Coachella

Music blogs are all up in it. A few people actually got to go to it. It is Coachella, annual music festival thingy. The lineup was so diverse and W I D E this year I can't help using it as a theme. It's easy to pick out a bunch of bands I like from this packed schedule, and play some of my faves for you! Everybody below was at Coachella 2008.
Beef Jerky Time playlist, 4/30/08

• Raspberry Beret: Prince
  
• Quero te Amar: Bonde do Role
  
• Endless Shovel: Rogue Wave
  
• Bittersweet Symphony: The Verve
  
• L.E.S. Artistes: Santogold
  
• Je Veux Te Voir: Yelle
  
• Lights and Music: Cut Copy
  
• Under the Blacklight: Rilo Kiley
  
• Bird Flu: M.I.A.
  
• Paris is Burning: St. Vincent
  
• Superstar: Tegan & Sara
  
• Slide In: Goldfrapp
  
• Keep on Looking: Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings

I love Cut Copy

As I said on my show, I'm psyched that an awesome new (to me) band is not from Brooklyn, Sweden or France. Cuz it seems that things I like lately are from those 3 places, which is rather odd. Cut Copy: 80s-esque, sometimes getting beyond the sweet New Order synth into Eye of the Tiger territory. It's just that good. They're from Melbourne. They're playing Boston May 12. I WISH I COULD GO!!

Two week's-worth of playlists below. It's raining out. Should I have a Rusty Nail?

Beef Jerky Time 4/16/08

• Tru: Stars
  
• The Charging Sky: Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins
  
• Stop Being Perfect: The LK
  
• Night of the Furies: The Rosebuds
  
• The Henney Buggy Band: Sufjan Stevens
  
• Myriad Harbour: The New Pornographers
  
• Paris 2004: Peter Bjorn & John
  
• People: Gorillaz
  
• So Haunted: Cut Copy
  
• She's a Beauty: The Tubes
  
• Blinuet: Zoot Sims
  
• Doledrum: The La's
  
• You Got the Silver: Rolling Stones
  
• Wake Up Dolores: Los Lobos
  
• Saxx Laws (Night Flight to Ojai): Beck remix

Beef Jerky Time 4/23/08

• Pop Goes the Weasel: Marcy Marxer
  
• Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo: Jens Lekman
  
• Requiem for O.M.M.2: Of Montreal
  
• Merci Madame la Vie: Charles Aznavour
  
• edit: hollAnd
  
• Our House: Madness
  
• La Vie est Belle: MC Solaar
  
• Set Adrift on Memory Bliss: PM Dawn
  
• Fresh: Pacifica
  
• 4 Minutes: Madonna f/Justin Timberlake
  
• Lysergic Bliss: Of Montreal
  
• Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds: The Beatles
  
• Walk Don't Run: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
  
• Mon Oncle (jazzy mix): Mr. Untel
  
• Daily Sisyphus: Paloma
  
• The Underdog: Spoon
  
• Quiet Beauty: Paul Berliner

Sick again!

Flu or something, ugh. So I missed the 4/9/08 show to convalesce. Here's the list from the 4/2/08 Beef Jerky Time:

• Good Ol Boys: The Apple Brothers
  
• King Dork: The Mr. T Experience
  
• Clash City Rockers: The Clash
  
• Be Good to Me: Apollo's Apaches
  
• What if I was Right: Sleater Kinney
  
• Like a Riot: Ann Beretta
  
• The Way We Get By: Spoon
  
• Some Weird Sin: Iggy Pop
  
• Glander's Biennial: Kleenex Girl Wonder
  
• Why Ain't Love Fair: Thee Wylde Maniacs
  
• Digital: Joy Division
  
• Prime Numbers: The Two Gentleman Band
  
• Drivin' Thru My Heart: The Donnas
  
• With My Love: Shades
  
• Double Day: The Afghan Whigs
  
• Cryin Cryin Cryin: Bomb Bassets
  
• Squeaky Clean: The Mopes
  
• Cans of Love: Smugglers
  
• Trem Two: Mission of Burma
  
• Rock the Casbah: The Clash

Spring happy

The bloomin' snow is finally melting. More is gone every day. It's still 20F at night, but a few days have gotten up to 50F. Every winter that I'm alive is harder to take than the one before. And every spring I'm more surprised to start feeling normal again. I feel so normal by September that I forget to move away somewhere warmer, and then winter strikes again. OK that's the cycle, but let's not dwell right now on winter being only a few months away... Let's celebrate!

Playlist from Beef Jerky Time 3/26/08:

• Take on Me: a-ha
  
• Look Back: OK Ikumi
  
• Destination Unknown: Missing Persons
  
• Blue Whale: Fantasy Mirrors
  
• Things Can Only Get Better: Howard Jones
  
• Stakeout: Freezepop
  
• People Are People: Depeche Mode
  
• Kelly: Van She
  
• It's My Life: Talk Talk
  
• Fraud in the 80s: Mates of State
  
• Perfect Kiss: New Order
  
• I Lust U: Neon Neon
  
• Don't You Want Me: Human League
  
• On the Lam: Panther

Obsessed with a remix

of Santogold by XXXchange "Les Artistes"--it can be found here: http://this.bigstereo.net/2008/02/28/santogold-xxxchange/. Can't stop listening to it today. Checkit.

If this were Twitter

I'd say that right now I have Justice's DVNO stuck in my head (see Youtube below). Also Thao's "Beat (Health Life Fire)." I became convinced I was getting a cold so I made a concoction of lemon juice, honey, cayenne and hot water and then sat here adding all my most memorable books to my new Goodreads account. In general I don't believe in putting personal information online, but somehow listing books I've read has become an exception.

New notebook

I'm about to retire my current Beef Jerky Time playlist notebook because it's full. Tonight's show (3/19/08) had to be written on the inside back cover because there were no pages left. I've written down all my playlists since my very first radio show over 5 years ago (just before the war started). I have one other notebook that starts with my first show ever, The Mixed Tape Revue, plus a lot of Makin' Candy, my show for a couple years afterward on ye olde rfb. So I'm finally closing this second (green) notebook. Looking back, I see the first entry is for the 6/26/04 edition of Makin' Candy, with still-current favorites twinkling in that ancient list--Stars, Club 8, The Sea & Cake, Cat Power, Yo La Tengo, Memphis, Fred Astaire.

So I'm putting notebook #2 in the vault. And I'm posting my last 2 playlists at once to finish things off. Looking forward a fresssssh notebook nexxt week!

3/12/08 show

• Bedstuy Parade: Mos Def
  
• The Young & the Guest List: Paradise Boys
  
• Rainbowarriors: CocoRosie
  
• Birds of Prey: Von Iva
  
• Henri: The Heavy Circles
  
• Il ne rentre pas ce soir: Eddy Mitchell
  
• Rompiendo el Hielo: Superaquello
  
• Cuckoo: Maria Eriksson
  
• Your New Cuckoo: The Cardigans
  
• I Didn't Mean to turn You On: Robert Palmer
  
• Bag of Hammers: Thao Nguyen
  
• Fa-Fa-Fa: Datarock
  
• Pretty Rock: Marie Möör
  
• Wintertime: Under Electric Light

3/19/08 show

• Les Artistes: Santogold
  
• Guyamas Sonora: Beirut
  
• Bang On: The Breeders
  
• DVNO: Justice
  
  
• Faberge Falls for Shuggie: Of Montreal
  
• Aht Uh Mi Hed: Shuggie Otis
  
• Thank You for the Music: ABBA
  
• Empty Bottles: Reed KD
  
• Supernatural Superserious: R.E.M.
  
• Harbercoat: R.E.M.
  
• Second, Minute or Hour: Jack Peñate
  
• Why Do You Let Me Stay Here: She & Him
  
• Little Bit: Lykke Li
  
• In Transit: Albert Hammond, Jr.
  
• I Steal and Do Drugs: hollAnd

Jointly and Severally

I like parties. There I said it. Feel free to invite me to yours.

Here is playlist from 3/5/08. All favorites of a special someone! Please stream Beef Jerky Time if you can, Weds 7-8pm... http://wvew.org.

• Is This It: The Strokes
  
• Use It: New Pornographers
  
• Strawberry Letter 23: Shuggie Otis
  
• Kiss Me Deadly: Lita Ford
  
• Standing on the Verge of Getting it On: Funkadelic
  
• Young Folks: Peter Bjorn & John
  
• Galvanize the Empire (Chemical Brothers vs. John Williams): Party Ben
  
• Frankly Mr. Shankly: The Smiths
  
• The Greatest: Cat Power
  
• Drug Test: Yo La Tengo
  
• White Trash Heroes: Archers of Loaf
  
• Dirty Work: Steely Dan
  
• Fame: David Bowie

My tummy hurts

Used to be that when I heard of people calling into work with a "24-hour bug" or a "stomach issue" or whatnot, I thought they were TOTALLY making it up. But now I've made that call, and it's been for reals, twice in the past 4 months. I'm just coming off the latest purge, feeling weak... grateful that it's over... marveling that it really does only take 24 hours... but during that time it's rather dreadful... I won't go on. Highly recommend spoonfuls of "pearl tea" every 5 minutes for once the tummy unclenches but is still not ready for prime time. Picture black tea with milk and sugar, but without the tea. Add a small pinch of salt. Delicious. Nourishing. Even cures toddlers.

Playlist from 2/27/08 Beef Jerky Time:

• Walking Song: Meredith Monk (Big Lebowski s/t)
  
• We Got the Beat: Go Gos
  
• Beat (Health, Life, and Fire): Thao Nguyen
  
• Past in Present: Feist
  
• Molly's Lips: Nirvana
  
• Déjà Vu: Beyoncé f. Jaz-Z
  
• Wondergirl: Peplab
  
• Third World Lover: Kid Koala & Dynomite D
  
• New Day: Kate Havnevik
  
• The Sweet Escape: Gwen Stefani f. Akon
  
• Disconnect the Dots: Of Montreal
  
• Oh Sherrie: Steve Perry
  
• Acceptable in the 80s: Calvin Harris
  
• The Man in Me: Bob Dylan (Big Lebowski s/t)
  
• Una Onda Bajo: Fax vs. Pepito

My cat sits on my mouse

My computer mouse that is--the cat sets herself up by the window, which puts her squarely on top of the mouse sometimes. This seems oddly appropriate.

Here's the playlist from the 2*13*08 Beef Jerky Time.

• Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous theme
  
• Love Will Tear Us Apart: Susanna & the Magical Orchestra
  
• Lazy Lover (free mix): Brazilian Girls
  
• There She Goes: The La's
  
• Mr. Jones: The Talking Heads
  
• Twin Evil Stars: Dead Cowboys
  
• Now Now: St. Vincent
  
• A House is Not a Motel: Love
  
• buy/sell/trade: Billy Schuh & the Foundry
  
• (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction: Cat Power
  
• D.A.N.C.E.: Justice
  
• Für Paris gilt das nicht: Merricks
  
• Bi-Pet: Lali Puna
  
• Avec Grande Vitesse: Mondfähre
  
• roygbiv: Boards of Canada

Class: Andrew McCarthy as 80s quintessence

I just saw the movie "Class" for the first time (how had I missed this before??). I discovered that it contains many interesting elements that are dispersed, diluted, echoed and reseeded in many similar films over the next few years. The genre is 80s teen/Brat Pack--could this be the ur-film in that category? I have started a table for comparison purposes. It is by no means complete, so please tell me if you know for a fact that there should be another checkmark somewhere. (I only checked off things I was Really Sure about.) Note that "Class" is in the bottom row here, with checks in every single column.

Title	Andrew McCarthy	Chicago	Older woman	John Cusack	bare breasts	alcohol/ drugs	convertible	Rob Lowe	year
16 Candles				√	√	√	√		1984
Breakfast Club		√				√			1985
Pretty in Pink	√								1986
Ferris Bueller...		√					√		1986
Adventures in B...		√							1987
St. Elmo's Fire	√	√				√	√	√	1985
Less than Zero	√					√	√		1987
The Sure Thing				√					1985
Wierd Science			√						1985
Oxford Blues								√	1984
Better Off Dead				√					1985
Class	√	√	√	√	√	√	√	√	1983

Brief note: I was excitedly expounding on this film at home, so we did a quick search to look for info. We found the following writeup of "Class" on German Amazon, and ran it through a translate program just for the pleasure. The descriptions that result are as good as any:

Brief Description: "For a newcomer like Jonathan turns out to be the oldest thing in the world suddenly as the most difficult. A bit too shy and inexperienced, the prospective stumbles Examenskanditat chosen for his first erotic Gehversuchen into a completely verzwickte history. Heavy head over heels in love, far from all Earth, it is rather ungently on the floor of the facts back. Seine "remedial teacher" in matters erotic turns out to be the mother of his best friend. no surprise that such a seduction risikogeladene leaves its traces. however, it would be laughed if Jonathan his exams in all respects with distinction there. Schmunzelspaß A sexy, peppy staged, gorgeous played. Teeny a cheeky comedy, the mood is easy! "

Video Market: The neunzehnjährige Jonathan friends at the College after brushing with room mutual colleague Skip. Soon after he learns the attractive Ellen know, 35 years, stunning and - what Jonathan did not know - mother of Skip. Ellen Burroughs, in the coldness of her husband suffers, seduces Jonathan and robs his innocence. As Jonathan visited the family in a country house herself, Skip finds his mother in Jonathan's bed. The boys beat up and clean their dispute after Männerart. Ellen ended the affair.

Homeless Marathon

is on the air tonight on WVEW, so no Beef Jerky Time til next week. Meantime, here's playlist from 2/6/08 show.

• Gypsy Dave: Bert Jansch
  
• Ennui: Halcyon Blue
  
• Voices Are Your Best Friend: Glissandro 70
  
• Get Out of Bed: Spring Factory
  
• Dim Stars: Low Lights
  
• Nobody's Baby: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
  
• People: Gorillaz
  
• Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse: Of Montreal
  
• Fiesta: The Pogues
  
• Bill Gets Funky (aka Spacefunk): Freaks & Geeks s/t
  
• Rockit: Gorillaz
  
• Don't Even Tell Me You Miss the 70s: Orange Cake Mix
  
• Metaphor: Sparks
  
• See You on the Moon: Great Lake Swimmers
  
• Merry Making at My Place: Calvin Harris

Grumpy week

Not sure why I am a total crank lately. My attention span is also surprisingly brief. Today I actually considered firing up a stockmarket ticker Widget or something to keep me entertained. Just to see something moving, telling me something...

Last week's Beef Jerky Time was pretty good! (1/30/08)

• Busted Bicycle: Leo Kottke
  
• Ask: The Smiths
  
• Slow Wildcat: Essexboy
  
• Crazy Egypt: John Cale
  
• 1952 Vincent Black Lightning: The Mammals
  
• French Lessons: Metrovavan
  
• I Walk the Earth: King Biscuit Time
  
• Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel #8): Dolly Parton
  
• Woman King: Iron & Wine
  
• Rebel Rebel: David Bowie
  
• Sea Legs: The Shins
  
• Hey Bulldog: The Beatles
  
• King of the World: Steely Dan
  
• What Headphones?: André Previn

It's Almost February

Brrrr. But that means it's almost spring. It's almost Imbolc. Growing things are starting to work it out underground, move things around, layer on those cells. So spring is right around the corner. Just a few Noreasters and Alberta Clippers need to beat us down first.

Beef Jerky Time playlist, from 1/23/08 show:

• Busted Bicycle: Leo Kottke
  
• Warm Tears: Alsace
  
• Toxic Holiday: Stars
  
• Reasons to Be Cheerful, Pt 3: Ian Dury & the Blockheads
  
• Sénégal Fast Food: Amadou & Mariam
  
• My Punishment for Fighting: The Rosebuds
  
• Fancy Dancer: The Commodores
  
• Rock Number One: Cassius
  
• I Believe in You: Cat Power
  
• Sing Me Spanish Techno: The New Pornographers
  
• 6/21/00: Memphis
  
• Father & Daughter: Paul Simon
  
• Peach, Plum, Pear: Joanna Newsom
  
• Ennui: Canon Blue

Ever greener

My family has been recycling for as long as I can remember--even back when we had to haul our glass bottles to the garage where they parked the town school buses and sort by color into big smelly cardboard barrels. Then, we got a wood stove to cut down on oil use and stopped heating most of the house in the wintertime. There are many stories and writings about how our family wore hats and mittens to dinner and to bed as we tried to live more sustainably (and yeah, cheaply).

Now that I'm a grown-up lady with my own household, how am I perpetuating this tradition? Apparently having good intentions and a history of enviro-friendly behavior doesn't equal any actual savings. It's like regular exercise--you can't just do it a few years ago and expect it to stick. I'm finding I've gotta keep being green every single day, and keep thinking of more ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Not just because I am a hippie do-gooder, but because it might actually save me some time and money in the long run. Here are a few examples of what I'm doing now.

• We are rocking the CFL bulbs in most outlets. We proudly explain that our 6-bulb array around the bathroom mirror uses a mere 66 watts. Also I love our 2 "post"-shaped porch lights.
  
• We bought a 3-bag caddy for recycling from Winterset Designs. One for paper, one for redeemables, one for recycling.
  
• We got some energy efficient appliances, which I really love. Energy Star even gives (small) rebates!
  
• We compost. I have kind of a grey thumb, but we're stocking up our mulch and looking forward to a real garden this year. My gardening model is Goldberry from The Fellowship of the Ring. Yes I am a complete dork.

Still to do:

• Insulate to not waste so much foreign-oil heat.
  
• Whatever other crazy measures become necessary as the apocalypse slowly makes itself known. Hey, I don't think apocalypse is a bad word by the way. People get so sensitive! It might be a good thing for us to learn how to deal without an infrastructure... or government... whatnot.

Beef Jerky Time playlist from January 16, 2008.

• Moi et Toi: Abdel Ali Slimani
  
• The Blue Whale: Fantasy Mirrors
  
• Noise is a Social Skill (v.0.8): Sweet Trip
  
• Axcerpt: Mekons
  
• Ivanka: Imperial Teen
  
• Duality: The Martial Arts
  
  
• Lake Michigan edit 1: Rogue Wave
  
• Stakeout (Donnerschlag remix): Freezepop
  
• Parlez-Vous Freezepop?: Freezepop
  
  
• Ninja of Love: Freezepop
  
• Dejalo: Rilo Kiley
  
• The Partys Crashing Us: Of Montreal
  
• The First Five Times: Stars
  
• Montreal -40˚C: Malajube
  
• Married Young (the Glass remix): Robbers on High Street

Excited by new music

Beef Jerky Time playlist from 1/9/08. Love you, audience. Love you, cable internet.

• Police Woman theme
  
• In Transit: Albert Hammond Jr.
  
• Shine a Light: Wolf Parade
  
• Do You Know How to Feel: The Bell
  
• Western Avenue: Plane
  
• Kids Are Getting Younger: Benoit Pioulard
  
• Enola Gay: Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark
  
• Peacebone: Animal Collective
  
• No Melody: Kleenex Girl Wonder
  
• The Underdog: Spoon
  
• From Nothing to Nowhere: Pinback
  
• Runnin'from No Place to Nowhere: Tiffany Anders
  
• You Name It: Cannanes w. Explosion Robinson
  
• 2080: Yeasayer
  
• Terror: The Stockholm Monsters

How refreshing

a brand new year is! Starting things right! All slates clean! Beef Jerky Time was kinda mellow this time (1/2/08).

• Cagney & Lacey theme
  
• Senor Blues: Horace Silver
  
• New York on Sunday: Shirley Horn
  
• When You're Smiling: Hot Lips Page
  
• Sonnet for Sister Kate: Duke Ellington & his Orchestra
  
• Somewhere in That Direction: Hadda Brooks
  
• Jump Back: Hadda Brooks
  
• Florida Stomp: Roy Eldridge
  
• O.G.D. (aka "Road Song"): Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery
  
• Song with Orange: Charles Mingus
  
• Doing the Gorgonzola: Danny Polo & his Song Stars
  
• Charade: Harry Connick Jr.
  
• Rosetta: Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra
  
• I'm Beginning to See the Light: Ella & Count
  
• Disorder at the Border: Coleman Hawkins
  
• Squatty Roo: Johnny Hodges
  
• Voce (You): Joe Pass & Paulinho Costa

Be It Resolved That

in 2008 I will try to:

• play with the cats more (or once, even)
  
• learn how to work the eBay
  
• be less stressed by Netflix
  
• not watch cable much
  
• make homebrew at least once
  
• eat fruit daily
  
• drink more water on weekends
  
• "be good."

Wish me luck! Happy New Year!

12/27/07 playlist: last Beef Jerky Time of the year

• Pastime with Good Company: Shakestation
  
• Broken Magic: Pete Brown & Piblokto
  
• On the Radio: Regina Spektor
  
• The Friend I Once Had: Club 8
  
• Dyin' to Live: Outkast
  
• Caught: Anna Domino
  
• Le Soleil: Brigitte Bardot
  
• Take My Time: Junior Senior
  
• Bottle of Wine: Derek and the Dominos
  
• Best Kept Secret: Shoestrings
  
• Comeback (Light Therapy): Josh Rouse
  
• Burning: Alsace
  
• Des Cartes: Brideshead
  
• Fabie 1, 2, 3 (beat it): Takako Minekawa
  
• Let Me Be the One in Your Dreams: Celeste

Elated, tired, happy

Holidays were great this year. But admittedly, one nice thing about December 26 is no more Christmas music til next year. Back a week ago though, holiday tunes were totally appropriate. Here's the Beef Jerky Time playlist from December 19, 2007:

• Reb Itzik's Nign: Itzhak Perlman & Bizarre Old World
  
• Jolly Old St. Nicholas: Chet Atkins
  
• Toyland: Doris Day
  
• Let It Snow! Let It Snow!: Ella Fitzgerald
  
• Let It Snow! Let It Snow!: Dean Martin
  
• Winter Wonderland: Ella Fitzgerald
  
• Winter Wonderland: Dean Martin
  
• Petit Papa Noël: Raffi
  
• We 3 Kings: Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
  
• Tijuana Christmas: Tijuana Voices with Brass
  
• Christmas Is Coming: Vince Guaraldi Trio
  
• Verbum caro factum est (Lauda): Boston Camerata
  
• Twas in the Moon of Wintertime: The Christmas Revels
  
• Lux hodie... orientus partibus: Boston Camerata
  
• Pe Trouz War en Douar: Le Chorale du Bout du Monde
  
• Here We Come a'Wassailing: Royal College of Music
  
• from The Nutcracker, "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy": P.I. Tchaikovsky
  
• The Christmas Song: Vince Guaraldi Trio

Never Happy

You may know people who are upset as adults because they had unhappy childhoods. But there are also people who are upset as adults because they had great childhoods. I am one of these latter complainers. I had a wonderful childhood, full of books and flowers and travel and fantasy and imagination. I thought it was important to excel at feats of strength and to know everything. I was carefully preparing myself for the incredible tests of mettle and wit that are the exciting world of adult existence.

Wrong! Actually, being an adult kind of sucks. Yes, I can eat lots of candy and I don't have homework. I stay up late and drink Jack Daniels and watch any kind of movie I want. But where are the real perks? I have to work all the time, I don't have any money (and by extension, don't have any time), and most of the things that are really fun are "bad for me" or considered frivolous or require that money/time I don't have. So I feel ripped off. Of course I'd also feel ripped off if I had a miserable or even mediocre childhood. Warning to parents: your children will blame you for whatever. It's the flip side of Philip Larkin's "This Be the Verse." "They whine and gripe, your son and daught. They do not mean to, but they do. The blame you for each fault they have, and add some extra, just for you."

I have been listening to Neil Postman's "The Disappearance of Childhood" (book on tape) and so far I'm thinking that contemporary childhood sounds messed up. I am only on Chapter 3, but I'm learning that kids are managed as a separate class that is oppressed and educated to turn them into moral and functioning adults. Part of this "education" is making sure that children don't learn "adult" things until appropriate ages, as determined by adults. Apparently this general concept can be dated back to the invention of the printing press, which begat books which begat schools which begat schoolboys. (This is all my ham-handed summary, not Postman's wording.) Anyway, it does seem useful to have a childhood of some kind and not be forced to labor in the mines or marry at age 10. I do think children could be treated as genius artists-in-residence who must be nurtured and allowed to carry out their creations, however bizarre. But they also need to know that being an adult isn't a special secret society that will be really awesome when they get there. Children shouldn't be too "shielded" from adult information because it makes adulthood seem way cooler than it really is. Of course I do try not to swear around children, so I'm already being an arbiter. I'm already presenting an expurgated world which is slightly different from the "truth" as I know it. F%$#! At least I can spread the truth that is garlic. I would never deprive a child of garlic.

I'll keep thinking about this one. I'll turn the comments on, too, in case you want to... you know.

On to the lists. Here are 2, starting with last week's Beef Jerky Time (12/12/2007), which included a tribute to my man Frank Sinatra on his birthday (12/12/1915).

• "Moonlighting" theme
  
• 59th Street: Amy Correia
  
• Sugarbabe: The Youngbloods
  
• Breakin' Up: Rilo Kiley
  
• Janamaan: Natacha Atlas with Kalia
  
• 2:1: Elastica
  
• Contact: The Police
  
• La Primavera/Me Gustas Tu: Manu Chao
  
• What Goes Around Comes Around: Justin Timberlake
  
• Christmas Jam: Bathing Beauty
  
• Mistletoe & Holly: Frank Sinatra
  
• Baubles, Bangles and Beads: Frank Sinatra
  
• Moonlight in Vermont: Frank Sinatra
  
• Luck Be a Lady: Frank Sinatra
  
• Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars: Frank Sinatra
  
• The Christmas Waltz: Frank Sinatra

Beef Jerky Time playlist: 12/5/07

• Sing My Lord: Ponies in the Surf
  
• It's Over: Milosh
  
• Maybe, I Don't Know: The Elevator Drops
  
• Choice Blanket: The Sea & Cake
  
• Sporting Life: The Sea & Cake
  
• Hotel Tell: The Sea & Cake
  
• Searching with My Good Eye Closed: Soundgarden
  
• Last Living Souls: Gorillaz
  
• Digital: Joy Division
  
• Beautiful World: Devo
  
• Birthday: The Sugarcubes
  
• Bomber Rash: Ry Cooder (Streets of Fire s/t)
  
• I Wish You Would: David Bowie

Yet another noodle recipe: Chicken Ginger

The local Food Coop is known for its excellent store-made sausages. They have turkey dinner sausage that I have not tried yet. They make a lamb sausage sometimes that is excellent when fried up with a mess o' cabbage. There are hot Italian and sweet Italian sausages for your pasta or lasagne needs. My favorites are the chicken sausages--chicken parmesan and chicken-ginger-scallion. Last night I modified a vegetarian ginger noodle recipe to include the chicken-ginger-scallion sausage. I lucked out and ended up with a yummy dinner. Here's the scoop.

Ingredients
2+ chicken-ginger-scallion sausage (or any Asian-flavored specialty sausage)
packet of fresh Japanese noodles (a thick Chinese noodle like chow fun would probably also work)
1/2 lb+ frozen green beans (or in season, try fresh green beans or snowpeas)
1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
1 T sugar
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 T sesame oil
1 T minced dried garlic (or try fresh! I was in a hurry.)
1 T dried ginger (or try fresh--chop up about a thumb's-worth of ginger)
optional: as many chopped scallions as you like


Assembly
1. Squeeze sausages out of casings and brown in a non-stick pan. Try to stir and smash them up so you get small pieces.
2. At the same time, boil 2 qts of water in a large pot for the noodles.
3. While things are getting hot, whisk together the tamari, vinegar, oil, garlic and ginger in a glass measuring cup.
4. When the sausages start looking done, turn them off. Set up a colander in your sink for draining the noodles.
5. When you water is boiling, throw in the beans. Wait for the water to come to a boil again, then add the noodles. Fresh noodles need a stir to separate them, but they cook fast. Check the directions--probably takes about 3 minutes.
6. Drain the cooked noodles and beans in the colander. Scrape the browned sausage into the now-empty pot that contained the noodles. Add the noodles and beans back to the pot. Stir in the sauce. You might want to throw in more tamari and sesame oil at this point, depending on your taste. If you're adding scallions, do it now. (Maybe throw in sesame seeds now too!)
7. Serve! Feeds about 3.

Shazbot

Happy December. Here are playlists from 2 Beef Jerky Time shows. I had a good time hosting them--hope a few others enjoyed them too.

November 21, 2007 playlist

• What Are You Wearing? (Shinco remix): Kahimi Karie
  
• Are We Ourselves: The Fixx
  
• Long Way to Go: Gwen Stefani f/Andre 3000
  
• I Want to Be Loved By You: Sinead O'Connor
  
• All Lifestyles: Beastie Boys
  
• Cherish: Madonna
  
• What is Life: George Harrison
  
• Du temps que j'étais jeune: The Duhks
  
• Jamais: Charlotte Gainsbourg
  
• Fantastic Cat: Takako Minekawa
  
• I Sing the Body Cybernetic: Servotron
  
• Reunion: Stars
  
• Right Wing Pigeons: Dead Milkmen
  
• All Things That Go to Make Heaven & Earth: The New Pornographers
  
• Boy in the Gap: Barde

November 28, 2007 playlist

A tribute to Stan Rogers, born November 29, 1949. All songs by the late, great Stan, who put on one of his albums (From Fresh Water) this advice from Robert Heinlein: "When sampling life, take big bites, moderation is for the monks." Yarp, that's how I lived my 20s basically... All songs in this list by Stan Rogers and companions.

• Fogarty's Cove
  
• The Nancy
  
• The Athens Queen
  
• Dark Eyed Molly (written by Archie Fisher)
  
• The House of Orange
  
• Rawdon Hills
  
• Flying
  
• Watching the Apples Grow
  
• Badger Drive
  
• Bluenose
  
• Fisherman's Wharf
  
• The Blue Dolphin
  
• 45 Years
  
• Lookout Hill
  
• Plenty of Hornpipe

Parents write

Sometimes it turns out that people who have kids are also articulate and funny writers and bloggers. That might not seem remarkable but from what I know about parenting, demonstrating intellect WHILE caring for tiny people that stagger about and are super super cute is truly admirable. Way to go. These are some sites I've found or that have been recommended:

www.iwasareallygoodmom.com This is really just a promo site for the book I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids. But I think it sounds good. I heard the authors of this book interviewed on Manic Mommies (great podcast!).

www.amalah.com Love this. Her chronicle of tribulations with her son's Thomas the Tank Engine track is just twisted (and hilarious).

Purple is a fruit Just found it but looks like it will be closing up at the beginning of 08. So hurry and read now!

Baby Daddy Steve Almond makes me laugh. Good thing.

Pam Dolan on parenting Blogger for a CT paper/site. Recommended!

And now it's time... Last week's (11/14/07) Beef Jerky Time playlist. Thanks to the folks who have stopped me to say nice things about the show.

• Lady: Regina Spektor
  
• Cry: Godley & Creme
  
• Come Into My World: Kylie Minogue
  
• Car Jamming: The Clash
  
• Old School Joint: Missy Elliott
  
• You Give Love a Bad Name: Bon Jovi
  
• Now I'm Your Mom: David Byrne
  
• I Don't Care: Love Whip
  
• B Boys Will B Boys: Mos Def & Talib Kweli
  
• IMpossible: Figurine
  
• The Sun Always Shines on TV: a-ha
  
• I'm in Love with What's-Her-Name: Dr. Frank
  
• Friday Night: Lily Allen
  
• Time to Build: Beastie Boys

Film scraps

I've been writing down my favorite movie quotes for awhile. I wonder what they say about me? An expert could probably use these to triangulate my exact age, beverage of choice, last DVD purchased (and whether Will Ferrell was involved)... Here's a list.

"I'll go... I'll go... I'll go..."

"...as a smell, it gets inside of you. So the next time you go into the bathroom after someone else has been there, remember what kinds of molecules you are in fact eating. "

"Your theories are the worst kind of popular tripe, your methods are sloppy, and your conclusions are questionable. You are a poor scientist..."

"Looking good, Billy Ray!"

"I see split ends are universal."

"Thank you, Adolf!"

"You framed an Asia poster?"

"Technically, it is brain damage."

"Put... the candle... BACK."

"Your concerns are my concerns."

"I wish I were a woman of 37 in a long black dress and a string of pearls."

"I love lamp."

Here's another list--playlist from 11/7/07 Beef Jerky Time! Another show selected from the old Chelsea House Folklore Library.

• Magdalina's Dance: Bert Jansch
  
• Wagoner's Lad: Jean & Lee Schilling
  
• The Fox Hollow Song: The Pickin' & Singin'Gathering
  
• Farmer's Almanac: Happy & Artie Traum
  
• The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood: Bert Jansch (Loren Jansch, vocal)
  
• Mad Tom of Bedlam: Bill Vannavar
  
• That Old Gang of Mine: Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs
  
• I'll Stay Around: Pine Island
  
• Cluck Old Hen: Eric & Martha Nagler
  
• Flash in the Pan: Bob McCarthy
  
• Vermont Farmer's Song: Margaret MacArthur
  
• No Spare Parts: Jaime Brockett
  
• Careless Love: John Koerner
  
• Reincarnation: Bob Holmes
  
• The Non-Smoker's Liberation Front Anthem: Freeman & Lange

Blood Harvest

Happy Halloween! It's the time for slaughtering animals for winter, the traditional "blood harvest." Grain harvest (like John Barleycorn) is in August. Then the fruit harvest is September. And October gets the creepy one. The veil between the worlds is thinnest tonight and it's a great time to visit a graveyard and visit with spirits and ask questions of the unquiet dead.

Also a good time to listen to some graveyard smashes: here's tonight's creepy playlist.

Beef Jerky Time, 10/31/07

• The Queen's Funeral March: Henry Purcell
  
• Every Planet We Reach Is Dead: Gorillaz
  
• Blasphemous Rumors: Depeche Mode
  
• Toccata & Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565: J.S. Bach
  
• I Am Stretched On Your Grave: Sinead O'Connor
  
• Danse Macabre: Camille Saint-Saëns
  
• The Golden Section: Coil
  
• Chainsaw: Skinny Puppy
  
• In the Hall of the Mountain King: Edvard Grieg
  
• This Corrosion: Sisters of Mercy
  
• The Unquiet Grave: Fir Soar

Moving=chaos

I think I already mentioned that I'm moving house at the end of the month--it's such a horrid process. Where did I get all this STUFF? And then I pack it, lug it around, get it somewhere new and put it in my closet to move again next time.

Anyway, my brain is fried from moving logistics/ . Here are 2 playlists at once so they don't get stuck in some closet, man!

Beef Jerky Time, 10/10/07

• A Good Egg: Leo Kottke
  
• Blossom: Jimmy Ryan
  
• La Luna: Bert Jansch
  
• Hobo's Song: Fred Holstein
  
• 16/16: Garcia & Grisman
  
• Leather Boots: Red Heart the Ticker
  
• Jackknives: Red Heart the Ticker
  
• Tell Me That It Isn't True: Bob Dylan
  
• Grey Eagle: Byron Berline
  
• Lady Margaret: The Mammals
  
• Liberty: Bryan Bowers (autoharp)
  
• Katie Cruel: Bert Jansch f/ Devendra Banhart & Beth Orton
  
• Follow Me To Carthage: The Mammals
  
• Pachysandra/Sunday Driver: Gordon Stone

Beef Jerky Time, 10/24/07

• Trem Two: Mission of Burma
  
• Tennesee Stud: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band f/Doc Watson
  
• Let's Call It Off: Peter Bjorn & John
  
• Her Halcyon Days: New Radiant Storm Kings
  
• Tamacun: Rodrigo y Gabriela
  
• Maleta Prestada: Pepito
  
• Cologne: Trans Am
  
• Filet of Sole: The Dead Milkmen
  
• 2080: Yeasayer
  
• You Spin Me Round (like a record): Dead or Alive
  
• Tribulations: LCD Soundsystem
  
• Love Vibration: Josh Rouse
  
• You Never Know: Goldfrapp

No show October 17, 2007

Sorry, I have an evening appointment so no show tonight!! I'm already working on my Halloween show though. Should be spooooooky. Or something like that. Back next Weds., OCt. 24 at 7pm. L, K

Another buffer moment

This is my second post about fingernails, which is perhaps shamefully insipid, but they're on my mind.

So I found having fingernails is actually good for something. Specifically they offer SOME protection, if hit at the right angle, from slicing off the end of your entire finger. Even after reading this disgusting mandoline injury post over at amalah.com, I rashly decided to slice some summer squashes on a mandoline without using the protective hand-grip thingy. (Because frankly a curvy tall yellow squash doesn't really FIT in the hand-grip thingy.) So I was slicing away and OW! I sliced right through my right ring-finger fingernail, into the quick underneath a little bit, and then...stopped. I did not complete the motion by lopping off a huge lateral slice of my finger. Um, thank you fingernail!!

Also, I'm discovering that a 4-sided nail buffer is an excellent writing aid. If you are the type of person who has ever needed to take smoking breaks while writing (which I used to do at one stage of my life: code word "college"), may I recommend a nail buffer for all your future writing projects. Filing, smoothing, buffing and polishing seems to take the same sort of nervous fiddly energy that used to make smoking so enjoyable. Because writing words is like doing reps with weights--you need a BREAK while you prepare for the next set. Other ways of taking those mental breaks--obsessively checking internet news sites to see if anything interesting happened while you were writing those last 2 sentences.

Here, a little bit later than usual, is the playlist for Beef Jerky Time, version 10/3/07.

• Amelia: Kleenex Girl Wonder
  
• Around the World: Daft Punk
  
• My Rights vs. Yours: The New Pornographers
  
• (Nothing But) Flowers: Talking Heads
  
• Now That You Got It: Gwen Stefani
  
• The Night Starts Here: Stars
  
• Dollar Take: Amy Correia
  
• Smiley Faces: Gnarls Barkley
  
• Love You To: The Beatles
  
• Hots on for Nowhere: Led Zeppelin
  
• Cellphone's Dead: Beck
  
• Green Eyes: Coldplay
  
• Drive Until He Sleeps: Ui

Spice rack confessions

Psst! Yes, I used to be THAT kind of cook. The one who churned out boring slop. The one who believed that foods have "their own flavors" and don't need anything so banal as tasty seasonings. Then I had a stirfry at a friend's house that was actually YUMMY! I'd become accustomed to my own stir-frys, which were dull, limp and broccoli-laden. This new stirfry was broccoli-laden too, but it was spicy! Piquant! I wanted more!

Since then I have been trying to make more effort in the spice rack world. It's not like I'm a total tyro in the kitchen. I did get that "Chef Pre-employment" certificate you know. But I am also sickly addicted to recipes--just like I can't play impromptu piano but always need the sheet music. Here's the spice rack jazz I'm trying to pull off these days.

Cardamom pods: Put these in black tea with some sweetened condensed milk, pepper and coins of fresh ginger.
Marjoram: I am so in love with marjoram. Does thyme bore you? Marjoram it up. Sprinkle over a chicken and bake, for example. Add to stew.
Rosemary: I use it for lamb dishes. Only for lamb dishes. Otherwise I'm afraid I'll get sick of it.
Basil: Pasta sauce. Chili. Hamburgers. Summer squash.
Oregano: Pasta sauce. Greek food.
Star anise: A surprise in curry. Or slice pears in half, scoop out seeds, and poach with a few sections of star anise.
Paprika: Take your leftover pie-dough and knead in a bunch of grated cheese. Roll to about 1/2 inch, cut into strips and sprinkle with paprika. Bake til browned: cheese straws.
Cayenne: If you are sick, eat a clove of raw garlic. Chew til it's a slurry and really slosh it around in your mouth before swallowing. Then, mix boiling water with a spoonful each of honey and lemon juice, and a generous dash of cayenne. Mix and drink. You may be cured! Repeat as needed.
Mustard seeds: fry in a little oil until they start to pop. Grate a cucumber and squeeze out as much water as you can. Mix with yogurt and toasted mustard seeds—good on spicy Indian dishes.
Cumin seeds: Make the catch-all burrito. First, fry leftover rice with cumin seeds and chili powder. Put rice mixture in a flour tortilla along with salsa, grated cheese, and anything else you've got lying around (grated carrots? canned beans? seaweed?). Wrap up and place on oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 350 until cheese starts to leak out.
Also, keep black bean chili paste in your fridge door. Makes a pack of ramen halfway gourmet.

Now for last week's Beef Jerky Time playlist (9/26/07). It's all from the new 2-CD set, Little Darla Has a Treat For You, vol. 25!!!!!

• Travel Writer: California Oranges
  
• Gone Too Far: Hell On Wheels
  
• Canción de Viernes: Cooper
  
• Coka, I'm Fine: My Little Airport
  
• Arms: Aarktika
  
• Moon Balloon: RF & Lila de la Mora
  
• Slave: Linda Draper
  
• Ventricle: Ponies in the Surf
  
• La Fiebre de Carlos: Corazon
  
• Far Away: .tape.
  
• Pac Man Fever: Sprites
  
• Switchboard Girl: Future Conditional
  
• Ion Crush: Jatun
  
• You Are Mine: Cdatakill

A Tizzy!

Things are in a bit of an upheaval this month (but in a good, cleansing way). So for now, just an update of the last 2 playlists from Beef Jerky Time.

9/12/07 show

• Incredible Hulk theme
  
• Don't Stop Believin': Petra Haden (from comp CD Guilt by Association)
  
• Blood on the Waves: Plane
  
• Heaven: Club 8
  
• Tentang Cita: White Shoes and the Couples Company
  
• Starlett Johansson: The Teenagers
  
• I Love You, You Imbecile: Pelle Carlberg
  
• Drivin' Me Wild: Common f/ Lily Allen
  
• 2080: Yeasayer
  
• Guyamas Sonora: Beirut
  
• 2HB: Venus in Furs (Velvet Goldmine s/t)
  
• Can I Get Get Get: Junior Senior
  
• Crockett's Theme: Manual
  
• Boyz: M.I.A.

9/19/07 show: songs that already take me back to summer 07

• MacGyver theme
  
• Incredibly Drunk on Whisky: Memphis
  
• Jique: Brazilian Girls
  
• Someone Great: LCD Soundsystem
  
• D.A.N.C.E.: Justice
  
• I Wish (Bundle of Contradictions): Forro f/David Byrne
  
• Mexico: The King of France
  
• 1234: Feist
  
• Acceptable in the 80s: Calvin Harris
  
• af607105: Charlotte Gainsbourg
  
• I'm Trying: Milosh
  
• My Punishment for Fighting: The Rosebuds
  
• Lightbulb: Mezzanine Owls