Has Anybody Seen my Mojo?

The husband and I were coming back from dinner when I mentioned how the cops circled that street like buzzards on roadkill. He didn't heed my warning and a few moments later the old blue and red lights flashed in the rearview.

This is the second time I've been in the car with Bryan when he's been pulled over in our neighborhood. It's also the second time I've seen him get a warning - and I'm freaking out. The last time I got a warning, I was sixteen.

I know what you're thinking - you think I'm all bitchy when the cop comes up, but it's not so! As a matter of fact, the last time I got a ticket near my house the officer actually thanked me for being so cooperative. I was driving home from the doctor's office, and I'm pretty sure I looked pitiful, too. But did the nice officer take pity and give me a warning? NO! He was all, "here's your ticket, pitiful lady, thanks for being so cool."

I've come to a sad realization - I must not be a hot girl. I mean, I don't think I'm bad looking, but when your husband gets warnings all the time and you get both fined and thanked for your cooperation it plays with your head a little. I mean, where's my mojo?

April Showers is to May Flowers as April Snow is to Seasonal Affective Disorder

OK, so it's unimaginative to write about the weather but seriously, people. This is me and Bryan at a Reds game. BASEBALL. And we're bundled up like we're watching the Packers at Lambeau field. Notice the poetry of the Cubs fan reaching for the sky in the background. (final score: Cubs 4, Reds 1.) Great photojournalistic work on behalf of Diego Ross. Did I mention that Diego's a Cubs fan?

Bryan: What are you doing, man?
Lemon icy guy: Not making any money.

Holy crap it needs to get warm soon. What's the weather like where you are?

Baby's First Meme

Daily Tragedies tagged me for a meme, and just in time, because I have too many ideas about what to write (which is unusual and oddly enough, still debilitating). Questions about music are a great excuse not to wade through the mental garbage looking for something you might actually want to read. Plus I always come out smelling like rotten eggs and coffee grounds.

So - here's how it goes: name seven songs you're currently into. The only rule is keep it honest, no editing out the dorky stuff so the cool kids will sit with you at lunch. Mine are in no particular order, just the way they came to mind.

1. Closer To You - Brandi Carlile
I am very into Brandi Carlile's music right now. As a matter of fact, I had a dream that we were friends and she came to stay with us when her band played in town. I'm inferring this from a very short single-scene dream: I get out of bed and walk into the hall. I see Brandi coming out of the guest room and I say, "hey, great show last night. Want some pancakes?" She doesn't really answer in my dream, probably since I've never actually heard her speak. (Yes, I know. Someone needs to get some real friends, and soon.)

2. Everything Comes Down To Poo - cast of Scrubs
That whole episode (My Musical) was amazing. I was in Jennifer heaven. Scrubs is my favorite comedy of all time, and they made a musical episode, AND it was great. Like, broadway great, but also hilarious. Listen for Donald Faison's (who plays Turk) line, "If you want to know what's wrong don't sit and act so cool. Just be a man, and eat some bread, and drop the kids off at the pool." I'm sorry to be so rigid, but if you don't find this song funny, we can no longer be friends.

3. Shame on You - Indigo Girls
I get so into this song when the weather starts to get warm. When you listen, promise me you'll groove a little.

4. East Asheville Hardware - David Wilcox
I'm kind of a folky chick at heart. I also tend to like stuff that songwriters like; which is ironic not having written a decent song in ten years. But, I'm working on that. If you like this song, the whole CD is just song after song of more fabulous.

5. In My Head - Anna Nalick
Love these lyrics, and of course Anna's voice.

6. Movin' On - Elliot Yamin
Eilliot is my boy and he always has been. He got his teeth fixed, and grew out his hair over his ears, but you were always beautiful to me, E. This is a fabulous song - get thee to iTunes.

7. Lake Marie - John Prine
One of my most unreachable goals in life is to sing with John Prine once. Hey, I can dream. Anyway, this is one is all about the words, but my husband's kinda ADD and he likes the jam of this one. To really experience the jam, get thee to iTunes. This video looks like someone did it with their camera phone, but hell, I woulda done the same thing.

Your turn! This is a group tag... leave your list in the comments or post on your own blog and link back to me.

Hey Ya Acoustic - Worth Checking Out

If you haven't see it yet, you must go here.

The video is grainy and crappy, but it's a fabulous version of the song.

Goodbye, Ashy Larry

My fish died. I know he was just a fish, but I am saddened.

Audio Weasel, if you're reading, Ashy Larry had a brother...and his name was Uncle Ray. Uncle Ray passed very early in his stay with the Ramseys, so I didn't see much point in bringing it up.

OK, since I brought it up, I'll share with the rest of the class:

My friend Scott (seen commenting as audio_weasel) and I worked together traveling to do live Video/Audio production. (I was the video part, and, well, you can put it together.) It was a very stressful job, so along with one or two others, we would occasionally indulge in a cocktail after work. Since we worked for a church-related organization we sometimes had need to make plans to have said cocktails in code on the crew headset. It went like this:

Let's get Methodist = Crew call's early tomorrow, let's have one drink

Let's get Presbyterian = OK, it's an early call, but today was tough enough for two

" Episcopalian = Today was horrid, time for a whole different holy trinity

" Catholic = Bartender, keep 'em comin'

" Uncle Ray (in honor of Scott's raging alcoholic Uncle) = This might be a rager. Don't let me dance on the bar.

In honor of the trauma we all endured during those dark days, I named a fish Uncle Ray. Dude, he died really fast. I hope it wasn't the name that killed him. I mean, you can't be Uncle Ray every day.

Back to his recently deceased brother. Ashy Larry was a dwarf gourami who looked exactly like this: Because I'm obviously a little tweaked, he's named after a character on Chappelle's show who looked like this:
I guess I thought his blue markings (fish Ashy) made him look kinda ashy. But in a good way.

You were a good fish, Ashy. A strong swimmer, and you carried a lot of joy on your irridescent little fins. You will be missed.

Wanna Get Away?

Lately, I frantically nod up and down in response to the Southwest commercials that end "wanna get away?"

Don't feel sorry for me, Internet. It's not like I have some kind of horrible life to get away from, I just need a place to decompress. A chill place, if you will.

When I was a kid, I used to chill on the roof. My folks had a hundred-foot HAM radio tower that served as my ladder to the roof of our house. We were pretty far out in the country, so it's not like the neighbors stared. (I guess that's obvious; I couldn't see many suburban neighborhood associations giving the "thumbs up" to a hundred-foot tower.)

I was always amazed by how much more peaceful the world could be just ten feet off the ground. I was mulling over ideas for a small getaway, when my TiVo recorded something perfect. (My TiVo, despite being an inanimate object, has remarkable insights into my soul. Except for the time it decided I was a gay black woman just because I watch the "L Word" and BET's "Grown Folks Music." OK, so maybe my TiVo runs a little hot and cold with the insights.) Anyway, this cool show was about tree houses. Here's one of them - built by Treehouse Workshop, Inc.

That particular tree house is way too rich for my blood, but the idea of a grown-up tree house sounds fantastic to me! I love the idea of being above things. Away from the world, but still close to it. Unfortunately, I couldn't even fund a treehouse construction with Monopoly money.

Alas, I'm still searching for my own private chill place. Where do you go (or what do you do) to get away? And have you ever felt your TiVo was getting the wrong idea about you?

St. Pepper's Day

Loving this logo:

It's from a bar on the south side of Indy called Peppers. http://www.pepperslive.com/featured_poker.php

Let me explain: my maiden name is Pepper, and I come from Irish stock. I won't go a St. Pat's without having corned beef and cabbage. It's just not done.

I identify mostly with my Irish heritage because I'm so freakin' pale. The other big influence in my family is Native American (Choctaw, specifically) and I do exhibit some attributes of that influence. I'm kinda short, have dark eyes, dark hair, and more booty than your average white girl.

So, my darker relatives make fun of me for my complexion. Given the genetic combo, it is somewhat vampiresque. Not really what you're used to seeing.

From the Irish angle, I could pass as part Black Irish. Of course, like most Americans, after the genetic marbles were thrown who knows what's Irish or Choctaw or English or whatever in the end. We're all truly a bunch of mutts here in America, which is cool, but it's also nice to identify with something.

To see this logo that coincidentally links St. Pats to my family of origin's name, well, I kinda dig it. First of all, I miss my maiden name. It's very distinctive. It's pretty easy to forget Ramsey (no offense, Bryan, Bob, and Deloris - I LOVE being a Ramsey) but Pepper kinda sticks in your mind. Plus, being fair skinned when the rest of my family was dark-complected made me feel particularly Irish. Like I might fit better in the Irish culture.

I've always dreamed of going to Ireland. Maybe I'll get there someday.

But, 'till then, happy St. Pepper's Day to all.