The (Un)Official List....uh, continued.

So, yesterday we discussed movies and tv shows. Today, we're switching to songs, artists, and records.

SONGS:

A little song called Silver Sword, by a little band named Huckleberry. Unfortunately, you all are at a loss here. The band broke up when I was in college, and it was relatively unknown college band, but a friend of mine's older brother was in the band, and the lead female singer went on to join the Christian band Waterdeep. However, should you ever stumble on someone who has the song Silver Sword, you should definitely check it out.


You Can't Always Get What You Want--the Rolling Stones. I learned this lesson once while driving with a girl that I really liked, who didn't really like me. She was telling me all about her new boyfriend (who she is now married to, by the way) and this left me feeling pretty damn bad about myself. (Oh, woe is me, etc.) Then, I noticed a little ditty playing on my car radio, and I kind of tuned her out, and listened to the lyrics. I realized, in a fairly profound way, that it was very true...while I may have "wanted" her at that time, it really wasn't what I needed. (And, as both she and I are wonderfully happily married to VERY different people, we both got EXACTLY what we needed....thank God.)

I'm Alright--Jeffrey Foucault. I've mentioned this guy numerous times here, but it bears repeating. This just happens to be my favorite song by him.

Feelin' Good Again--Robert Earl Keene. Yes, it's country. Yes, it's a country slowish song. And, yes, it just so happens to sum up every single emotion you can possible feel when going "back" to a place you love to visit.

Ok, in all honesty, this is an EXTREMELY introductory list, and is in NO way exhaustive. (Clearly, as I've only put four songs down.) So, we'll return to this list later.

ARTISTS

Jeffrey Foucault--again, I ask. Why haven't you gotten his CD's yet? SERIOUSLY!

Frank Sinatra--if you didn't like him while he was alive, check his stuff out now. I particularly like his fast stuff, but his slow songs were great, too.

The Racounteurs--Jack White's "other" band.

Colin Hays--he was originally one of the "men at work" from the 80's, and he's made some great stuff recently.

And, finally (for now!), The Who. I was, embarrassingly enough, turned on to the Who when there was a Simpson's episode about the Who coming to Springfield. When I was in college. LATE in college. Maybe even grad school. (D'oh!) I ran out after the episode and bought the Who's greatest hits album, and Whoa! It's freakin' Great!

Which leads me to....
ALBUMS/RECORDS/CD's

The Garden State Soundtrack--if you don't have it by now you should be ashamed of yourself and your entire music collection. Period.

Scrubs Sountrack--oddly enough, most of the music in this show was compiled by Zach Braff, just like on The Garden State Sountrack. So, guy's got taste.

Jimi Hendrix: The Jimi Hendrix Experience--great, just great.

The Beatles "Love" Album--this record was put to gether by Cirque de Solei (don't everyone write me to complain about my spelling of that freakishly weird Circus group's name) for one of their shows. All of the songs are just tweaked a LITTLE bit, and man does it make a difference.

Ok, I actually have to go run to get ready for work, but now its your turn again....

What did I miss, where did I TOTALLY screw up?

Thanks for stopping by...

Tommy

The (Un)Official Tommy Must List...

After receiving no requests whatsoever, other than that of my own inner narcisist, I thought I would write down for you all, my semi-capitive audience (no, please! Don't navigate away from this page!!!) my very own "Must List". (Author reserves the right to modify, amend, delete, and edit without prior notice.)

So, without further adieu....
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MOVIES:

Joe vs. the Volcano--This is an extremely underated little film, which just so happens to be the first time that America's sweethearts were paired together. (Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.) Yes, it does happen to contain a lot of silly humor, (although not bathroom humor) and yes, it does happen to be "about" a guy who decides to jump into a volcano. But, that's not REALLY what the movies about. It's about the path that we all must choose when we make our way through life. And, it's about how accepting we are of the path that we see in front of us. It's about making conscious choices about our lives.

And it's got a ukulele!

The Last Time I Committed Suicide--This is a strange pick for me. It's a movie based on the letters from Neal Cassidy to Jack Kerouac, both of whom were "beat poets". You see, I personally think that Jack Kerouac was one of the most overrated authors of all time, and his "masterpiece" On the Road was a horribly overrated book. While it did capture the frenzy of Jack's lifestyle, it was not, for me, this moving and poignant story of dreams and desires, pain, and heartache. It was about a bunch of guys who drive around with only one thing on their minds: Drugs.
And, I have nothing against drug use IN BOOKS, but it has to be important to the story, and the story has to be worthwhile. This one? In my opinion, not so much.
However, TLTICS, is not about all of that. It is about how the choices we make effect all future choices in a very profound way, and that when you make a life altering choice, it can, basically, "kill" the self you wanted to become, and force you to become someone different. Hence, the line, "It wasn't the last time I committed suicide."
Plus, it has the great quote "And so life goes. And so love goes. And so I go. Carry on my brother. Carry on." which was used by some of my friends as the closing to all of our e-mails back when I was in college.


The Journey of Natty Gann--Great little Disney movie about the Depression. John Cusack (you can't go wrong) and Meridith Salinger (whatever happened to her?!) and a wolf. There you go.

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TV SHOWS


Sporst Night--Without a doubt, the finest half-hour television show that has ever been produced, and in my opinion, the finest that WILL ever be produced. Funny, smart, emotionally intelligent, this half hour show that survived for all of two-Emmy-Winning-Seasons was written by Aaron Sorkin, and covered much more than the inner-workings of a Sports Center-esque television show. This show brought up many issues that we face in life, and I STILL get choked up watching about 6 of the 40-some episodes. (E.g.: The Apology, The Six Southern Gentlemen, The Christmas Episode, Isaac's Comeback episode, just to name a few.) The show also brought about the most satisfying conclusion of any show I've ever seen, when it found that it was going to be cancelled during the second season. I still get goosebumps.

Plus, it's one of the most quotable tv shows ever.

"Oh, and if you're driving to the stadium this weekend for the big game, please...don't forget to take your car."

My Boys--I've already mentioned this in this blog, but seriously....if TBS doesn't put this show on DVD, then I'm going to...uh, write them a strongly worded letter suggesting that they do so. Quickly.

And, of course: Lost, Scrubs, The Office, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, and probably a BUNCH more, but as the title says...this is the (un)official list.

Now, I didn't realize that this was going to be so extensive....so, more to follow, including Books, CDs, magazines, records, and more.

But for now....what movies and shows have I aggregiously forgotten to place on my list....?

Now, it's your turn!

Leave me your musts....

(And, thanks for stopping by....)

Tommy

Just another manic Mond....uh, Tuesday. (Or, Question: Does baby puke sting?)

So, the weekend was great. Went back to Iowa, saw the folks, and had some time with good friends back in good ol CR of I.

School was good today, although the first tuesday of every month is going to suck donkey...um, snot....as I start the morning with a 7:30 (AM!!) meeting, have a full day of school, a faculty meeting til 5, and a PTA board meeting, which I am required to attend, at 6:15. Now, you don't really know how much you love holding your daughter and seeing your wife's beautiful face until those days when you don't actually get to do either one of those.

Ughs.

Tonight, after my 6:15 meeting, I was changing Grace's grotesquely large poo-y diaper, and was loving it, as she looked up at me with that gorgeous toothless grin on her face. I finished snapping the onesie, and picked her up. I held her up to my face, giggled with her, and gave her eskimo kisses (rubbed noses) and then lifted her slightly higher to kiss her tummy.

That's when she puked in my eye.

And, if you were wondering, yes. Yes it does.

I cried out in surprise, Grace started crying, as I startled her, and Bibi laughed.

Good times....good times.

Thanks for stopping....have a freakin' great week ya'll. (Mom, that "ya'll" was just for you.)

Tommy