A Little What... What

I love Napster credits. Below is my most recent investments (as illustrated via Wordle.net).

Music Madness

I've got about $13 left on an iTunes gift card, but no inspiration for more music to purchase. I thought I'd post a screen shot of my recent purchases and seek your advice... tell me what else I should buy that'll complement this playlist.

Coolness on the Internets

I am notoriously thrifty when it comes to music because I'm notoriously stupid about music. By the time a piece of great music has made its way into my consciousness, it's so ridiculous that it's not even worth buying because it's all over the radio.

BUT sometimes things are great and I missed them because my consciousness is unresponsive, or they were great but the radio doesn't play them anymore. Enter DJ Catchdubs and Ducker.

They have put together two compilations of great (and relatively under-appreciated) music from the 90's that are completely free. Check it out: here.

This free taste of goodness has been brought to you by Very Short List.

Pick Me Up

It's been kind of a bummer of a week around this blog, so I thought we could all use a little pick-me-up. I decided to comb the web (aka, use a search engine and read my email) to find some cool goodies on the interwebs that should be a nice change of pace.

For your week (drum roll, please)...

A New Twist on Starbucks. I don't hold very deep-seated opinions on Starbucks--love 'em or leave 'em, I say--because I'm not a die-hard coffee drinker. I don't drink coffee at all, actually, but I know there are people out there who would lay down their lives over the beans. That being said, I was kind of surprised and enjoyed reading this article, "In Defense of Starbucks," about how a Starbucks closing in Missoula, MT, was not a good thing. After you read the article you might think, "That's not a pick-me-up, that's down right depressing," and I'll admit that stores closing isn't an upper, but I think the twist he was taking was kind of novel. Worth a read. Stretching your mind and your way of thinking is like a natural little high.

The Internet is Awesome. If you don't think so, then you should check out the website for Julia Nunes who is an internet-made star now. She started out with a viral campaign via YouTube, uploaded videos of her cute little self in her dorm room, strumming her ukulele, doing covers of everyone from Kanye West to the Beatles. Now she's on tour with Ben Folds in England performing her original works. That's awesome, right? Who wants to watch a video of her? Well, here you go [If you're getting this via email, click the links to watch the videos]:

Doing a cover of "Build Me Up, Buttercup"


Performing an original song, "Into the Sunshine"


This awesomeness of the internet was brought to you Very Short List.

But wait..

Not So Fast. As this meta-search for "Social Media Crimes" shows, Craigslist.org can be a dangerous website to use. MSN.com writes, "The Oscar-winning songwriter of 'You Light Up My Life' was arrested on charges of rape this week. According to the Associated Press, he allegedly lured women to his apartment with the promise of a movie audition. How did he find the women? Reports say he placed an ad on Craigslist... People have been lured to their deaths by fake ads on Craigslist. Philip Markoff is on trial for killing a woman. And in 2007, a woman responding to an ad for a nanny was murdered. There's more: A woman allegedly tried to hire someone to kill her boyfriend's wife. And a husband has been accused of hiring someone to rape his wife." Sucks, huh? Not an upper, right? Well, it could be worse... it could be you that somebody was hired to kill.

You're not dead! Live it up this weekend! Make a video with a ukulele and drink an over-priced coffee because life is beautiful! (I do promise this was supposed to be a picker-upper post, but it came off as depressing, didn't it? I'm such a cynical person. Can I do a positive post? Maybe next week we'll try for all cool stuff.)

Interrupting Our Regularly-Scheduled Programming

I was going to post a blog today about composting, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.


The blog is taking a moment of silence for the undisputed King of Pop. His music, his moves, and his videos are iconic. He will remain infamous, long after his death.


We're also taking a brief break to honor the quintissential "Girl Next Door" who inspired many a young lady to experiment with hair wings. Farrah, you were a classic beauty.

Depressing week on the blog, huh?

A New Crush

I'm about to admit something really, really embarrassing. Ready? Okay, here goes.

I'm just now discovering how fantastic James Morrison is. Seriously, I'm in love with this guy. I heard "Nothing Ever Hurt Like You" on the radio a couple of months ago, and fell in love with it. But, being notoriously thrifty, I didn't rush out and buy the CD. Instead, I picked up the CD from the library (I should have known it'd be great because the hold list was as long as my arm), but I finally got it on Tuesday and have been basking in the beauty of James' music ever since.

Why am I so behind the times? I'm sure other people knew he was great way back in 2006 when he started releasing singles with Interscope Records, or even caught on in 2007 when he released his first full-length album, but I'm just now catching on.

But, on the off chance that there is anyone more musically inept out there than I am, anyone who might still be naive to the beautiful music of James Morrison, let me tell you why I love him. Every single song on his album has distinction and a flavor all it's own, but each song flows right through from beginning to end. It's an album that you can listen to from start to finish, no bad songs in the bunch, and at the end, you'll want it again. It starts with the driving horns and thundering piano on "The Only Night" that push you into the pleading and self-abasing lyrics of the soulful "Save Yourself." The scaled down "You Make it Real" is the essential soundtrack to first love. The beauty just continues from there.

I have been listening to it and can't shake the feeling that Songs for You, Truths for Me is the kind of music that you turn on early on Saturday morning while you and your other are puttering around the house, edging into weekend productivity, and it might, if you're lucky, inspire you to have an extemporaneous dance party in your living room. Save the slow dance for my favorite track: "Precious Love."

If you can't see the embedded songs above in your browser or email, click here.

Make Your Job More Enjoyable

MSN is running a story today about how to make your job more enjoyable by getting your groove on at work, and I've distilled down the best tips for you. (Well, actually, they did, but I've recopied the gist here for you).

Listen responsibly. If you like to listen to music at work, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Use headphones if you share an office.
• If you have enough personal space to use external speakers, make sure the sound doesn't carry into other people's workspaces.
• Keep the volume low enough to hear if your phone rings or someone calls your name.
• If you use speakers, remember to pause the music when talking on the phone.
• Don't sing aloud. In all likelihood, you're a bigger fan of your voice than your co-workers are.
• Keep the dance moves to a minimum.

Now I'm going to type this into an email and blast it around to my officemates as an FYI with a note that their ability to adhere to these guidelines will be reflected in their next annual review.

Best O' The Web

Seriously, the All American Rejects are genius. Check out their polka cover of Britney Spears' "Womanizer."



Awesome!

Super-Duper Cool Website

The Reader's Quill blog posted a very funny piece of art last week in her weekly "Artsy Fartsy Friday" feature. (See below.)

She got this picture from a totally awesome website, the PostSecret blog. I scanned through and found myself reminiscent of that All American Rejects song, "Dirty Little Secret." Check out the video below and then check out the PostSecret blog. Cool stuff.

I love the idea of this website (and I totally still love that song). I disagree with the fictional character Nick Guest (of The Line of Beauty) when he says that secrets are impersonal. I think they're intensely personal... which is why it feels so good to finally get them off your chest.

I'm opening up today's comments for secret-sharing. I'll get us started... I've never made it to first base with a guy (nor a girl, but that's not something I've been aiming for). There. That was easy. Now share yours.

Re-Post: So Fresh and So Clean

This post was originally put on the now defunct "What Was I Thinking?" blog on August 28, 2008. Reposted here for your enjoyment.

Do you know what is even better than Outkast? That's right... home-made soap!

If you're looking for great custom soaps, made by loving hands, then you absolutely have to check out Young Soap. My first impulse is to pick up one of the "Sex in a Bar" soaps (because that's a great name for soap), and the "Florida Citrus Soap" sounds wonderful, and I wonder if the "Shaving Soap" works well on legs (as well as its intended effect on faces). All that makes me think I should pick up a "3 Bar Variety Pack".

So many wonderful soaps, so little time. Surf on over to the Young Soap website, take a look, and leave me a comment on which ones look the best (and if you bought any).