really want to say. The stuff that will really hit home. It frustrates me.

Now that the ice is broken, I almost hope she says something to piss me off again soon. I had the perfect oppourtunity, and I blew it!! I know exactly where I'll be taking it next time.

Until then, I'll do what normally comes naturally to me. I'll kill her with kindness.

check out Ekoostik Hookah

Well, the time has come to go visit my boys again!!!! That would be Ekoostik Hookah that I'm speaking of.
We will be leaving this Friday for another 2 day concert at Hookah's Frontier Ranch!! If you've never checked these guys out, you should. They are great!!! But, I do have to say that none of their studio albums could ever touch the experience you could have seeing them live.
If you look close at the picture, I'm the chick with her hands over her mouth screaming in the bottom right hand corner. ( you can click on the picture to enlarge it.) I was probably yelling at Steve Sweeny, their lead guitarist. He is absolutely phenominal. That's usually where I try to post myself at the shows. Right up front and in front of Steve if possible. If I could get right on the stage, I would actually prefer to be in the back with Eric Lanese (the drummer.) We have grown pretty fond of eachother after talking at so many shows. That's what is so great about this band. None of them are too good to take time out and talk to their fans. Eric and my boyfriend and I always hunt eachother down for a little chat after the shows.
I've been fortunate enough to see them every month since last September. Ok, I guess I didn't see them last October. But that's the only month I've missed them in the last year. I just love these guys!!!
If you go to their website www.ekoostik.com you can go through the pictures from the fall Hookahville 2004 and find a few more pictures of me and Ryan. There are several sets of pictures. We are in about 4 pictures in "set 3" Check it out sometime.......now you can see what fun is in MY book!!!
I'm hoping for good weather this weekend, but it will be fun regardless. There's never a dull moment with the Hookah boys!!!!

A beautiful day!!!

My mother is a paranoid schizophrenic and has had this diagnosis since I was about 6 years old. On her good days, I can hold a very normal conversation with her. I am so thankful that we still have the chance to have a somewhat normal relationship, even if that's not the case every day.

A few days ago, we went out to the reservoir east of town and had a great time together. We spread out a blanket under the shade of a huge maple tree and talked for a long time. We sat and watched the fishermen reel in a few. There were a few boats out taking advantage of the calm waters. An occasional duck would fly overhead squawking, breaking our train of thought. The breeze was perfect in the shade even though it was nearly 90 degrees that day. The air was fresh and clean. The ground beneath us was soft and cool. Everything just felt good.

It is so nice to learn things about my mother that I never knew. A lot of her treatments and therapies (such as shock therapy) over the years have caused a lot of memory loss, so when she can remember things about her past I jump at the chance to learn.

She was born and raised in Germany and came to the states at age 20. That was 35 years ago. It has been hard to learn much about her past and her experiences when she lived there. On the day we were under the tree, something must have triggered her memories. We talked for what seemed like hours about her childhood, and how her parents treated and sometimes mistreated her. Some of it was hard to hear, but I think it helps me understand her more to know the things she told me. I learned a lot about her education, her familiy's religious beliefs and how that affected her growing up. I found out so many things I never knew. Somehow, everything was just right that day .

It was a beautiful day in many ways.

kokomo radio sucks!!

Do the radio stations all over the country suck as bad as ours do????? I'd almost rather sit in silence than hear all the sold out artists that we play on our local station. That's why I appreciate all the weird underground bands that actually have their own sound.

relax

I look around me and see so many people in their daily hustle and wish for everyone that they could just sit back and relax. Everyone is always in such a hurry. It's hard to stop and appreciate the little things when you live like that. I try not to be lazy, but I definitely try to take some time out for myself every day. We all need that.

"Life is what happens when you're busy making plans"------John Lennon


I think he knew what he was talking about......Take some time out and sit back and enjoy....You deserve it!!!

Oh, to be a child again....

Today was Ryan's niece's (Saige) 3rd birthday party. I was sad that I had to miss it since I was at work. I just got off the phone with her......she told me she loves me!! What a sweetheart!!! It is amazing to me how well I can actually have a conversation with her. We only talked for a few minutes, but it was worth all the money in the world. She told me about her party and her presents and thanked me for my gift without being told to say it. We talked about me being at work and how she was sad that I wasn't there. Every word came out with such enthusiasm that it was hard not to smile while talking to her.

It's kind of like looking back at mt own childhood and trying not to smile. It's impossible. So many good memories. So many goofy things that I did with my friends and family. Childhood is so precious. I only wish there was some way to realize that at the time. But I guess if we were all thinking that deeply at that age, it would ruin the fun. It is such a blessing to be a child and not have the everyday worries that we adults deal with day in and day out.

Spending time with kids is one of the best forms of therapy ever. I wish we could be as light hearted and care free. It's nice to be able to escape all our troubles, even if it is only for a brief time. I am so thankful for that. So this is a "Thank You" to little Saige for helping me escape for a few minutes tonight.

When it rains, it pours!!

Why is it that when something goes wrong, everything else seems to go to crap all at once?

This is just the beginning of it...........
About a month ago, I was in a wreck with a couple of my fiends. Fortunately none of us were badly injured. Just a few scrapes and bruises. We got hit head on by a drunk driver who actually walked (or stumbled) away from the scene. My friends and I are still stuck with the memories of being hit head on, just about wetting our pants, slamming our heads into seats and airbags..it was great. However, our buddy, the drunk guy, woke up in jail the next day with no recollection of anything from the previous night. I wish he remembered it as well as we do...he deserves to.

Then, a couple weeks ago, I got home from a great trip with my Honey to St. Louis only to find that my air conditioner had crapped out on me. It's been about 85-90 degrees every day, and I only have a window unit, so it's hard enough to keep the place cool when it IS working. It has been nice in the evenings, so at least I haven't lost much sleep over it. Not for the physical aspects of the problem anyway.

Then, a few days later, I come home from work, sweaty, worn out, and just dying to get in the shower. But oh no, we have no water! My damn water pump went out again! This is the 3rd pump I've replaced in the last few years. This is just rediculous!!!

OK a couple days after that, I get in this stupid accident in an alley of all places. I think me and the other lady were maybe going a whole 5-10 miles an hour...remember, it was an alley!!! So, I'm looking at my car thinking "this won't be too bad, maybe a few hundred dollars worth of damage." But the people who did my estimate and I apparently don't think much alike. They gave me a whopping grand total of $1899.00!!!!! I think it's criminal! Plus, I was really mad because I just paid the car off about a month ago.

So, needless to say, none of these problems are cheap to fix. They always say God won't give you more than you can handle. I've said it before...He must think I'm Wonder Woman or something....I'm going crazy here!!!! If God could just drop me a check, that would be great!! The only thing I can think of that maybe He's thinking is that I'll just pay for everything with the extra money I won't be giving the electric company this month because I haven't used the air conditioner or the water pump....I really don't think that'll cover it all :-)

I'll figure something out!!!!!

poor bird....

I hit a bird today while I was driving. I think it was probably a quick death. I didn't see him flailing on the road as I checked my rear view.....poor bird.

I was just driving, listening to some Eric Clapton, enjoying the beautiful weather, so glad to be off work. It was so peaceful until.....BAM!!!! Feathers everywhere.......poor bird.

I'm totally convinced that when my tires hit the road, it gives all the idiots in town a queue to jump into their cars and race to get in front of me!! It's amazing to me that it can take me over 20 minutes to make a six mile trip. People in my town love to get right in front of you and then just drop dead.

Are they really that oblivious to what's going on around them? Do they just sit back and smile when someone pulls out in front of them? Because, I can tell you, I DON'T!!! I'm one fo those crazy people rolling her window down asking them where they learned to drive. Hopefully I'll never do that to my boss on accident!!!

Another thing that really gets to me is the idiots that have to drive through town (where there is already an over abundance of street lights) and drive with their brights on. I have to admit that I do enjoy turning mine on and leaving them on until they pass me. Is that just as rude as them? I don't think so.

I'm beginning to be a little scared for the others on the road with me. I think I feel a huge rush of road rage getting ready to take over.

Good Times with "Sleepy Time"

So, I went to a pretty interesting concert this weekend. "Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum" Ever heard of them? It's hard to describe their music, other than the fact that they are extremely original in their sound. They have a lot of home made and custom made instruments. Lots of percussion instruments that make sounds I've never heard, and I'm definitely not smart enough to figure out how to do that on my own.

I was so impressed. The guys would have given my mom or grandma a heart attack, but I found them to be very approachable. (They all wear dresses and paint their faces) I appreciate a band member who is not too good to talk to his fans. Some of us are very intersting!!! Some people might find "inspirational" to be the wrong word to describe these guys, but it's the best one I can think of.

I got to meet some cool people from Chicago (friends of a friend), and I got some good quality time in with my Roommate, Ryan (my Love), and a good friend of mine from work. Good times were had by all!!!!

Life is Precious!!

As the last seven years have gone by since my father died, I feel that I have learned many valuable lessons. Unfortunately, I have learned a lot of them the hard way.

Life is so precious. We need to be aware of that every day. There are so many things in this world that seem to take over our ways of thinking as we get older. Money and status are not nearly as important as most people make them out to be. Yes, of course we need money to survive, but are you or me really any better than the guy across the street who only makes half as much money as we do? Certainly not!!! for all we know, he may be one of the happiest people on the block.

Everyone is so unique and there is so much to be known about one another. I am so thankful for the fact that I am alive and healthy. I have a wonderful, loving family. I am happy with myself for how I treat others. I think there's a lot to be said for that.

My best lesson ever came from losing my father and realizing how precious our short time together was. He was the best teacher in the world. He always taught me that the "Golden Rule" will get me far in life. That has proven to be so true. I try to treat everyone just as I would hope to be treated. This has carried me through many difficult times, and it has helped me carry others through their difficulties as well.

So, I thank my father for such a valuable lesson.