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Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Great News!
Gina had the baby! Way keen. Ain't he cute? Say a big "howdy" to Diego and beam some positive thoughts to the parents. Sleep is going to be elusive for awhile....
posted by Tamara - 10:52 AM  -- Link to this entry
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Back from Colorado
I arrived home last night a little after 10 pm. I had done nothing but be in a car for approximately eleven hours but I was still pretty whupped. I would have liked to fall right into bed but I'm too conscientious for my own good and did my Beyond Uber update for Monday. I ended up having a lot to update because the gal I asked to do Sunday for me didn't. *sigh*
Cal was asleep by the time I got home so I didn't get to see if he really missed me. I'm thinking he was just as content without me there. After all he had Mike and Duncan and Max. And Mike's mom and grandmother came over to help.
Duncan was still awake when I came in and I got a big hug from him. "I missed that mom smell," was his comment.
Mike was a good spouse and all the dishes and clothes were washed. I really didn't expect him to wash clothes but it was nice to come home to an empty clothes hamper. Now I've just got a few to wash (mostly mine) and a ton to fold.
I'm still trying to get back into the groove at home. Funny how four measly days away will throw you out of whack. I got Duncan to school on time but I've had the feeling all morning that I'm running late. Not that I was but it felt like that.
I'll try and write about the trip later today. Maybe Cal will take an extra long nap.
posted by Tamara - 9:07 AM -- Link to this entry
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Friday, September 26, 2003
Geez, I Should Be Going Fishing
Yep, it's early enough I feel like I should be leaving for a fishing trip. But I'm going to Denver instead. Not looking forward to that drive at all. Wish me luck.
posted by Tamara - 4:37 AM -- Link to this entry
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Thursday, September 25, 2003
It’s Comics Day
This week's comics: Legion #24, Empire #3 (of 6), Catwoman #23 (keen! I just finished reading a bunch of these and I'm all caught up so now I can read this one), Superman #297 (I am waaay behind on the Supes titles), JLA #87 (ditto), Green Lantern #169, Fables: The Last Castle, Fade from Blue #8 (buy this comic!), How Loathsome #4 (of 4), Buffy the Vampire Slayer #61, Strangers in Paradise #60, Terra Obscura #4 (of 6), Promethea #27 and Previews 10/2003 so I can order still more comics. *sigh*
posted by Tamara - 4:21 PM -- Link to this entry
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Fall T.V. Ho Hum
There's not much to entice me on this fall's network television schedule. Buffy is no longer with us, Fox canned Firefly, ditto for Sci Fi and Farscape and I haven't really seen any new genre shows that I want to watch. I'll give Eliza Dushku's new show, Tru Calling a shot. But I fully expect Fox to cancel it.
As far as season premieres go I've watched NYPD Blue and The Brotherhood of Poland New Hampshire. NYPD Blue I'll always love. It's kept my interest through the years and I'll be sorry when they finally give it the ol' heave ho.
The Brotherhood of Poland New Hampshire is a new show by David E. Kelley but that's not why I watched it. The few sneaks I saw on t.v. made it look quirky and the cast is fantastic. I mean, how can I not watch a show whose cast includes Mare Winningham, Elizabeth McGovern and Randy Quaid?
I scouted around on-line and it looks like the majority of television critics are not liking The Brotherhood of Poland New Hampshire. I even saw a few complaints that the three lead male characters were too fat and unattractive. This surprised me because men in the entertainment industry are never taken to task for being overweight. Some critics thought the show was too mean, calling the brothers "bullies". Granted, I haven't seen the pilot episode that was evidently scrapped in favor of the opening episode that aired but I thought the three male characters acted like fairly typical middle-aged men. Come on, every male in the real world isn't an ultra-sensitive husband and perfect father. Why should they be that way on t.v.? I thought their character flaws were rather refreshing and I liked the way the brothers bickered amongst themselves. I'll keep watching this show until it devolves into utter silliness as, sadly, most of David E. Kelley's shows seem to do at some point.
Tonight is Survivor night. It premiered last week but Mike and I totally spaced out and didn't notice the show was on until we'd missed the first half. As far as reality television shows go, Survivor is my one addiction and I try never to miss an episode although we end up missing at least one per season usually because I screw up setting the VCR or they move the night on us.
Besides Survivor I'll be watching ER tonight. That's another long running program that I'm loyal to. I'm pretty pumped about the fact that Parminder Nagra is joining the cast. It's nice to see that she also seems to have gotten some positive career exposure from Bend It Like Beckham. I'd hate to think Hollywood was totally shallow and only Keira Knightley was making a buck off the solid performance of that film.
posted by Tamara - 2:00 PM -- Link to this entry
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Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Same Ol’, Same Ol’
Well, I'm starting to pack for my trip to Denver on Friday. It's kind of nice to have to pack only for yourself. Usually I'm packing for the whole family which can be fun, let me tell ya.
I'm going to take several books and my e-book reader along for the trip. Not sure how much reading I'll get done because I feel like it's rude to read in the car when you're sitting up front. When you're in the back, however, that's another matter entirely. There you don't have to feel obligated to entertain the driver and can read all you want. But since there'll only be two of us and I'll be doing some of the driving I can't escape to the back seat and read.
It should be a fun trip musically. Tracey and I have been friends for a long time but our musical tastes have never really matched. As a result, I'm taking my portable CD player for when she sticks in the Eminem CD. I can't listen to that without bitching. Fortunately the rule is if you're driving you get to pick the music.
Mike is home from work today due to his horrible allergies. It seems like the older he gets his allergy attacks hit harder. I tell him he's just getting old and falling apart. You'd think he would have done well when we lived in the dry desert of New Mexico but he had 'em there too. There's something that blooms in the desert in the Spring that really knocked him for a loop. Me too. I could be driving down the highway with my windows down and all of the sudden a horrible sneezing fit would grip me and I'd be stuffed up for the rest of the day. Yes, we're prepared to be among the dead when civilization falls and medicinal drugs are no longer readily available.
posted by Tamara - 2:38 PM -- Link to this entry
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Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Yes, I’m Spending Money Again
Mom and I went shopping today. I needed some new slacks to wear when I sub at Coronado. The slacks I wore the last time I subbed are still in fine shape but thanks to the pregnancy weight loss plan I was on they are now waaay too baggy. They don't fall down to my ankles or anything like that. I didn't lose *that* much weight. But they really bag in the ass a lot and for someone who has absolutely no ass to begin with it looks a little ridiculous.
Target had advertised some slacks that looked okay to me and they were on sale for less than $20 a pair so I bought three and now I'm set for subbing. Well, I still need to get a few more shirts that fit better than the old ones but I didn't want to spend a ton of money of clothes for me today.
Then we went to Penn Square Mall to get Cal some good shoes. Stride Rite is my shoe store of choice for a kid's first shoes which means I spend a little more but I'm assured that they're starting out in good shoes. Calvin walked just fine in the new shoes *and* he didn't try to take them off which is a sure sign that they felt all right.
Then we headed over to Borders to pick up the latest Unfortunate Events book, The Slippery Slope. Since I had a $5 off punch card filled I also picked up Night Diving by Micheline Esposito (don't you just love her name?).
I'm not sure what is up with my local Borders but their Gay and Lesbian section seems to be getting better. There were actually lesbian novels there besides the Best Lesbian Erotica series which was surprising. In the past, it's been mostly full of the erotica books and non-fiction. I'm glad to see them supporting a little more diverse selection.
Now I'm home and Cal is asleep. I need to vacuum but I don't want to wake him up so I'm kinda puttering and washing clothes.
posted by Tamara - 2:12 PM -- Link to this entry
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More on the Downloading of “Free” Music
I got an e-mail today from someone asking me if downloading "free" music wasn't just stealing? Here's my reply:
Well, yeah, some people take that view. Others, however, don't.
I know in Mike's case downloading "free" music has led to him purchasing CDs. In the pursuit of one of his theme CDs he came across a punk band called Me First and the Gimme Gimmes that does nothing but covers. Perfect for the king of cover CDs. He liked what they did well enough that we've purchased one of their CDs and will probably end up buying more. "Free" music downloading led to a sale.
And that's not the first time that's happened in his case. He has often used Kazaa to try out the songs of someone he's heard or read about. He's not downloading an entire album by any means and if he ends up liking what he hears-*ka-ching*, another sale. If he doesn't like what he hears, it's thrown into the ol' recycle bin.
I do know of someone who says it better than I ever could with regard to the downloading of "free" music. Janis Ian is a proponent of the downloading of music and she's in the music industry. Here's a really interesting article that she wrote: www.janisian.com/article-internet_debacle.html. There's also a follow-up to that article here: www.janisian.com/article-fallout.html.
posted by Tamara - 9:25 AM -- Link to this entry
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Monday, September 22, 2003
School Days
I subbed for Tracey's assistant, Susie, at Coronado today. The day went fairly well. The kids were their normal rambunctious selves. We did have one little bathroom incident (as in not making it to the) but other than that it was a typical day.
The special was music which didn't thrill me. Now don't get me wrong. I love music. But I don't like Music. I think it must go back to my days in elementary school of really hating to go to Music. I never liked the whole performing in front of others aspect of it. I know, I know, everyone was in the same boat. After all they didn't make us do solos but I still didn't like it.
I'm sure the forced square dancing sessions didn't help matters. I'm of average height now but in elementary school I was taller than just about everyone (certainly all of the boys) so dancing was horrible.
After school I took Duncan to Tae Kwan Do and then we went over to my mom's to get Cal. She watched him while I worked today. Then we met Mike and Tracey at a local Mexican food restaurant. I am so stuffed. I shouldn't have eaten that sopapilla.
posted by Tamara - 8:24 PM -- Link to this entry
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Sunday, September 21, 2003
If the Evil Goddess Says So, It Must Be True
This is too funny! Now, I'm not saying I agree with all forty of her list of mistakes but the majority do indeed apply. Men, take heed: 40 Mistakes Men Make While Having Sex With Women.
posted by Tamara - 7:53 PM -- Link to this entry
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Goin’ to the Movies
We did it. We went to see Underworld this afternoon. It was a pretty entertaining film if you like that whole White Wolf World of Darkness we're supernatural creatures who live by an ancient code and who never laugh type of horror. The effects were very well done—especially the human to wolf transformations—and the story kept my interest throughout.
And how can you not like a movie that features Kate Beckinsale running around in lots of yummy leather? Hell, if she'd gotten to dress like that in Pearl Harbor I might have gone to see it.
The filmmakers left an opening for a sequel but that will have to depend on its reception by the movie-going public and the outcome of the suit White Wolf and Nancy A. Collins have against them.
posted by Tamara - 7:13 PM -- Link to this entry
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Windows ME Sucks!
Well, I'm officially ready to get rid of Windows ME as my OS. It's been a little hinky from the day I bought this computer (WinME came on it pre-installed) but now it's moved from merely irritating to crashing my computer at every turn. Specifically the problem seems to be with the WinME version of Internet Explorer.
So now I get to go through the horrifying process of backing up what's important, wiping my hard drive and installing something more stable like Windows NT. *sigh* I really hate it when we do this. It never moves quickly enough for me and I spend the entire process bugging Mike with questions like "Is it done yet? When do you think it'll be done? Why don't you have any idea when it'll be done?" Fun for everyone, you betcha.
Right now I'm using Mozilla as my browser of choice and it's not so bad. Some web sites don't always load properly and it doesn't read some of the colors right on a few of my sites but other than that I don't get no steenkin' crashes which is the important thing. It even imported my Windows favorites automatically although, stupid dork that I am, I didn't discover that until yesterday. I'd been risking a computer crash every time I needed one of my bookmarks by going back to IE.
I think I'll have Mike do the computer wipe and re-install while I'm gone to Denver this upcoming weekend. That way he can take as long as he likes and not have to put up with my hovering. Plus if he screws something up accidentally he should have time to fix things before I get back thereby avoiding the histrionics associated with him screwing up my beloved computer.
posted by Tamara - 12:11 PM -- Link to this entry
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Lazy Sunday Morning
Well, I was a good mom and made us an artery clogging breakfast of biscuits, eggs, hash browns, gravy and turkey bacon. At least the bacon wasn't pig bacon and I did cook the hash browns in olive oil. Most of it may not be good for you but it sure tasted damn good.
I believe today Mike and I are going to see Underworld. If Duncan knew what this movie was about I'm sure he'd be pissed that he can't go.
posted by Tamara - 9:44 AM -- Link to this entry
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Saturday, September 20, 2003
Ho Hum, It’s Saturday
Not too much going on at the Hodge Lodge today. Duncan went to an 11:45 class at Lee's US Academy of Tae Kwon Do. The class had both kids and adults in it but he still had a fun time. He got a little individual instruction today which was nice.
After that we went to lunch and came home. I ironed shirts while Mike, Duncan and Cal filled a garbage can with tree limbs. They've been in our backyard since the tornado went through OKC in May so I thought it was about time we got rid of them.
I also finished my Saturday update for Beyond Uber. I don't think much else will be added to anyone's web sites today and if something is added I'll get 'em tomorrow.
Now Mike and Cal are taking a nap (a loooong one too) and Duncan and I are just doing nothing. I think I might challenge him to a little Soul Calibur 2.
posted by Tamara - 6:16 PM -- Link to this entry
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Friday, September 19, 2003
International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Avast, ye swabs! Lissen up good or ye'll be scrapin' the barnacles off this tub for the rest o' yer natural lives. Today, bein' the nineteenth day of September, has been deemed Talk Like a Pirate Day. I'd better not be hearin' any of ye speakin' like a landlubber. If ye do, ye'll be feelin' the business end o' me cat o' nine tales on yer arse.
posted by Tamara - 10:36 AM -- Link to this entry
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Time Once Again for the Friday Five
1. Who is your favorite singer/musician? Why?
Judy Garland is my favorite singer because her voice makes me feel happy. I've loved her singing since I was a little girl. I would even stay up late to watch any of her old movies that were on television.
2. What one singer/musician can you not stand? Why?
Gawd, there are so many. I don't like Whitney Houston. It seems like she yells everything she sings. Sometimes modern singers forget there are quiet moments in songs as well as emotional ones. Every lyric doesn't have to be blasted full of feeling and belted out, hitting every note along the way. So you could probably extrapolate from there that I don't like a lot of popular, modern pop singers.
3. If your favorite singer wasn't in the music business, do you think you would still like him/her as a person?
Well, Judy Garland started as a singer in vaudeville, then became a singer/child star on the big screen. So she would have had to not start as a child singer which means that *maybe* she would have had a normal childhood which means that *maybe* she wouldn't be so screwed up as an adult. As it was she was a nice but flaky and erratic woman. Addiction will do that to you.
From all I've read she was no walk in the park to work with as an adult. Read Mel Torme's tell-all about working with her on the Judy Garland show for some truly sad stories. Unfortunately a crippling lack of self-esteem and addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol didn't make her a very stable individual. I'll just say she would have been a tough friend to have with all of her emotional baggage.
4. Have you been to any concerts? If yes, who put on the best show?
Tori Amos puts on a great show. Ditto for Sarah McLachlan. And, I'll bet you knew I was gonna say this, but Lucinda Williams put on one of the best concerts I've ever been to.
5. What are your thoughts on downloading free music online vs. purchasing albums? Do you feel the RIAA is right in its pursuit to stop people from dowloading free music?
Well, I've never really indulged in the downloading of music. I buy a lot of CDs but mostly of stuff you probably won't hear on the radio. Mike does use Kazaa but mainly to come up with these weird theme CDs—versions of the Route 66 song, House of the Rising Sun, or (to torture me) Over the Rainbow.
The RIAA is barking up the wrong tree when it comes to their worry that downloading free music is what's hurting their overall profits. The music industry is too involved with looking for the next hot thing. They spend all of their money and efforts on finding a singer or band that will sell twenty million copies right out the gate and then when their second album comes out and they only sell ten million they're a failure. Remember when selling two million copies was a good thing?
The record industry has gotten greedier and (like most corporations) is focusing too much on short-term profits and not long-term gain. As a result, you get a lot of the same kind of thing being released. That's boring and the public eventually picks up on it. Not to mention the fact that they're training the average music buyer to be flighty and jump from group to group.
posted by Tamara - 8:49 AM -- Link to this entry
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Thursday, September 18, 2003
Agh! It’s Been Ten Freakin’ Years!
I just finished reading a chunk of Strangers in Paradise issues (46–59). That wasn't a good thing to do while I'm PMSing and fighting a mild case of depression.
This comic is the best soap-opera on the market right now. It's gut wrenching the things Katchoo and Francine go through. And it's been going on for TEN YEARS! Yes, that's right. Ten years and Francine and Katchoo *still* aren't together. I'm not sure I can take it any more!
Okay, I'll be fine. Just no more huge chunks of issues at a time. If I take 'em one a month I'll be fine. Yeah, that's it. Just one issue at a time.
Maybe I'll go read my Growing Up Enchanted issues. That should cheer me up.
posted by Tamara - 9:28 PM -- Link to this entry
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It’s Comic Book Day!
Time once again for the weekly accounting of my comic fix: The Sandman: Endless Nights HC, Boneyard vol. 2 (Christmas present for someone—here's a nifty preview of this trade paperback), B.P.R.D.: Night Train, Daredevil #52, Outsiders #4, Cinnamon: El Ciclo #2 (of 5), Batgirl #44, Birds of Prey #59, Lucifer #42, Smax #2 (of 5) (I love Xander Cannon's artwork), George R.R. Martin's The Hedge Knight #2 aka the incredibly freakin' expensive cardstock Boris cover because the comic store sold out of the cheaper #2 that came in last week. Blech.
I was kind of disappointed that New World didn't get any copies of the True Porn Anthology in. When I asked John he said he was surprised to hear me asking for "porn." Ah, they sell me my comics but they don't know me very well. I like porn comics but I'm a discerning pornophile. So many of them are just terrible. Anyway, maybe it'll come in next week. Sometimes comics will show up on the list the week before New World actually gets them.
posted by Tamara - 2:20 PM -- Link to this entry
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Wednesday, September 17, 2003
When Mama Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy
Today was Duncan's first Tae Kwan Do lesson at Lee's US Academy of Tae Kwon Do. He was kind of nervous and asked me if I thought the kids would like him.
Tae Kwon Do is taking the place of dance for Duncan. He says he just wants to take a break from dance for a year but I don't expect he'll go back. It was a little hard on Mike's mom because she had hopes that he would be one of the kids who gets to be in Ballet Oklahoma's production of the Nutcracker. He really didn't want to do that but he hated to disappoint his Nana Gayle. Even with the promise that he wouldn't have to be in the Nutcracker he still didn't want to do dance.
So Mike and Duncan began the search for a martial arts school. They visited a few and Duncan got a good feel for Lee's so they joined. And when I say "they" I mean both of them. This ended up being quite a surprise to me because Mike hadn't discussed it with me and when they came back from signing up I was mightily pissed.
It really wasn't the added cost ($130 a month for two people) but the idea that I was going to be left alone in the evenings with Calvin for about an hour and a half approximately three times a week. This may not seem a big deal to you if you're employed outside the home and get to see your children only in the evenings. But, let me tell ya, for those of us who stay at home with small children it is a big deal. Most days I am plenty ready for someone else to watch Cal for a while once the evening rolls around. Some days I really need it.
So my irrational, emotional, throwing a temper tantrum side reared its ugly head and I got really mad. I mean flinging things mad (not *at* people).
Now to cut Mike some slack he really thought he discussed it with me. He wasn't trying to sneak anything by me or pull a fast one. They didn't give Mike the nickname "the absent-minded professor" when he was a kid for nothin'. But my recollection of any discussion was limited to Mike mentioning that the single person price was $80 a month and the two-person price was $130. He forgot to add "oh, and I'd like to be person two."
Anyway, as Mike can attest, I can be a horrible bitch when I'm mad which ends up making everyone around me miserable. Mike likes a happy home and even though I foolishly told him not to withdraw from the class (because I didn't want to be the bad guy in Duncan's eyes), he did it anyway. So now Duncan is paid up for three months worth of classes.
It ended up being okay with Duncan because he's such an easy-going kid. He was probably relieved I wasn't being snippy with his dad any more. But as I told Mike before he withdrew from the class, I probably would have gotten over it. I just needed to be pissed for a while and then I'd deal with it and move on. Catty comments would only be made occasionally.
A lot of hoopla over something kinda small, I know. It probably didn't help matters that my PMS reared its ugly head this week and is making me mildly depressed. Then I got mad and it got a little worse for a day. I have a tendency toward depression anyway but I try not to let it get the best of me often. It's such a waste of my energy. At least it only happens occasionally and I can usually talk myself out of it after about a day.
So things are happier at the Hodge Lodge because I'm happier. That's what comes of being the high-maintenance one in the family.
posted by Tamara - 7:51 PM -- Link to this entry
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Cute Picture of Cal
I took this picture of Cal about a week ago. He's been zonking out for about twenty to thirty minutes each morning and sometimes he just crashes anywhere. This picture was taken after he fell asleep on the family room floor. Wish I could sleep like that. Sure looks comfortable.
posted by Tamara - 2:36 PM -- Link to this entry
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Lori L. Lake’s Different Dress
 I mentioned last week that my copy of Different Dress had arrived in the mail. I was supposed to wait until I had finished The Golden Fool to read it because I've been stuck in the middle of TGF for so long. But I grabbed Different Dress to take with me when we went on our trip last weekend to see Lucinda Williams and I couldn't resist reading it.
Different Dress follows Kip Galvin, seventh grade math teacher and singer-songwriter as she embarks on a summer tour as country pop diva Lacey Leigh Jaxon's opening act. On the tour she meets Jaime Esperanza, assistant production manager and sometimes musician, and the two become good friends. For Kip the friendship turns into deeper feelings. Unfortunately for her, Jaime still carries a torch for Lacey Leigh.
Lori Lake made the whole going on tour experience very understandable and engrossing. From the technical problems encountered by the set-up crew to Kip's pre-performance jitters to the descriptions of the different parts of the country they passed through—it all worked together to make you feel like you really were part of a band on tour.
But the best thing about Lori Lake's Different Dress was practically every peripheral character in the story came across as a real person. I loved getting to know not only Kip and Jaime but also the musicians and techs who were part of the tour. Kip and Jamie in particular were so likeable it made you want to meet them in a coffee house and just hang out.
The romance between Kip and Jamie was played out with such sweet realism. It was nice to see two people become friends first and then gradually fall into love rather than have them caught up in a frantic, sexually charged obsession from their first meeting.
If you're looking for a well-written story that will keep you interested and entertained until the very last page, pick up a copy of Different Dress.
posted by Tamara - 9:52 AM -- Link to this entry
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Tuesday, September 16, 2003
The Great Overnight Lucinda Williams Concert Trip
If you read my post for Saturday (see below) you'll remember that I wasn't in a very peppy frame of mind due to Calvin sleeping fitfully. I'm happy to report that after a hearty lunch at Los Amigos I felt much better and was more awake. We didn't get away from the house until about 1 pm but by that time I was pretty pumped about seeing Lucinda Williams and was more than ready for the approximately hour and a half drive.
The drive to Tulsa was uneventful. It was horribly rainy and overcast which made driving behind those big ol' semi trucks a heckuva lot of fun. We arrived in Tulsa around 3 pm and used the wonderful directions provided by Mapquest to find the River Parks Amphitheatre.
Since Tulsa was in the grip of the same overcast and rainy weather we figured there was a pretty good chance the venue had been changed. As luck would have it the concert was moved to the Brady Theater and not cancelled outright.
We made sure we could find the Brady Theater and then headed down the highway to find a hotel for the night. The La Quinta chain was our choice since they're moderately priced and the rooms are always okay. Ours was tiny but had a huge king sized bed.
After dumping our stuff we decided to hit a few music stores that were nearby and then get something to eat. Mike asked if I wanted to check out the local comic shops but I wasn't really prepared to look for back issues. We did visit Wizard's Asylum Comics & Games because that shop was near one of the music stores. And I ended up buying a trade paperback of Bulletproof Monk illustrated by Michael Avon Oeming but didn't see much else of interest.
We then went to look for some place to eat. We almost ended up eating at an upscale fish place but I balked at paying $16 for trout and oven roasted potatoes. I know, I'm cheap. So instead we went to a Pizzeria Uno that was nearby. The food there was okay, but not so great that I would recommend it highly. Maybe their pizza is better.
 Finally it was time to head to the concert. We arrived at the Brady Theater around 7:20 and after a potty break and a stop to buy a concert tee for me we found our seats. Now I splurged on the assigned seating at the River Parks Amphitheatre but since we were in a totally different place those seats obviously weren't going to match. The organizers had instead sectioned the front 1/3 of the theater for assigned seating tickets and you could just go and pick wherever you wanted to sit. We got there early enough that we could have sat in the second or third row but I opted for row 7 in the middle. Kind of a bummer if you paid for front row seats and didn't show up early enough to snag 'em but it turned out to be a bonus for us because I'm pretty sure the seats we had in the Brady were far better than our seats at the River Parks Amphitheatre.
As far as theaters go the Brady is a nice one. It's old but cozy and I hope Tulsa isn't planning on bulldozing it to make way for a more modern building. There's something comforting about sitting in an old theater that you know has been around far longer than you've been alive.
The majority of the crowd was much older than the last concert we attended (Evanescence) but directly in front of us were a couple of twenty-something women and in front of them were two more. It gave me a warm fuzzy inside to know that Lucinda Williams was still bringing in new fans.
I would also like to note the fact that two rows ahead of us was a middle-aged guy wearing a Johnny Winter European Tour 1999 t-shirt. He was decked out in a cowboy hat complete with music buttons and he was wearing leather pants. I'm not kidding you. Leather pants. Maybe I'm alone in this but I've always felt leather pants looked best when filled with something perky and tight. He really did not have the ass to pull those pants off but I'm sure he felt like a stud.
A little after 8 pm the opening act began. Scott Thomas was his name and he came out looking kinda scruffy in jeans, tennis shoes and a hooded sweatshirt. He played an old acoustic guitar and sang eight songs for a thirty minute set. He was pretty good and informed the audience that he was working on an album with his band. As it was, Mike's comment of "I feel like I should have a cup of coffee and a scone" pretty much summed up Scott Thomas' set. We did pick up his $10 CD though.
After he was finished a lot of people stretched their legs and Mike and I alternately chatted and read our books. I know. Aren't we big ol' geeks? Taking our books to a concert. What can I say? I'm always prepared for down time.
Around 9:20, Lucinda Williams and her band appeared on stage. It was a very low-key entrance. There was no dimming of the lights and then voila! there the band is. No flashpots or blinking strobes accompanied their entrance. They just walked on to applause, picked up their instruments and proceeded to play.
First though, Lucinda Williams, looking too cute in her pink cowboy hat and hip hugger jeans introduced the first song, Drunken Angel. She seemed a little nervous but as the concert went on she warmed up and chatted a little easier with the audience. And I must tell you that when the woman smiles she is gorgeous.
Here's the breakdown of songs:
1) Drunken Angel
2) Ventura
3) People Talkin'
4) Those Three Days
5) Fruits of My Labor
6) 2 Cool 2 B 4-gotten
7) Blue
8) Pineola
9) I Lost It
10) Still I Long for Your Kiss
11) Righteously
12) Joy After this song she took a break and introduced her band members. Doug Pettibone played lead guitar, mandolin, harmonica and the steel guitar. Jimmy Christie played drums, percussion and keyboards. And finally, my favorite guy to watch on stage, Taras Prodaniuk on bass guitar. This guy was great fun to watch because he always had on, as my bass playing cousin calls it, his bass face. I wish they had allowed cameras in the venue because I would have loved to shoot some pics of him. 13) Changed the Locks
14) Essence
15) Real Live Bleeding Fingers and Broken Guitar Strings After this song the band left the stage and the whooping, hollerin' and clapping for an encore began. They came back out again around 11 pm and played some more. 16) Crescent City
17) Lake Charles
18) Bus to Baton Rouge
19) Get Right with God
20) World Without Tears
21) American Dream
22) Come to Me, Baby (Howlin' Wolf song) At about 11:45 Lucinda Williams said goodbye and they left the stage. Now that's what I call an encore. Definitely one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Throughout the evening the audience was warm and obviously loving Lucinda Williams. A few jackasses kept hollering out song requests which always annoys me. I wanted to shout, "play whatever the fuck you want!" but I didn't.
I loved the fact that before every song Lucinda would tell a little bit about the song and why she wrote it. It was especially sweet when her brother, who drove to Tulsa from Fayetteville, Arkansas to see her perform, came on stage and gave her a hug. At times she seemed a little nervous but the reception she received seemed to loosen her up and I would hope that was why they ended up staying on stage for so long. I'm sure if we had been at the outdoor venue things might not have gone on for quite so long. As it was, the Brady Theater was a great venue for the kind of laid back concert Lucinda Williams puts on.
We made it back to the hotel room by about 12:30 and we were both pretty darn pooped. Then to top that off, Mike decided to have a horrible allergy attack. I think I was asleep by 1:30 am but he stayed up later waiting for his nose to clear up.
Since no kids were around to wake us up the next morning we both got to sleep until 9:15 am. Woo! That was great. We got dressed, checked out and headed to a local diner for breakfast.
While toodling around town the day before we had passed a truly hilarious billboard but didn't stop to get a picture. So we took a little bit of time after breakfast to find that billboard and snap a picture. I'm sure the people driving by thought I was nuts. We also took some snapshots of the Brady Theater because I didn't do so the night of the concert. I wish they had allowed cameras inside the theater. It would have been nice to take a few of the stage set up and the seating.
After those two exciting tasks we headed out of Tulsa but not before stopping at K-Mart. I couldn't resist going in there because all of the K-Marts in OKC were closed. Now my only recourse for visiting K-Mart is to go to the one in Lawton whenever we visit my Aunt and Uncle.
While there, I managed to pick up a new pair of Joe Boxer sleep pants for Duncan and I found the JLA Animated Series Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl action figures for me. Now that was a fantastic find. I found a Wonder Woman at Target once but didn't buy it and I've been kicking myself ever since because I couldn't find any of the female figures anywhere. But K-Mart came through and provided me with both of them. I also picked up an electronic Solitaire game for my mom as a stocking stuffer at Christmas.
We headed toward OKC after that and made it home close to 3 pm. All in all, a successful trip and I'm glad we did it. Even if I did end up paying quite a bit to see Lucinda Williams when all was said and done it was worth it to me. If she ever comes to Tulsa again you can bet I'll be there.
posted by Tamara - 4:57 PM -- Link to this entry
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Monday, September 15, 2003
Yes, I *Still* Love Getting Mail
Probably the last exciting mail for a while but today the SFBC order came in. It consisted of: Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Pattern Recognition by William Gibson, and a collected edition (the SFBC is fond of doing that) of three of Charlaine Harris' novels (Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, and Club Dead.
The William Gibson book is for Mike because I'm not much of a fan of his work. Coraline we'll probably both read—me on my own and Mike because he'll read it to Duncan. The Charlaine Harris series was one I saw in a bookstore and they sounded pretty damn funny so I'm taking a chance that they're good. I like a good mystery and throw in southern vampires and you've got a winner as far as I'm concerned.
I still haven't been able to write about the Lucinda Williams concert but I have hopes I'll be able to get to it today possibly while Cal is napping or tonight when Mike is home so he can keep an eye on the little turd.
posted by Tamara - 1:44 PM -- Link to this entry
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Sunday, September 14, 2003
We’re Back!
We actually got home around 3 pm today but I ended up taking a nap with Cal until about 5 pm. Everything went well and I'll blog all about it later. Now I'm gonna go play a little Soul Calibur 2 and wake up.
posted by Tamara - 6:34 PM -- Link to this entry
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Saturday, September 13, 2003
It’s Lucinda Williams Concert Day!
I sound a lot perkier in the heading above than I really am. Cal slept like crap last night which means we did too. I guess it had something to do with him not really getting a nap on Friday. He ended up crashing after dinner around 7:30 pm.
I was hopeful that he would sleep through the night but he woke up quite a lot and ended up sleeping with us from about 2 am until he woke up at 6:30 am. I gave up on sleeping in our bed with both Cal and Mike and moved to the couch. It just gets too crowded with three of us in there and I'm the one Cal likes to snuggle with so I have zero room to stretch out which is tough for a mostly stomach sleeper like me.
So Mike is still asleep and I've been up with Cal since about 6:30. I figured that was only fair since Mike gets up at that time every weekday to get ready for work and I did make him get out of bed and get Cal every time he woke up last night. Yes, I'm getting my revenge for the time I was the one who had to get up because I was breast-feeding. And I knew he could sleep in today and that I wouldn't get to so that made it even easier. I'm evil, I know.
I should probably go and wake Mike up now. I've got to pack our stuff for tonight, wash a load of towels and get things sort of organized for my mother who will be staying here today with the kids. We both figured it would be easier on Cal to sleep in his own bed and she's looking forward to being away from my dad for a night.
Right now the plan is to leave for Tulsa some time after lunch. We'll get there in time to find a hotel, eat and find the venue. Neither one of us is real familiar with Tulsa so this should be an adventure.
Oh, hey, Mike got up all on his own. Well, hearing Duncan telling Cal "no!" about ten times probably helped. heheheheee
posted by Tamara - 8:46 AM -- Link to this entry
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Friday, September 12, 2003
Well Said, Wil
Yesterday Wil Wheaton had a really nice Flash Sept. 11 Memorial up on his site. I didn't link to it though because I figured it would be gone in a day. However, he has since put it up as its own page and it was so nicely done I thought I'd mention it here. Who knew the guy who played Wesley Crusher was such a cool liberal.
posted by Tamara - 5:16 PM -- Link to this entry
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I’m Gonna Try This Friday Five Thing
1. Is the name you have now the same name that's on your birth certificate? If not, what's changed?
Nope, the last name has changed because I got married approximately 18 years ago.
2. If you could change your name (first, middle and/or last), what would it be?
I am so unimaginative that I can't think of another name I'd rather have than my own. Now when I was a kid I always wanted my middle name, "Jo," to be my first name because I really liked the character of Jo in Little Women. Tamara didn't seem to be a very interesting first name. And I really liked the name Megan. Go figure.
3. Why were you named what you were? (Is there a story behind it? Who specifically was responsible for naming you?)
For my first name, my parents were looking for a name that wasn't common. The middle name is the same as my mom's. If my second child had been a girl I was going to give her the same middle name as well. But I had a boy and Cal had to settle for Joseph as a middle name.
4. Are there any names you really hate or love? What are they and why?
Tiffany. I really hate that name. I'm also kind of sick of the current trend of naming girls things like Jordan, Taylor, Kennedy, etc. What the frick is wrong with Anne? Or Jane? Perfectly fine names that no one uses any more. Instead they all want their kids to be named like they're in a soap.
5. Is the analysis of your name at kabalarians.com accurate? How or how isn't it?
"Your name of Tamara has given you a generous nature. You will do your utmost to help others in need, despite inconvenience or even hardship to yourself. You are affectionate, and respond quickly to appreciation. As a child you were expressive. An imaginative, impressionable person, you could excel in the theatre as a dramatist or comedienne, and the enjoyment and appreciation of your audience would be your greatest inspiration. Fine as your nature is at times the power of your feelings is difficult to control as it unleashes itself through outbursts of temper. The name does not engender emotional stability; nor have you the system and order in your thinking always to finish what you start. Scattering of efforts interferes with success in your undertakings." Hmmm...The first bit about the generous nature is true. I'm horribly tender-hearted. I wouldn't say I was "expressive" as a child. I was very quiet and shy but that probably had more to do with my upbringing than anything. I learned early it was better not to be noticed. I'm not sure that "imaginative, impressionable person" who would "excel in the theatre" is on target. I'm too shy to get up in front of people. I do have outbursts of temper. So that's true. But, I disagree that my name (which means the Palm Tree in Hebrew) "does not engender emotional stability." But I guess you'd have to e-mail Mike about that one. And I do have "system and order" to my thinking and I do finish things I start. Although I can be scattered with big projects (like unpacking the crap in the garage), not knowing where to start, hence I don't start anywhere.
posted by Tamara - 9:41 AM -- Link to this entry
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Thursday, September 11, 2003
Comic Book Thursday
It's time once again for listing my weekly fix o' comics: Fables #17 (this is a GREAT series), Superman: Blood of My Ancestors (evidently the last comics work from Gil Kane and John Buscema), Gotham Central #11 (I love Ed Brubaker), Green Arrow #30, JSA #52, JSA All Stars #5, Aquaman #10, JLA #86, Nightwing #85, The Adventures of Superman #620, Jane's World #7, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen II #6 (hey, I think this concludes the second mini which means I can read 'em now).
The day has stayed dreary and rainy and a cold front has blown in. It's beginning to feel like Fall in Oklahoma finally. Looks like this weekend is shaping up to be a cool one. I told Mike we'd probably need to take our jackets when we go to the Lucinda Williams concert because it's gonna be outside. Hopefully it won't get too chilly.
posted by Tamara - 5:07 PM -- Link to this entry
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The Name Says It All
Got this link from Mark Evanier's blog: SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 VICTIMS LIST.
posted by Tamara - 9:13 AM -- Link to this entry
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Rain, Rain, Stay Here
It's a wonderfully rainy day in OKC today. The sun hasn't made much of an appearance due to the rain clouds and I'm thinking it would be nice if it stayed that way. I wonder if Calvin would sit and play quietly while his mother read a book for about an hour this morning? Nahhhhh. Not a chance. Oh well, there's always nap time....
posted by Tamara - 8:46 AM -- Link to this entry
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Wednesday, September 10, 2003
A Quiz!
I like taking these quizzes but I usually don't post them in my blog. Instead I do a lot of them from Betty Ragan's blog, Maximum Verbosity, and then post in her comments how I scored. I know, I'm a lazy ass.
But Happy Bunny stuff makes me laugh so I'm gonna include this one. But, anal-retentive freak that I am, I am not poaching the image (even though it's okay with quizzes). Mainly I hate the thought that someday the image will go away and it won't be in my archives. There'll just be this horrible red x where the picture was.
Congratulations. You are the kiss my ass happy
bunny. You don't care about anyone or anything.
You must be so proud.
which happy bunny are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
posted by Tamara - 9:39 PM -- Link to this entry
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Time to Bitch
You know what I hate? I hate it when people poach images from my site. They snag an image for some bullshit post on a forum or blog, suck my bandwidth *and then* they don't even credit where the freakin' image came from. One guy used one of my Flaming Carrot scans at least four times in his livejournal and in his comments on his friends' livejournals.
I know I shouldn't get pissy about this but it bugs me. Mike says I should make up an image that can replace the one they're poaching but I'm not that mean. I just rename the image so they get a little red x box in the entry.
Oh, and if you were wondering, if someone links to an image on my site but then puts a link back to where they got it I leave it there. Somebody in one of the Dark Horse Comics forums used the sample page I scanned from Red Sonja: A Death in Scarlet but also put a link to the review on my site. Now that one I didn't screw with.
posted by Tamara - 9:10 PM -- Link to this entry
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I Still Love Getting Mail
Woo hoo hoo! Lori Lake's new book, Different Dress, arrived in the mail today. And my free bra finally came. *And* the Toys in Babeland order arrived. Truly a bounty of maily goodness. Now I just have to look forward to my SFBC order. I forgot that one was still floating around out there. Sometimes they can take a while to get to ya.
posted by Tamara - 8:06 PM -- L |
