This is what is commonly referred to as a “Blind Desperation Post.” It’s a sticky and humid Thursday night. In less than 12 hours I’ll be back at work. During these upcoming less than 12 hours I want to accomplish several things.
– Write this frickin’ blind desperation post
– Check my Flickrworld to (a) ensure it hasn’t blown up and (b) experience a pang of regret for not having taken any photos today
– Semi-reluctantly pop onto Facebook to see if any of my “friends” have jettisoned me
– Maybe watch some high-caliber television like House Hunters or, if I’m really in a feisty mood, International House Hunters
– Sleep
– Shower
– Get dressed
– Eat breakfast
– Prepare lunch or, failing that, not prepare lunch
– Drive to work
Considering my plan includes at least 8 hours of crushing sleep it doesn’t leave a lot of time to do the other things on the list. So for this post, in the spirit of taking the easy way out, I’m going to take the easy way out. Instead of racking my brain to come up with something to blabber on about, I’m going to leave the post to the whims of fate. (Side note: How exactly does one “rack a brain”? Do you need special equipment or a crude medieval implement? Whatever the case, the image is damn ugly when you think about it.)
Tonight’s whim of fate comes via an old meme from Facebook and other online worlds. Back in the olden days of aught 6 (and I’m sure before then) a meme circulated telling you put your iPod on shuffle, then list the first 10 (or 20 or whatever) songs which played. I suppose it was designed to help people mold an opinion of you based upon your iTunes library. Its real purpose was much more sinister and sneaky: an excuse to share something meaningless which would further feed everyone’s online addiction. The best words to describe it are pointless, inane and silly which, quite frankly, are perfect since it fits snuggly into my desire to post quickly and make a mad dash for the exit.
Ten or twenty songs seem like a lot, especially given my desire to post quickly and make a mad dash for the exit. So I’m going to cut it down to five. This differs from the pointless, inane and silly old meme in that I’ll share observations about the songs which rotate through. Top of the head kind of stuff. Sound fair? Actually, that doesn’t matter. I’m writing this, not you! Okay, let’s grab those earbugs.
Ewww! Disgusting. Before I continue some serious cleaning solvent is needed. Please hold.
(Insert holding Musak here.)
Well, all I can add is a feeling of sincere gratitude that I’ve already eaten. And thanks to that degunking chore I’ve lost any desire to smash down a luscious dessert treat. This is good! Now I can get right to business.
Everything’s Not Lost – Coldplay
Oh, the hushy, confessional voice of Chris Martin. Only this time he’s not confessing anything. He’s trying to give us the old “things’ll get better, mate” spiel. Thanks, Chris. Now if you could do something about the stock market I really would feel better.
I Know What I Know – Paul Simon
Catchy tune, this. The title reminds me of a “comedy” skit from back in the day. Stuffy, anti-popular music people loved to show how shallow current music was. To prove this they’d enlist an extremely refined and proper British actor (think of one of the Johns: Gielgud or Houseman) to stand at a podium and read lyrics as if he were reading Shakespeare. He be all tweed jacketed with his slightly elevated head. He’d recite the lyrics, pausing for dramatic effect while adding sneering inflections on certain words to demonstrate their complete lack of refinement.
She looked me over
And I guess she thought
I was all right
All right in a sort of a limited way
For an off-night
She said don’t I know you
From the cinematographer’s party
I said who am I am…
Well, yeah. If you read most anything in that context it’s not exactly profound, is it? But let’s be fair. Popular music has always been guilty of simplistic lyrics. Like this.
Mammy, Mammy,
The sun shines east, the sun shines west,
I know where the sun shines best–
Mammy, My little mammy,
My heartstrings are tangled around Alabammy…
Alabammy?? Al Jolson actually had to sing that? Is that the best you could do Irving Caeser? I’m quite certain Irving would’ve failed the Houseman Test too. But that would’ve defeated the purpose of the stuffies, wouldn’t it?
Anyway, I like I Know What I Know, even if I can’t relate to a cinematographer’s party.
Kids in America – Kim Wilde
What can I say? I have no defense for this. Yet here I sit tapping my foot. And now bopping my head. “We’re the kidsssss in America!” Critics be damned! Anyway, I suspect the red headed child slipped this onto my playlist. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.
That’s All It Took – Gram Parsons
I loves me Gram Parsons. I loves me this genre of music. Parsons called it “Cosmic American Music.” Part rock, part folk, part country, part bluegrass, part gospel, part-y on Garth. Simply put, it makes me feel at home. Assuming my home was in early 20th century rural America.
Till It Shines – Bob Seger
Ever seen the movie Mumford? Well, you’re not alone. It’s one of those small, quiet films that the rest of the world barely noticed as it fluttered by, yet (for whatever reason) you (me) enjoyed tremendously. There is a scene about halfway through the film, a montage of sorts, where we peek in on the various characters as a way of recapping where they are in the story. Till It Shines is the music overlaying the scene. It’s a song I completely forgot about until I first caught this film on cable several years ago thus rekindling my suppressed appreciation for Bob Seger’s music. Now, of course, it’s on my iPod.
And there you have it. A blind desperation post of 1,000+words. Ta da!
Trask Avenue 