Week One Hundred and Thirty - The Sugarcubes - "Birthday" - Life's Too Good

So it's that time of year again... time for my birthday! It's tomorrow (October 27th) actually. I'll be 37-years-old.

I'm not exactly sure what I imagined my life to be like at 37 whenever I was a child. Honestly, I was always convinced that I was going to die young in some kind of tragic accident; so, I never really pondered what my middle life would entail.

However, I don't think I could have planned it any better for myself even if I had tried. Seriously, I have never felt so comfortable with myself and so pleased to be alive. 

Part of my contentment, I believe, is that I never fell victim to societal pressures to unite with another human being and procreate. In fact, I think wedding vows are completely laughable. 

C'mon now, you really think you can promise to love, honor, and cherish another human being forever, no matter what the circumstances?!?! I could definitely promise to love someone tomorrow, maybe even next week, possibly even next month or next year. However, I would never parade myself in front of God and everyone close to me (in a fluffy white dress, mind you) and make such a bold-faced lie and then even go so far as to invite the law into my relationship to dictate to me what's going to happen if things don't quite go as planned!! (What do you think a marriage license is folks??? It's very much your invitation to the law!) Ummmmm, thanks, but no thanks... I think I'll pass!!!

I appreciate the fact that people can come and go from my life and I from theirs. I think it's so refreshing to serve a purpose in others' lives and them in mine for whatever length of time feels comfortable and then to let one another go.

I guess I'm just single at heart, and it doesn't frighten me the way it does other people. I enjoy the thought of being able to do whatever I want whenever I want... now that's what I call living!!!

So maybe my idea of life at 37 is a bit radical for some of you, but it works for me. And if this is 37, I can soooooooo do this!!!

That, my lovely blogland readers, is a four-layer Red Velvet Cake that my dearest friend, Cecilia, whom I have known since I was four-years-old purchased for me to enjoy, after she stuffed me full of crab legs and shrimp!!! Soooooo yummy! She even let me sit on her fancy leather couch that gives you a full body massage while I was eating my slice of cake.

Today, I'm going to share some songs by The Sugarcubes with you. In addition to "Birthday" (which I am fully aware is not actually about birthdays), I'll also include "Hit" and "Walkabout". And yes, Bjork has some other fabulous songs, but I will cover her solo career at a later point in time.

She lives in this house over there

Has her world outside it

Scrapples in the earth with her fingers and her mouth

She's five years old

Threads worms on a string

Keeps spiders in her pocket

Collects fly wings in a jar

Scrubs horse flies

And pinches them on a line

Ohhh...!

She has one friend, he lives next door

They're listening to the weather

He knows how many freckles she's got

She scratches his beard

She's painting huge books

And glues them together

They saw a big raven

It glided down the sky

She touched it

Ohh...!

Today is a birthday

They're smoking cigars

He's got a chain of flowers

And sews a bird in her knickers

Ohhh...!

They're smoking cigars

They lie in the bathtub

A chain of flowers

Week One Hundred and Twenty-Nine: The Postal Service - "Nothing Better" - Give Up

Back in 2003, I met this really nice Rockabilly boy one evening at the '80s night that was held in The Art Bar at the Club Clearview complex. We weren't exactly romantically compatible; however, we got along really well, and he was a great friend to me at that time in my life.

One evening, while enjoying a hefeweizen (I didn't stop drinking until 2004) at New Amsterdam Coffee House on Exposition Avenue (now known as The Amsterdam Bar), we got on the topic of music. He was drilling me about any new bands that I had checked out lately.

You may recall that I had mentioned in a previous post that there was a time in my life that I was very close-minded musically, and 2003 fell within that close-minded period. If it wasn't Retro, New Wave, or Gothic, I most likely was NOT listening to it.

He looked at me and very kindly said, "You're stuck! You're stuck in your life, and you're stuck in your music. Wake up and start experiencing new things!!!"

He was about to embark on a trip to Las Vegas for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, and I was about to embark on a trip to Chicago (since I still worked for Hilton at the time and got to stay at all of the downtown Chicago Hiltons for zip/zero/zilch/aka free).

He added, "While you're in Chicago, do yourself a favor and stop by a music store and pick up the latest release by The Postal Service. I think you'll really like them." 

I grumbled a bit and replied, "Sure, that's gonna happen!"

However, while wandering aimlessly in downtown Chicago, I passed a Tower Records. Something compelled me to turn around and go in and at least look at the CD he recommended. Next thing I knew, I was at the register purchasing said CD.

I remember hearing today's tune, "Nothing Better", and saying to myself, "He's right! I am stuck. I do need to experience new things, and damn, this is a really good song!!!"

I don't even think that he and I ever hung out again after he returned from Vegas and I returned from Chicago, but I am eternally grateful to him for getting me unstuck musically and in life!

The version on the CD includes Jen Wood on vocals, but I found a really cool live version on YouTube that I want to share with you. The live version has Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley) on vocals instead. Enjoy!

Will someone please call a surgeon

Who can crack my ribs and repair this broken heart

That you're deserting for better company?

I can't accept that it's over...

And I will block the door like a goalie tending the net

In the third quarter of a tied-game rivalry

So just say how to make it right

And I swear I'll do my best to comply

Tell me am I right to think that there could be nothing better

Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together

I feel I must interject here you're getting carried away feeling sorry for yourself

With these revisions and gaps in history

So let me help you remember.

I've made charts and graphs that should finally make it clear.

I've prepared a lecture on why I have to leave

So please back away and let me go

I can't my darling I love you so...

Oh, oh

Tell me am I right to think that there could be nothing better

Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together

Don't you feed me lines about some idealistic future

Your heart won't heal right if you keep tearing out the sutures

I know that I have made mistakes and I swear

I'll never wrong you again

You've got a lure I can't deny,

But you've had your chance so say goodbye

Say goodbye

Week One Hundred and Twenty-Eight: The Magnetic Fields - "Love Goes Home to Paris in the Spring" - The House of Tomorrow (EP)

So I've had to spend quite a bit of time at home over this past week, in order to nurse my dog (and his $1000 penis --- read last week's post for an explanation) back to health, which also means that I've been listening to my iPod on *shuffle* quite incessantly. One little surprise that popped up the other day was this tune, "Love Goes Home to Paris in the Spring" by The Magnetic Fields.

This is such a warm and cozy-feeling little tune, and it got me to thinking: "If love goes home to Paris in the Spring, does that mean that it vacations in the States during the Fall and Winter?!?!?" I sure hope so because my love life has pretty much been non-existent for quite some time now, but I also haven't exactly been out on a manhunt lately either...

Another activity that I have been practicing, in order to pass the time, is cooking. I truly haven't cooked much of anything in forever (or at least a very long time); however, I just popped some sour cream green chile chicken enchiladas in the oven, and I'm about to tackle a Heath Bar crunch cheesecake. 

Sorry, Morrissey, I realize that you are vehemently opposed to consuming chicken, but I am vehemently opposed to battling pleurisy and pneumonia any longer, which I battled almost yearly for the last five years of my almost twenty years of vegetarianism. In case you haven't heard, though, Morrissey confirmed that he has been battling cancer (not sure what kind though), and my thoughts and prayers are most certainly with him... but I'm still going to fully enjoy my homemade sour cream green chile chicken enchiladas!!!

I'll also include "(Crazy For You But) Not That Crazy"...

I'm counting the habits you made me break

I'm counting the drugs you won't let me take

I'm counting my friends you won't let me see

I've had enough, you never give me anything

Don't you know love goes home to Paris in the Spring?

Adding up the odds, I've waited for you

I'm counting the calls that never came through

I'm counting my friends you melted away

I'm counting the times you came for a day

I've had enough, you never give me anything

Don't you know love goes home to Paris in the Spring?

Week One Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Kate Bush - "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" - Hounds of Love

Unlike most people I know, when I pray, I do my best to thank God for all of my blessings, as opposed to bugging Him with a bunch of petty requests...

However, this past week, I was forced to get down on my knees and make "A Deal With God", which is what this week's song was originally titled, until conservative record execs made Kate Bush change it so as not to offend any religious listeners.

So, out of the blue, my little dog's health started failing rapidly. I was convinced that it was a result of his heart murmur, and I was preparing myself all last week to help end his suffering last Friday if that is what it was ultimately going to take.

By Wednesday, I begged God to help me make the right decision and not be selfish and keep my little dog around for my own sake. I was slowly going through the process of letting him go...

However, when I came home on Thursday, he was like a completely different dog. He was wagging his tail at me and was ready to eat some dinner. I couldn't believe it!!!

After taking him to his regular vet and an emergency vet to have a pre-surgery procedure done, my dog now possesses a $700 penis, which will turn into an $1100 penis after Tuesday's surgery... that's right, boys, how many of you can say yours is worth that much?!?!?

To make a long story short, he has bladder stones that are preventing him from urinating properly and that are making him very ill. After Tuesday's surgery, he and his $1100 penis should be as good as new!

"If I only could, I'd be running up that hill.

If I only could, I'd be running up that hill."

It doesn't hurt me.

Do you want to feel how it feels?

Do you want to know that it doesn't hurt me?

Do you want to hear about the deal that I'm making?

You, it's you and me.

And if I only could,

I'd make a deal with God,

And I'd get him to swap our places,

Be running up that road,

Be running up that hill,

Be running up that building.

If I only could, oh...

You don't want to hurt me,

But see how deep the bullet lies.

Unaware I'm tearing you asunder.

Ooh, there is thunder in our hearts.

Is there so much hate for the ones we love?

Tell me, we both matter, don't we?

You, it's you and me.

It's you and me won't be unhappy.

And if I only could,

I'd make a deal with God,

And I'd get him to swap our places,

Be running up that road,

Be running up that hill,

Be running up that building,

Say, if I only could, oh...

You,

It's you and me,

It's you and me won't be unhappy.

"C'mon, baby, c'mon darling,

Let me steal this moment from you now.

C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,

Let's exchange the experience, oh..."

And if I only could,

I'd make a deal with God,

And I'd get him to swap our places,

Be running up that road,

Be running up that hill,

With no problems.

And if I only could,

I'd make a deal with God,

And I'd get him to swap our places,

Be running up that road,

Be running up that hill,

With no problems.

And if I only could,

I'd make a deal with God,

And I'd get him to swap our places,

Be running up that road,

Be running up that hill,

With no problems.

If I only could

Be running up that hill

With no problems...

"If I only could, I'd be running up that hill.

If I only could, I'd be running up that hill."