I know, I know... I am WAY behind. I'll knock out three of these, and then try to catch up a bit. Fair warning though, I am going to be away this weekend, so there will be no Friday, Saturday, or Sunday postings.

Music Meme, Day 12: A song that makes you want to have sex.

Led Zeppelin • [Stairway to Heaven]

I honestly am having a hard time thinking of a song that "makes me want to have sex", I mean, I can honestly be ready at a MOMENTS NOTICE. (Yah, it's been a while, for sure).

BUT - for my *first time* ... Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven played on the radio. Funny how one is not likely to forget something such as that.

For fun, I am posting a version done by the Foo Fighters instead of the original. Apparently, Dave Grohl has no idea what the lyrics are, and I think he is chewing gum during this performance [?], but it is entertaining, nonetheless.

Foo Fighters • Cover of Stairway to Heaven

}--*--*--*--{

Related, in a way-- and I think pretty funny...

Matthew Wilder • [Break My Stride]

While I do not want to have sex when I hear this song, I THINK about sex when I hear it. That is because a guy I used to know told me that he thinks about sex every time he hears it. I think he said that this occurred because it once played while he was having sex, I cannot remember the details of his story (Thank God).

But when I hear it, I have to suppress any images or thoughts of him, pumping away, with his big belly most likely in the way. Why he decided to share this detail of his life with me, I will never really know.

* ~ I ~ * ~ | ~ * ~ I ~ * ~ | ~ *

Music Meme, Day 13: A song you sing in the shower.

Lifehouse • [Broken]

This varies on a daily basis. I guess it depends on what has played (recently) from my iPod App on my iPhone. This morning, it was Crazy Little Thing Called Love - (Stray Cats). A few days ago, it was Broken - by Lifehouse... and some time before that it was Far Behind - by Candlebox.

* ~ I ~ * ~ | ~ * ~ I ~ * ~ | ~ *


Music Meme, Day 14: A song from the year you were born.

The Foundations • [Build Me Up, Buttercup]

I picked this one just because it was the first one that came to mind. There were a lot of songs in 1969. At least just about everyone knows this one!




[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Again, for some reason, yesterday I guess I forgot to do this. But, these two go hand-in-hand.

Music Meme, Day 11: A song that reminds you of your mother.

Neil Diamond

• [I am, I Said]

My mom LOVES Neil Diamond. This is her favorite song.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Music Meme, Day 10: A song that reminds you of your father.

Cat Stevens

• [Father and Son]

This song reminds me of my Stepfather, (who raised me). He loved this song.


[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Music Meme, Day 9: A song that reminds you of an ex.

Chicago • [Hard Habit to Break]


For this one, I selected a song from the 80s for my "first girlfriend". This was a two-week relationship in the 9th grade, during which we would walk the halls from one class to the next holding hands, and talked on the phone every night. She would pass me a note between classes (at least one per day), all folded up with a little pull-tab with which to open it.


* * * I am sorry this one is late * * *

Music Meme, Day 8: One band/singer whose popularity you will never understand.

Limp Bizkit • [Band Website] I know, some of you LIKE THEM... and that is OK, but this is not your weblog. I have heard ONE song by this group that I actually like, and right now I can't really recall which one it is. :) I'll come back and add the name of it when I do.

[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Music Meme, Day 7: One band/singer SONG you’re ashamed to admit you like.*

I decided to change this one to a SONG I'm embarrassed to admit that I like, Of course, I don't even know why I let this one play, but I tend to leave it on any time it plays randomly. I have not deleted it from my MP3s... yet I am not sure why.

O-Zone - Numa Numa

• [Notorious Video] that made this song known.

hahaha. What a Lame-O I am.

[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Music Meme, Day 6: Your favorite band

Again, there are just too many that I like. I guess I don't have favorite artists, or favorite bands on a solid. That is to say... my tastes, as I stated before, change. Frequently and without reason.

So, my choice, based on TODAY and my MOOD... is

Blue October

• [Band Website]

I thought this meme would be a great deal of fun... and I am deciding (now) that I am just really effin' indecisive. Seriously. I cannot pick a single band / group that is my all time favorite. I have 24 days left of this meme, and I feel that I am failing quite miserably at it.

I ordered my song list in iTunes alphabetically by artist, set it to randomize, and hit the -> next button forty-one times. I selected forty-one, because in a week, that will be my age. So, that was not a complicated thing to decide on for me.

I did this to try to figure out what bands for which I have the largest number of songs. The largest song number by any particular band is Led Zeppelin... but then, a lot of that has to do with how many songs or albums the band has released, and that is not a great method for finding a favorite. (although I have always really liked Zeppelin).

Going back to the frequently played list, at the top (highest play count) are:

Blue October, Disturbed, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Breaking Laces, and Nada Surf.

What I listen to is completely dependent on my mood. When I am in an aggressive, pissy, angry, or negative mood, bands like Disturbed fit the ticket. If I am in a mellow-ish mood, feeling a LITTLE bit on the low side, but not totally dumpish, Blue October works for me. When I want to sit around and think about my ex-girlfriend, J, John Mayer and Jack Johnson will be listened to. When I am feeling relatively happy, and want to sing along, I like Nada Surf, Breaking Laces and many many others.

I mean, with five thousand, nine hundred and seventy-eight songs... how can I possibly pick ONE song, or ONE band?

[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Music Meme, Day 5: Your favorite female singer

Eva Cassidy

• [Artist Wiki page]

I looked through my MP3s. I have very few female artist songs, comparatively. While I do have a lot of older female artists, I opted to select something a bit more current, as I listen to more current music than older music lately.

I selected Eva Cassidy, because of the artists on my computer, I have more of her music (number of songs per artist) and they have a higher play count than some of the others.

[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Music Meme - Day 4: Favorite Male Artist

Now, a Question like this is just too hard to answer. I have a hard time picking a favorite artist, be it male or female. That changes from day to day with my mood.



Favorite of ALL TIME... again. (Perhaps this is not the best meme for me to try to do.)My favorites depend greatly on the personality (I have many, as some of you know) of the day.

So what I have done is selected a favorite for my current mood, and then gave mention to other artists whom I like more than others. those are not listed in any particular order below:

Day 4, Favorite Male Singer of the moment, anyway is Matthew Caws (Nada Surf)

Nada Surf

• [band website]

I'm liking Nada Surf lately, or my mp3 player likes them and plays a LOT of them when set to random with all of the music I have loaded onto it.

--

Some of my other favorites include (but are not limited to):

Elvis | Willie Nelson | Paul Simon | Chris Cornell | Aaron Lewis (Staind) | Justin Furstenfeld (Blue October) | Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20) | Johnny Cash | John Lennon / Paul McCartney (The Beatles) | Sting | Alfalfa (because he had so much heart when he sang).

[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Music Meme - Day 3: A song that makes you dance

Wow. You know, I started thinking about this one at midnight when I was still waiting for the tiredness to arrive. I was unable to think of a single song that "gets me dancing". I looked through most of my the 4625 songs in my iTunes (on external storage I have over 5500 song collection), and I don't generally dance. It's never been something I've enjoyed.

I have thought about it a lot. I cannot think of a song to post. Some people think of Dance Track type music. Or at least one of the few songs that get my foot tapping or my thumbs drumming did not seem suitable to one of the people I talked to regarding my song selection.

The song I had thought of was Steeler's Wheel - Stuck in the Middle (With You). I am not sure why my friend didn't think it was a great answer, but I think maybe she was just thinking of a more current piece or maybe more of a dance track type song? Later she told me to use it, yet, by then (15 minutes later) that selection no longer appealed to me in the same way.

As for the "gets my feet tapping or thumbs drumming", there are so many songs that do. I was unable to select ONE. I am still unable to stay on "just one". Each of the ones I like (as in really like) to hear, is for a different reason, or is tied to a different memory that was a happy one. Many are tied to memories that are sad, (and those will be posted on another day, so I am not going to go into that now.)

So, with that, I will come back to this one and update this post once I decide on a song that makes me feel like dancin' (gonna dance the night away).

[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Music Meme, Day 2 - Song that Makes You Cry

Cold Play - Fix You

My MP3 player is set to play songs at random. While that may seem like it is "completely random" it is kind of odd that mine almost seems to SENSE my mood, and play what I (need) / want to hear. An example of this would be that when I am unable to solve a problem, or when my attempts at helping a person are UNSUCCESSFUL (!) this song has played. I mean, on more than one occasion. And to make it even more bizarre, it has not played on any other days in the past year other than the few days that work has not gone so well.

Last year, this song played when J and I were going through our rough patch, a month before she left. As badly as I wanted to fix the problem, it wasn't something that could be fixed. I tend to take that type of thing very hard. Things I have little (or no) control over, things that cannot be prevented or fought... I still feel like I *could have* done more, and spend an abundance of time analyzing it and replaying the event in my mind to see where I went wrong.

[Meme, Day 1, with the entire list of assignments, can be found here.]

Music Meme, Day 1: Favorite Song

I saw this MEME via a Tweet by someone I just recently began talking to /online/. Oddly, I've read her weblog for many years, she lives in the same city, and we just never talked before this past week... I don't know where she found it, so I do not know who else to credit.

Anyway, I figured that since I am not dating any ladies, and therefore have nobody to write about, I would participate in this meme.

The Meme will last about a month, so you will get to hear read something new every day or so for about that long. Sometimes my job is so [emotionally/and or/physically] taxing that I may not get around to the daily post, but I will try my best. HERE GOES NOTHIN':

Day 1, Favorite Song
Favorite of ALL TIME? That is a tough question. With all the music out there that is available, I like so much of it. So, much like the person I stole this idea from... I am finding it hard to pick ONE 'favorite'. My music tastes are directly tied to my mood in that second as it passes. So this selection may be obsolete by the time I finish typing this post. I guess what I will do is go to my iTunes (which houses approximately 5,000 songs) and see which song has the highest play count #.

Favorite song - of the MOMENT...

Breaking Benjamin - Breath

This song reminds me of the devastation I felt at the time J left... While that may not make sense as far as picking a FAVORITE song -- I have to say that I like this song, and looking at my iTunes playlist count, it has been played more than any of the others... so it won the right to be selected.

This MEME consists of the following... I'll try to remember to come back here to strike the days I have posted.
------------------
Day 1: Your Favorite Song.
--: coming soon :--
Day 2: A song that makes you cry.
Day 3: A song that makes you dance.
Day 4: Your favorite male singer.
Day 5: Your favorite female singer.
Day 6: Your favorite band.
Day 7: One band/singer you’re ashamed to admit you like.
Day 8: One band/singer whose popularity you will never understand.
Day 9: A song that reminds you of an ex.
Day 10: A song that reminds you of your father.
Day 11: A song that reminds you of your mother.
Day 12: A song that makes you want to have sex.
Day 13: A song you sing in the shower.
Day 14: A song from the year you were born.
Day 15: A song you liked in high school.
Day 16: The first song in your mp3 folder.
Day 17: The last song in your mp3 folder.
Day 18: An instrumental song you like.
Day 19: Your favorite love song.
Day 20: Your favorite breakup song.
Day 21: A song that makes you want to break stuff.
Day 22: Your favorite song from a movie.
Day 23: Your favorite duet.
Day 24: Your favorite cover song.
Day 25: Your favorite song from 2010 (so far)
Day 26: Your favorite movie video.
Day 27: One song in your mp3 folder you’re pretty sure no one else has.
Day 28: One song that needs to never be played again.
Day 29: One song that gives you the creeps.
Day 30: A song you’d like played at your funeral.

I will also have to remember to link each of those posts back to this list.. let's hope my pointed brain cooperates!

Last Friday, I had a visit with a doctor, in order to discuss in which ways I might change my lifestyle habits in order to aid in lowering my blood pressure and cholesterol. This was the first time I had seen this particular doctor, so, she knew nothing other than the facts: 40 yr. old male, with high blood pressure and high cholesterol | here to talk about how he might lower both. She knocked on the exam room door, and entered. She looked at me, then at the chart in her hand, and said OH Ok!

We exchanged the normal greetings and introduction, and then she sat down to discuss my options.

assiduity -
n.great and constant diligence and attention

She had stated that she could tell that I was already in good physical condition, and we discussed the fact that all of these health factors were said to run in my family. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and just about anything else people tend to have but nobody really wants. She asked me questions about my hypertensive medication dosage, eating habits, and other related things. We discussed where I might make some changes, and I was given a hand written list of instructions:

Increase medication dosage from 30mg per day to 60. If blood pressure continues to be too high (over 140/90), increase the dosage by 30 mg each week. If a higher dose is needed (if that dosage is still not working well), I would need to make an appointment to be seen for a new prescription.

I also need to be sure to get a minimum of 30 min. exercise 5 /7 days a week...

For the cholesterol, rather than a statin (which may be where I need to go next). FOR NOW, I will be taking Niacin (Vitamin B3)and aspirin, plus 1 gram of Fish Oil per day.

OH! and ... the pretty (although MARRIED) doctor wants to see me again in September. >|8o) <-- happy bert

What a great weekend. I woke up a bit on the early side Saturday morning, but felt (relatively) rested. I showered, shaved, put on "around the house" clothes, and proceeded to the kitchen to prepare the dips and foods to take to the party. After having made the dips, I sent a text message to the hostess to ask what time people were going to be showing up, and then I drank my coffee and relaxed.

heartening - (adjective) -- Inspiring confidence or hope.

I left my house around 12:30, to go pick up my date for the party. We arrived and many people were already there. (But the party was not yet in full swing). This would classify us as fashionably late, I guess. After everybody was introduced to everybody, we were served Sangria, and then moved outside to the front yard where we were playing a game (two game sets) of BAGS, where you throw bean bags and try to land them in the hole of a board that is rougly 8-10 feet (or more) away from you; stopping intermittently for rainfall.

Originally, this was to be a POOL PARTY, but weather was less-than-cooperative for such things as swimming (not to mention -- not really WARM ENOUGH out for a pool party.) We then moved inside for a while, and visited and grilled the meat under a covered area in the back yard.

Around that time, people started asking "What was in the Sangria", and after hearing the AMOUNTS and TYPES of ALCOHOL they used (much much of it), and realizing I had ENJOYED three of these within about two hours, and had not eaten yet today, I decided it was a good idea for me to cease further alcohol consumption.

The food was extremely good, other than some of the salads having a LOT of mayonnaise, (which I do not particularly care for). The taco (six layer dip as opposed to seven) dip was obliterated, and the Artichoke Parmesan Jalapeno dip was hit very hard as well. People asked for the recipe for the Artichoke Parmesean jalapeno dip, so... I am sharing the recipe for one of the dips I made, and including the link to the site (hoping that satisfies copyright issues).

Artichoke, Jalapeño and Parmesan Dip
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 pickled jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drain, reserve marinade
2 teaspoons Tabasco green jalapeño sauce
Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Use a food processor with metal blade to finely grate Parmesan cheese. Add the cream
cheese, mixing well. Transfer cheese mixture to a mixing bowl.
2. Chop jalapeño peppers in processor, add drained artichoke hearts and process just until
coarsely chopped. Add artichoke/jalapeño mixture and the jalapeño sauce to cheese mixture.
Mix well. If needed, add small amount of additional marinade to obtain desired consistency.
Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Serve with a variety of crackers or chips.
Makes 16 servings or yields 2 cups.
Nutrition Facts (per 2 tablespoon serving): 82.8 calories; 72% calories from fat; 6.8g total fat;
21.1mg cholesterol; 151.4mg sodium; 70.6mg potassium; 2.0g carbohydrates; 0.7g fiber; 0.2g
sugar; 1.4g net carbs; 3.9g protein.
Copyright Hope Pryor, please see Terms of Use. -- cooksrecipes.com

After we ate, some of the guests departed, and those that stayed (after-party PARTY crowd) set up one of the tables for a game of SPOONS. (Only the person who does not grab a spoon -- has to take a drink (from the alcoholic beverage they have). After the game of SPOONS died out (a "break" from the game -- never re-commenced in game). We were sitting outside (gazeebo) and had cake and desserts. After it started to get dark, we moved to the other room and they set up the ROCKBAND game and people were singing and having fun.

Around 11:30, two of the guests (the Guest of Honor and his wife) were ready to go home, and were going to call a cab, but since I had not been drinking for (nearly five hours now), I offered to drive them home. My date waited at the party house (which was great because she felt comfortable with my friends), and I returned to the party around midnight (round trip was not so close but that is ok). They were now playing a trivia game (Forget the name of it) on either the wii or the Playstation, I am not sure which.

Their game ended, and we visited for a while. Around 1:00AM, the hostess was tired, the one other guest left was planning to crash in their guest room, and the host had disappeared much earlier in the evening (around eleven I think it was). I drove my date home, and we talked on her front porch for another half hour, I kissed her goodnight, and then I drove home.

This morning, one of the people I drove home earlier texted me to ask if they had dropped keys in my truck. I went out to check and sure enough, there was indeed a set of keys in the floorboard of the front seat. They told me they were meeting with the host and hostess of the party (and one of the other attendees) for brunch, and asked me if I would like to join them. I went for "brunch". Anyway, when I get there, being FATHER'S DAY there was a bit of a wait-for a table-time, and I found the partiers at the bar... drinking SANGRIA (again). The eggs were undercooked (I received over easy instead of over-medium --gag). The bacon was GOOD. The coffee was ... meh. For $8.95 I feel like it was kinda not so great. (IHOP would have been better and cheaper).

Even with that, the company was good, and I was happy not to have spent the morning by myself. After brunch, we went back to the HOST/HOSTESS house and helped clean up. Then they set up the BAGS game and were playing (and drinking -- again). I visited with them a while, drank water, and then excused myself. I went home and napped on the couch for a while.

Fun times.

I called my date (for whom I have yet to choose a nickname to use in posts such as this), and talked to her for a while... and then I played online and read up on the news.

That sums up my weekend.

"I am what I am, and that's all that I am."

[random - Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective]

Right now, I find that there is nothing on TV with which I might occupy my brain.

Right now, I am trying to enjoy a plum, but it is very tart.

Right now, I find myself wishing that I had someone to talk to.

Right now, I am staring at the small black cat, who is staring at me.

Right now, I am wondering if the numb spot in the center of my brain is going to develop into a headache.

Right now, I could use a cup of coffee.

I wish I could say that quote was my own, but anyone born before 1980 will most likely recognize it right away, and know that it is NOT my own.

I cannot believe it, but I am off (again) for a weekend. I hope that whatever higher-power that has pushed this bit of luck my direction does not take that as a complaint; I just cannot believe the luck involved, and thought that I'd open by stating so.

[resurgence n. A continuing after interruption; a renewal. A restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor;]

This Saturday, I am going to a party at the home of some friends. I believe I will need to purchase a new bathing suit, since the one from last year is once again too large for me (again, I feel a need to specify that -- that is not a complaint), and the one(s) that fit me are faded and (quite old) are from the days when I younger. These FIT me, but are not well suited for wearing around a group of people, due to fading or rips... [That of course, depends on the WEATHER, which may not even be suited to suiting up in the first place.] I digress.

So, Friday night, I will make a spinach artichoke dip; with the acceptable dipping goodies (chips and crackers and celery and carrots), AND a version of a 7-layer dip... albeit a meatless version.

I will be escorting (or have the pre-arranged company of) a lady I recently met elsewhere. Oddly, her first initial is also "j", which means should things progress, I will have to find a way to specify about whom I am writing. [?]

This past year has been a rough ride, and I am afraid I did not fair so well in getting through it. I came out the other side feeling quite battered. While there are no visible bruises or scrapes on my body, my emotions were knocked flat. I am trying to get myself back to a point where I feel more like myself again.

Life, for what it is worth, completely stopped for me. I was still moving about, PHYSICALLY, but my heart and mind were both absent in the ABSTRACT sense. Entirely and completely absent, from the equation.



So... that was that, I guess.

Now, it is time for me to attempt to get my life moving again.

I thought I [could / would / should] post a random update of what's been going on with me...

... um

huh...

... err...

Well, there doesn't seem to be a tremendous amount of goings on, really. J and I broke up-- and while it seems like the right thing to do, I have yet to reach that conclusion as a definitely right decision.

Either way, I continue making my way through each day in life - go to work - or staying at home doing house chore type things [right now my overgrown shrubs and bushes and trees call out to me for attention].

Eventually, I will feel normal again.

Right??

Haloscan, the site I have used for comments for the past few years, is no longer going to be providing service.

Since I don't recall any of the comments being all that noteworthy, I am just switching to the crappy design comments supplied by BLOGGER.

Not like anyone has anything to say, anyway!

I was sure I had written and posted since December 3, although it is quite possible that I merely had a dream about doing so. I have no idea. I have been sort of lost lately. It seems that the harder I try-- the harder life gets.

It kind of sucks, but eventually (I hope) it will get better.

It has been noted that I am posting again (J). I don't really have much to say tonight, but thought I would say something -- at least to let any readers know that I am indeed still alive.

Post titles, as of December 3, 2009...
________________________

Greetings - Googlism - Resistance - Preferences - Realization - Intelligence - Fade In - Fuckingluck - Vilifier - Dejection - Breakfast - Sleepless - Moods - Cooked - Fuzziness - Lament - Mindloop - Details - Clarity - Confabulation - Hesitation - Indecision - Relaxation - Concluded - Reloaded - Unconvinced - Unrepentant - Imbecility - Reminiscing - Anticipation - Candor - Disoriented - Vertigo - Friendships - Setting - Providential - Broken - Contingency - Disconnected - Excuses - Reboot - Conflicted - Unfinished - Caution - Terminated.
________________________
The majority of these posts are dedicated to J. I plan to post about any future dating experiences and/or relationships here, so stay tuned...

Ok. It has been a very long time since I have updated. here's the scoop... if you want to know, continue reading.

I proposed to j not so long ago. For those that may not know, this was NOT the first time i tried this. she DECLINED, claiming she was doing so 'regretfully', and stated that she did indeed want to 'stay together'. I gave it some thought, and (a few weeks later) decided that I would just end things where they were... which I did.

For someone who was not looking for marriage, she was completely devastated by this, and had some kind of nervous breakdown - in a very public place - making US the 'dinner show' at a restaurant (if you can explain this behavior, please do).

Talk about humiliating.