the beauty of a quiet song

I was driving around in the rain, trying to get some errands done during an always too short weekend. I have to confess, I am one of those people who get hooked on a CD and leave it in the car player for weeks, listening to it everyday. I flipped on the player loaded with the current favorite, a mix of Lady Gaga songs which I had been listening to and enjoying just the day before. Frivolous, I know, but fun. Suddenly, it just seemed so wrong...

The splattering rain and the foggy clouds called out for something else. The clash between the atmosphere and the music was striking, I had never felt it so strongly before. It was like a moment of revelation. I ejected the CD and popped in my Jakob Dylan's "Women + Country". Wow, this was the right one. This collection of songs is so gentle and quiet, many would find it a bit boring, I think: "old fashioned" as Simon Cowell from American Idol might say... Yet somehow the quiet beauty of these songs was exactly right. Simple melodies sung by a husky voice, clean and subtle harmonies, quaint old time lyrics, suddenly seemed so right.

I drove on, and felt much better.

the real power of Madonna .....

I watch very little TV, but when I heard about an all Madonna version of GLEE, I was drawn to it. Madonna and I have a few things in common. We are both 50ish, have an unnatural love of things British, and have imperfect teeth. So yeah, I like her...

Never having watched GLEE, it took about 30 seconds to see that plot is nonessential, this show is about music. The song choice here was excellent - Ray of Light, Like a Prayer, What is Feels Like for a Girl, Like a Virgin etc. If it accomplished nothing else, this show made me realize how GOOD Madonna's song catalog is.

It got me thinking about Madonna, and what I like about her. Madonna is full of the one thing that I lack, which is confidence. I second guess myself all the time, but she doesn't. She doesn't have the best voice, is not the most beautiful, but she is confident and makes the most of what she's got. She runs her own career, no one exploits her. She is one of the most savvy businesswomen of our times.

There is a lesson here, not just for women but for all. Maximize your good points, don't fret your bad points. Believe in yourself, that is the real power of Madonna....

Jakob Dylan & Three Legs w/ Neko Case

I got home from work on Friday to a lovely surprise. I had won a pair of tickets to see Jakob Dylan at the Egg in Albany that Saturday night, courtesy of radio station WEXT. I have been listening to Jakob on CD for years now but never heard him live, so I was excited...

There was an unannounced opening act, named "Mimicking Birds". They consisted of a drummer and two guitarists, very young and emo. Their first song started out like this : " I am a corpse, you are a corpse" etc. In spite of this, I liked them. They were very laid back and comfortable on stage, the beer drinking seemed appropriate. The lead singer was funny too, he found the crowd to be very "respectful" as we watched them tune their guitars. He had a very interesting tenor voice, but I think that they needed to change up the pace in some of their songs. They all had a similar tempo and tended to end abruptly. They have potential though, I may need to investigate them...

Jakob and the band were up next opening with "Nothing But the Whole Wide World" the first song of his new album, Women and Country. Jakob sounded great, he sounds a lot more like his father in person. He is touring with Neko Case's band, interesting looking on their own. The drummer could have been Josh Groban's brother, the acoustic bass player could have been part of ZZ Top. I am somehow not familiar with Neko's music. I have heard of her but really know little about her. She and Kelly Hogan sang beautifully, their harmonies are very good.

The music was definitely country, but more in the authentic old time way. Jakob would start every song facing the drummer, establishing the beat, then turn to face the crowd. Seemed like he was still getting used to playing with this new band. Although the musicianship was excellent, the songs tended to have the same tempo. This was very pronounced on the CD recording, which I had listened to on the trip to Albany. I found the production on the CD to be a bit plodding and the songs would blend into each other too much. The live versions were much better, more energy and sharper vocals.

I am not doing a set list, he played all of this new album, most of the previous solo album and one Wallflowers tune, "Three Marlenas". Jakob was in fine voice, and I thought that he and Neko Case sounded wonderful together. He duetted with Neko Case on one song, then she and Kelly Hogan were relegated to harmony for the rest of the show. She has a rich, full voice that complements Jakob beautifully.

All in all, I enjoyed the show. My one complaint is that the songs were basically the same tempo, a change would have really benefitted the show. The live show is much superior to the CD, so if you get a chance to see them live, I would go for it....

Just a note about the Egg. It is a very cool set of theaters, but it has a very austere atmosphere. You must show ID to get into the parking garage since it is part of the state buildings. The crowd is always pretty mellow, it is not your stand up and dance type place. The crowd tends to be older, no danger of loud talking partying fans here. You can hear a pin drop in this place, noted by Jakob during his performance. I want to like this place, but I think that it is too stuffy to ever produce a spontaneous, let loose show...

music for every day of the week !

I never realized how sensitive your musical taste is to your mood. You can listen to the same song on two different days and have totally different reactions and feelings about it. I got to thinking, is it possible to match up songs/artists with the days of the week to maximize my enjoyment of them ? Here is my take on it:

Monday - Lucinda Williams will shine, especially her older music. Her harrowing tales of drunken angels and lost love are what will resonate with you. She has such a unique and evocative voice, perfect to get you through the hurdles of Monday. If your Monday is especially bad, you just might want to be done with it and go with Nirvana.

Tuesday - You need Neil Young. Your mood is shifting, you don't know if you want fuzzy guitar feedback or wavering ethereal lyrics. With Neil, you get it all.

Wednesday - This is a Pete Yorn day for me. His quirky emotional singing feels right. It is perfect to for "music for the morning after" or "nightcrawler". You get a mixup of songs, some more rock, some more indie, some just great ballads. Pete is the man for Wednesday.

Thursday - Indie rock is right for Thursday. The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, the Airborne Toxic Event, that kind of sound. You want more of a theatrical pop/rock sensibility, you can feel the weekend around the corner.

Friday - wilco will love you, baby. You are done with work, you want to hear Jeff's laid back singing and lots of guitars. You want to sing along with "California Stars" or "Jesus Etc".

Let the weekend begin !

Saturday - Lady Gaga will get the party started. Dance beats, wacky outfits, put on your best "poker face" or you will end up in a "bad romance". Listen to silly music, it is okay. Let the craziness begin !

Sunday - You need redemption. This is the day for anthems. U2 or Springsteen is the way to go. You don't need to go to church, they have all the biblical allusions and preaching that you will need ....

This would work for me ! I would love to hear other takes on this, so comments are not only welcomed but are desired ...

am I ready for my close up? Not really....

So, have you ever wondered what it is like to be on camera from Monday until Friday? I didn't think so.... No matter, I will fill you in on it !

I get to sit in my cubicle with a rather heavy set of headphones on, and wait for the little "ding-dong" sound that means that someone would like to speak to me. I then accept the call and an image of the person calling appears on my computer screen. My video also appears on the caller's screen and it begins !

I introduce myself and we chat about what the member would like to do. My co-workers liken me to the Swedish chef from Sesame Street, "Hi, this is Leeeza how can I help you ?". I roll with it...

New people are often frightened, they think that it is an ATM and are shocked to see a real person. They often jump back and run away without out saying a word, pretty amusing. Others think that I am an avatar, cool in its own way...

I can see a very small image of me on my own screen, honestly, I try not to look at myself, I just make sure that the camera has a nice headshot of me and is not angled down my cleavage or just showing the top of my head. Note to myself: I should probably use stronger makeup...

My job is to be pleasant and engaging and help the member get his/her banking done in a timely fashion. I can accept checks and paper money, I can dispense paper money and coins, and I can do transfers, cash checks, and help people pay their loans and mortgages in real time. The best part is I don't have to touch money or checks, the machine does all that for me. The worst part is probably being chained to my desk, we are not worthy of expensive, cordless headphones. Another hard part of the job is looking at the camera when you speak, not at the image of the person, that is very difficult to get used to. Initially, many of the members complained that we were looking down all the time, not at them.

I like my job. Most of the people I deal with are pleasant and easy to deal with. A few of them are cranky and/or annoyed and in a hurry, but you will see that in any customer service job. There is some pressure on us to be speedy, not so easy for me as my strength is not keyboard speed but rather pleasant and courteous service. I will survive...

There you have it, my job, in a nutshell !

on becoming spider woman....

After a fun weekend, the only fitting penance is Monday. I guess a crash was to be expected.

The culmination of 3 hours of standing at the Wilco show combined with 4 hours of driving, all within 24 hours, was an aching back. No gym for me this morning. I was sad, but for Jeff, I would do it all over again.

As I poured my sorry half/caff coffee into my favorite travel mug, one of those creepy almost clear spiders crawled out of it. It is an omen, I am cursed. Dumping my coffee into the sink, I fiercely rewashed my mug and started over.

Then it occured to me that I am being stalked by spiders. One appeared at my desk at work last Thursday, walking on the wire of my headset. I was not pleased, but promptly smacked it with a piece of mail. (Oh yeah, I get to process mail when I am not waiting on members. Be envious !) I remember killing another one lurking on my kitchen ceiling. Then on Friday night Wilco played a softer version of spiders/kidsmoke. Hmm, am I becoming some sort of spider woman, a spider whisperer maybe ?

Even now, there is a spider up in the crease where the wall meets the ceiling in my bedroom, waiting and watching. Who is the prey and who is the preyer ? Only time will tell...

Why I hate being 50....

Okay, time for some nonsense.

I hate being 50 and I am not afraid to say it. This is why:

1) 50 is twice 25 and half way to 100. I don't like either equation.

2) you think about food, and you gain weight

3) your hormones are crazy, it's like being a teen but without the acne

4) you enter the dreaded 50+ age box in surveys

5) AARP stalks your email, what a joke since you will never retire

6) you don't want to go for a checkup, because you know the Dr. will say "colonoscopy"

I think you get my drift...

By time I get comfortable with being in my 50's, I will be nearly 60.

Don't even get me started on that ;)

An Evening with WILCO, you BET it was !!

I was so ready for a nice, long WILCO show, and last night I got it !! WILCO was feeling the love last night...

Set list from the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, Ct
1. Wilco the Song
2. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
3. Ashes of American Flags
4. Bull Black Nova
5. You Are My Face
6. One Wing
7. A Shot in the Arm
8. One by One
9. Either Way
10. Handshake Drugs
11. Deeper Down
12. Impossible Germany
13. California Stars
14. Poor Places
15. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
16. Sky Blue Sky
17. That's Not the Issue
18. You and I
19. Forget the Flowers
20. Sunken Treasure
21. War on War
22. Passenger Side
23. Airline to Heaven
24. Via Chicago
25. Box Full of Letters
26. Always in Love
27. Magazine Called Sunset
28. Jesus, etc.
29. You Never Know
30. Hate It Here
31. Walken
32. Heavy Metal Drummer
33. I'm the Man Who Loves You
34. Thank You Friends
Encore
35. Hoodoo Voodoo
36. I'm a Wheel

The show was about 3 hours long, they played from about 8:05 to 10:50, then came back for the encore. The first section was a mix of rocking and slower numbers. The center portion was acoustic and was billed as the "living room set" accented with shaded lamps and featured a fabulous acoustic version of spiders/kidsmoke. The last section of the show was a return to rock, and rock it did !

Jeff was in a great mood, laughing and joking with audience... He had the audience sing "Happy Birthday" to Nate the drum tech. He even wore a birthday hat/headband in honor of Nate, passing it off to each of the band members for the next five songs....Nels wore it slung around his neck like a bolo, nice touch ! Jeff congratulated the UConn ladies basketball team, a wise and nice touch as Connecticut takes its college basketball very seriously...

It is hard for me to pick favorites, but I loved Magazine Called Sunset,Passenger Side, and Via Chicago. Jeff was in great voice, although I do think that that sound at the venue as a little muddy at first but improved as the night went on. Nels was a little more restrained than other times, but his playing is always expert and heartfelt. The whole band seemed to be having fun and that definitely radiated through the audience. I have seen WILCO 3 times, and this was hands down my favorite show. As a side point, I know that many people are not fond of Sky Blue Sky, but I think that the songs from the album always sound great in person. I have actually listened to Sky Blue Sky more than Wilco(the album).

The audience was very responsive, almost everyone stood for the entire show, swaying and singing along. This was not the case the last time they played Connecticut in New Haven, that was a much more mellow crowd. The only downside of the whole evening for me was that my brother and I were next to a group of very loud talkers, they got so annoying that the man in the row ahead of me had to ask them to please keep it down.... Why pay to see a terrific band like WILCO give a long and fabulous show, then talk all through it ? One of life's curious mysteries, I suppose.

pumpkin muffins on a hot April night !

It was the hottest day of Spring, close to 90 degrees. I realized that I had promised to bake pumpkin muffins for a lunch party at work. I considered the obvious, just buy some at the grocery store or Dunkin Donuts. No me, when I get it in my head to make something homemade, nothing stands in my way.
So I opened all the windows, put the ceiling fan on and got to it! I had to make a double batch, of course, my teenage son couldn't bear parting with ALL of the muffins. These are fabulous spicy muffins, meant to have chocolate chips in them but I opted to leave them out, at the request of my son and husband. Such doubters....

hey Jude, watch out for the bagpiper !

This is "American Idol..."
So Lee Dewyze is on stage, playing his guitar and singing "Hey Jude". He has a couple off spots, but he is doing a pretty good job. Suddenly, a lone bagpiper appears at the top center of the stage and strolls down to join Lee and they finish the song. It sounded better than it looked; the blend of sound was interesting and I think I kind of got what Lee was going for. Visually, it was a bit odd, seemed like a comedy routine that didn't quite make it.
Actually, that could sum up this whole season of AI, it has been like a comedy routine that is just not making it....

An Evening with WILCO is on the horizon ...

Let me get this out of the way. I have an unnatural attraction to the sound of Jeff Tweedy's voice. His casual, sometimes weary sounding vocals are somehow powerfully evocative. They draw you in because they seem easy going, yet you can feel the tension and raw emotion underneath. He can sing "Nothin'" 20 times in a row, and suddenly you are hooked. Black magic at its best...
I don't even pretend to understand some of his lyrics, but when he sings them they make perfect sense. I start to think that maybe I AM an American aquarium drinker... Maybe I CAN assassin down the avenue !? He sings it so convincingly that you go right there with him, even though you are not really sure where it is that he is taking you.
I will be seeing Jeff and company this Friday in Hartford, Ct. You will hear about it, that is a promise...

first blog attempt ever, on Easter even...

My job has me on webcam for most of the day, yet does not involve glamour or movies or porn. I am a personal teller at a credit union and I wait on members via a webcam. How did someone with a college degree come to this ? It involves having the wear-with-all to stay home and raise two children for almost 16 years then resurface in a bad job market. Such is life...

What has kept me going through all of this ? The love of food and music. One sustains my body, the other my soul. Other nonsense will surface here, I am sure, so there will be a bit of variety.

This first foray into blogging has exhausted me terribly, so I will slink off to finish eating my chocolate bunny (it IS Easter ! ) and rest up for tomorrow....