Bad Reviews

I. The Flaming Lips Embryonic




So it seems like everyone is raving about the latest Flaming Lips album. A noisey return to form, they say. Well, they got the noisey part right. Don't get me wrong, the Lips are one of my favorite bands. Like Sonic Youth, even a subpar album from them leaves many other releases in the dust. But Embryonic is hardly a masterpiece. The band has said that they wanted to see what it would be like to create an album the old fashioned way -as a band rather than through electronics- and on some levels it works. But the songwriting isn't there. The songs on Embryonic just don't have that quirky melodicism that the Lips do so well, the kind that sticks to your brain like a hot tar injection. The usual sci-fi elements are there, but the album also doesn't seem to have the warped sense of humor that fans know and love. The end result just falls a bit flat.

II. Korg microSAMPLER

I saved up for almost 3 months to buy one of these things. I finally had the cash together last week, but after a few days of tinkering with it, the microSAMPLER just seems like a toy. True, it does its job as a sampler, and has a nice effects processor. But the onboard sequencer leaves alot to be desired. It's good for loops and little else. The lack of step programming and song functionality severely limits this instrument's usefulness. Needless to say I returned it for a full refund.

Song of the Day No. 56

"Arthur Manley"

A curse on Arthur Manley
A curse upon his hat
A curse on Arthur's family
A curse upon his cat

He never should have messed
With that old wetback witch
No one could have guessed
He would end up in a ditch
He asked her for a favor
Promised her some gold
But the only thing he gave her
Was a fever and a cold

A curse on Arthur Manley
A curse upon his hat
A curse on Arthur's family
A curse upon his cat

Top Five

I thought it might be fun to share some of my top five lists. I've never been great at narrowing down favorites, but I've considered for a while and come up with my very bestest movies. Here they are in reverse order.

5. Sense and Sensibility






4. Cecil B. Demented




3. Sound of Music





2. Volver





1. The Life Aquatic

Why I Haven't Blogged

There are lots of reasons. Here are the best ones:

1. We had one of those Super Busy Holidays. I mean, the kind where we still feel a bit hung over from it.

2. I was reading these great books I got for Christmas:

Byron in Love by Edna O'Brien and -

The Varieties of Scientific Experience by Carl Sagan. OK. Neither of these pictures represents the actual book covers, but they show is pretty.

3. We got so sick as to be bedridden. For two days.

Song of the Day No. 55

Here's a couple more short ones, since I'm so far behind with this project:

I. Horrible Blues

Everything is horrible
Everything is bad.
Said, everything is horrible
Everything is bad.
My temperament is deplorable
And I am always sad.

II. Psychic Supernova

My head is exploding
A billion different ways
In every direction
It's a spectacular display
The darkness is all over
It's a psychic supernova

The demons are leaving
And they will not return
They can't stand the light
No they can't stand the burn
The darkness is all over
It's a psychic supernova

More to come later!

Song of the Day No. 54

Here's a new song after a long absence!

I'll teach you everything I know
Watch your knowledge and skills grow
I will send you to and fro
Tell you where you need to go
You are my new trainee
You are my new trainee

I'm here to show you the ropes
As long as you aren't a dope
Then I can help you cope
Just think of me as the Pope
You are my new trainee
You are my new trainee

Good Days....

Last weekend, I went on a thrifting/antiquing spree with Mama, Isobel and Beatrice. What fun! Mama found yards and yards of pink chenille---


just dying to be turned into this-----
And it was free due to a big fat rip!














Today, Beatrice and I are going all the way out to church for a Ladies' Tea Party. Mama, Susanna, Isobel and Wendy will pick us up in a little bit. Oh, I should go get ready!!!

Muse, Music, Amusing

A Blue-bellied Silver bird just landed on my craft table. (That's what I call the dining table when the baby is napping.) This bird became my muse for the afternoon. I assembled a flock of bluebirds out of fabric from my stash. My dwindling stash, James.

Last week I made what I like to call Francine Monsters:



I've been checking out a lot of Creative Blogs lately. My favorites are Bleubird Vintage, Smile and Wave, A Beautiful Mess, Dos Family & the Purl Bee. I've looked at these and a few others almost daily for the past weeks and found much inspiration.

This Room!

Beatrice is getting so big! And what a roller coaster- she is full speed ahead. I want to enjoy each moment, each dimple. But she's always looking for the next exciting thing and doesn't have time for all this cuddling and smushing together of faces...

Here's her nursery, one of my favorite places in the world... And good thing! I sure spend a lot of time in this pink little room.










Just so you know... the panda was Gramma's, the crib was Raleigh's and Emma's, the quilt on the chair Gramere made for Hudson, the changing table a gift from Jake and Lucy, the hen quilt Gramere made for me ("then i will" said the little red hen and she did), the awesome lamp was Mama's when she was a child, the cross-stitch in pink and blue above the crib is a verse that Mama did for me when I was little and afraid of the dark, and (not pictured because the camera battery died) there is another cross-stitch that Alyx and Matthias had in their room as kids that Mama did that says "Jesus Loves Me" that Aunt Sandy sent all the way from Colorado for my baby! Oh, and the quilt in the crib is Beatrice's Special Blanket made by Mama. And the paper cranes are for world peace.

What a Fun Filled Year This Has Been Thus Far!

Our computer exploded! Well, sort of. There was a "snap-crackle-pop" and the smell of smoke. Then everything turned off... SO we went to Computer Direct and stood in line, went through all the hassle. BUT in the end, James and I opened it up and tinkered the ol' thing back to health. Voila!

And here's a picture of Bea-Bea just because!

Goodbye, 2009 (Our Year In Pictures)