Ok. Let's try this again...

This is Precious Christine, my Honda Shadow Spirit 750

So... I finally started Instagram-ing and have discovered the limitations of all the social media platforms. I like to write. I tend to ramble and I have no focus in life.

I've started using Facebook like a diary and while it's been fun, it's limiting. I can't, say, post a link to a video and a photo at the same time without it looking wonky. And then Instagram doesn't do links very well.

Plus, Instagram is like Twitter, but with more followers. And then someone I really like and admire, (aside: and have a giant crush on!!), starting following me and commented on a few posts. I had a fan girl moment (READ: Pissing my pants!) and was like... Be cool, be cool. Don't scare him away FFS! And if he is reading this... well... Um...

*Panics... Runs away... Hides. Ugly crying like Troy in Community when he met Levar Burton, sitting in the washroom.*



K... so let's try this again. Here are my collected thoughts, rantings and ramblings.

The point?

I dunno. Maybe my life experiences, few and far in between as they are, might amuse someone, might provide a valuable lesson, might help someone know they're not alone in the weirdness of life? Take what you want from this. Try to keep up, I have to follow a guy on a 103 Street Glide who seems to forget I've only got a 750 Honda Shadow. FYI... I keep up with him just fine, thanks.

On a slightly sadder note: I have no kids. I have this one beloved nephew. I feel like I need to leave something behind about his nutty auntie that he can look back on if he wishes. Also for my extended family, we are separated by an ocean and culture, but we found each other and there's things that need to be shared. 

And my mother has Alzheimer's disease. It tends to run down the female side of the family so you can understand my desire to try to document pieces of me before they're whisked away.

What's going into this blog:

So I've started posting songs that I listen to from Facebook, Throwback Thursday posts on Instagram among other things.

I think this will be my blog and collected social media spot. I'm going to back date my posts to match the dates they went up on social media because I'm weird that way.

Also, this is me, and I've recently gotten into Talk Talk. For those who known me, you remember when I was in high school and EVERYTHING I did was Duran Duran related? Yeah... you know what's coming. But, because I'm allegedly an adult now, I'll try my best to keep that to a minimum.  (READ: F you all. I'll make every post about Mark Hollis, Paul Webb and Lee Harris if I can, dammit.)

First random fact about me: I am in a later stage of life and it feels like puberty all over again, right down to the crushing after unattainable celebrities. (Read: I think I'm a cougar because those photos of Talk Talk and Duran Duran when they're like half my current age (and younger)... daaaaamn!

Fun fact 2: My mom developed a GIANT crush on Patrick Stewart. Seems mom and me really like British men. 

Stuff I'm Listening To #50 - the Boomtown Rats

Artist: Boomtown Rats
 
Title: I Don’t Like Mondays
 
Favourite Lyrics:
Tell me why
I don't like Mondays
I want to shoot, the whole day down 
Why?: I would make a joke about how it’s Monday and Monday’s as a rule are a bit shocking after your routine falls into disarray after a weekend of debauchery (Read: Angela is probably hungover 😂). Monday’s are also the time when some crappy news was delivered to me earlier this year (2 Mondays in a row actually…).
 
The lyrics and subject matter, shocking back in the 80s, are frighteningly commonplace today which made it hard for me to post this song earlier without someone connecting it to a recent event 😞. For what it’s worth, it’s always been a great melancholy song. I’m in a weird mood which is probably why the song made a connection to me today. And it’s Monday. I’m rambling. Sorry. Distracted. (Oooh! Somebody spilled beer in this ashtray!)
I need to ask, do you guys all like these posts? Honestly, feel free to comment on them, negative or positive.*

Stuff I'm Listening to # 41 - Cake

Artist: Cake

Title: Love You Madly

Favourite Lyrics:
I don't want to jump in unless this music's thumpin’
All the dishes rattle in the cupboards when the elephants arrive

Why?
This is the kind of love song I would have written for my husband if I had any ounce of song writing talent. Love songs are awesome. But real love, isn’t a giant soppy 'making love out of nothing at all' and 'my heart will go on' kind of mess (Note: Both perfectly good love songs, albeit way over the top for the likes of me!). If you can laugh because you’re just having that much fun, you’ve got something good. Bonus, the video is clearly an homage to one of the many cooking shows he likes to watch. If you follow my Facebook or Instagram, you know #thisiswhypaulcooks

The Gospel According to Mark Hollis

I can't resist

The feeling's so much stronger now

I must make sure

To do the things I want to do

Life's just too short

For answers to your problems
 
~ ‘I Can’t Resist’ - The Reaction

I’ve spent the last (almost) month reading these outpourings of utter grief and despair from Talk Talk fans around the world. I think reading their sadness just made mine worse. It sucks that someone who was a huge part of your life is just gone. Even if there was never any more presence in your life than perhaps songs (for those who've had the opportunity to meet him, I'll tell you I’m envious, but so happy you had that treasured moment for yourself ). He obviously filled some part of your life with something special and meaningful. I’m a newbie fan, so while I can’t claim years, the short time I’ve had this and him in my life has been wonderful. His music is great. I enjoy it immensely and haven’t really stopped listening since.

I was listening to this song on my way to work today. The opening lines kind of slapped me across the face. I’ve been in a kind of numb state for a while (long story short - something happened in December, Talk Talk's music helped me deal with some of it so my life has been interspersed with moments of grooving to Talk Talk’s earlier stuff and general malaise when I read posts from his fans lately. Mark dies and everything that got helped got tossed out the window and I was a mess. Mood swing anyone?). This past weekend was a particularly low point. I was irritable and didn’t know what to do with myself. I knew what was happening and I am not pleased with myself. I know I’m stronger than this. I’m better than this. But I’ve been letting this, for lack of a better description, mid-life crisis, get the better of me. Mark Hollis’ dying served as a catalyst for it. I think it’s fair to say these lyrics felt like it was his statement for me to move on. For everyone else still grieving, please don’t think I’m being dismissive of your feelings. I just found what I needed to move on. I hope you do soon too, which is why I wanted to share this epiphany (See what I did there? 😉) with you.

Life is too short. There may not be any answers. I’m off to do ALL the things now. After all… to pilfer some more lyrics from him… Life is what you make it.

Thanks for reading.

Stuff I’m listening to-Special Edition - Penny Marshall

Artist: Charles Fox and Laurie Maitland

Title: Making Our Dreams Come True

Lyrics:
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!

Stuff I’m listening to - Christmas Advent Edition - December 15th - Straight No Chaser

Artist: Straight No Chaser

Title: The 12 Days of Christmas
Why?:
A condensed Christmas carols for those who don’t have time for this.
I was distracted by a scotch tasting. Sorry for the lateness of this post.

Stuff I'm Listening To - Christmas Advent Edition - December 6th - After Hours

Title: An A Cappella Christmas - by After Hours

Why?: Like A Cappella? Listen to this. These guys are awesome. This album is great! I'm partial to "Feliz Navidad" personally. Also, bonus, they’re having a concert NEXT WEEK!! I encourage you to go. They’re entertaining and the concerts are a lot of fun. 

Like what you hear? iTunes