Purging Part 1: Get rid of your memories

 Yeah I know it is not Saturday and if anyone is actually keeping track I am supposed to be posting on Saturday...well that is not happening. I have realized that I am never around a computer on the weekends so instead I will only be posting during the week. So here is the kick off to my trying to live simple series: purging (the throwing stuff away kind not the throwing up kind). Now I have talked about this already but I am going to talk about it again so deal with it.

After you make the decision that your life is too chaotic, cluttered and complicated and that those things are unnecessary, purging is the first thing to do. Purging has many benefits to your new desired lifestyle:

• Gets rid of some of that physical clutter, which will lead to getting rid of the other kinds of clutter too.
• You see progress right away which motivates to you keep going.
• The less stuff you have in the way the more you can do.
• The less stuff you have in your house the less you are going to want to bring unnecessary new stuff in.
• The less stuff you have the more you will use the things you have. 
• Could possible make some money.
• When you move, re-carpet, get water in the basement there is less stuff to move or to damage and in the case of a hurricane and your place is flooded to the ceiling and volunteers have to come and clean out the stuff you horded for years, they will be in a much better mood and will not curse your house for the rest of their lives.
• If feels good to have fewer, more practical and cooler things. (Instead of a ton of crap)

Now if you are like me (sentimental) it is hard to get rid of stuff because of the memories I have attached to it. "Aww that is the stuffed animal my dad won me when I found out my class for 5th grade and was super depressed" But that turned out alright ;) "Oh, my grandma got me that watch one Christmas" But I have yet to wear it, or the one she got me before that one- I do not wear watches. "Haha, Cece was so proud of her practical gift!" But I cannot whistle so therefore cannot use it...so why hold onto it? I was definitely a pack rat most of my life, living with other pack rats where the solution when the stuff reached a breaking point was put it in random boxes and pack it away in storage never to be seen again. What is the point of that? Just because you get rid of stuff does not mean you loose the memories. (I remember the three things mentioned earlier but they are all gone now) This is always the hardest lesson to get across to people on Clean Sweep, Clean House and Hoarders. Also just because that was a gift does not mean you have to keep it forever buried under mounds of other gifts that are never used. I doubt that is what the gift-giver wanted. (But side-note: it is a gift so you can do whatever you want with it now...it is yours..so re-gift it, throw it away, sell it or use the heck out of it- it is yours now.)

Now to be honest you will probably loose some memories. It is called getting older and filling our head with other ones. But, people tend to remember the important things and if you really want to remember something take a picture of you with it or write it down in a journal. Those take up a lot less space.

So in conclusion- purge. I will be struggling with this as I start to go through those randomly packed boxes in storage that were to never be seen again but hopefully I will listen to my own advice.

Music Monday: Period Pieces

Music can be a great way to set the time in a movie or TV show. It can be reminiscent of what was heard at the time (for example the amazing score to Pride & Prejudice) or set the mood of that time period that we may not have lived through or only read about in history books. The right music helps to define the culture, helps you to feel for the characters or the society at the time, and can even date the movie to a time and place in our own memory. Good music of that time is essential in order to really feel like you are living in that time along with the characters.

Here are a few of my favorites that did it right: (note these are again non-score, non-musical and also movies that were made in a different time period than they were set. So things like Breakfast Club could not make the list)

Remember the Titans: I love this movie, and one of the reasons is because I love the music so much. They use the music so well in this movie. To show blending of cultures, get you hyped up to win some football, to sing on the bus and in a cafeteria, and also a possibly accidental-but well placed reference-to the saddest movie ever...The Temptations movie. (don't watch it, it is depressing- if you want me to explain the reference to spare  you the horrific details just let me know) And no offense to Foo Fighters because I love them but "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" and "Up Around the Bend" get me more excited to win a football game. (Plus they let the song play and don't just use the same 20 seconds over and over and over)

Forrest Gump: This is another good movie, and if you have seen it know that is the story of Forrest Gump from childhood to adulthood. Which means it starts in the 50s and ends in the late 70's- a great time for music. They use music so well in this movie to show the passing of time and to highlight the emotions of a scene. With Hendrix, Dylan, The Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Beach Boys, Hank Williams, Elvis, Doobie Brothers, Skynyrd, The Supremes, and even some Tony Orlando- this soundtrack is amazing and has to be one of the most expensive ever made. (Probably is beat by The Wonder Years, which is why you will never see that on DVD)

The Wedding Singer: Lets get out of the 60's and move into an awesome decade: the 80s. The Wedding Singer is a great soundtrack with so many 80s standards. You've got your Falco, Culture Club, Journey, Hall & Oats, Wham and the heart of every great 80's soundtrack: Huey Lewis & The News!! (Heck it even has the Smiths!) I am a fan of the movie as well and when I heard they were turning this into a Broadway musical I was excited but nervous about them not using the amazing music from the film. (this was before the current trend of taking popular music already out there and making a story around it) However, I saw it on Broadway and it definitely captured the 80's perfectly just like the movie. (Although I did miss a little "Do you really want to hurt me?")


New Release to check out tomorrow: Rave On Buddy Holly. It. is. fantastic! (Good new releases have really slowed down, it will pick up in fall.)

First Friday: First All-nighter

It is late, and this will be short because I am tired. I used to be able to pull all nighters like it was nothing. But now I am old. I could still pull an all-nighter but there are repercussions that were not there before...boo!

The first all-nighter I remember was in 1997(ish) and I went to my friend Ashley's house (whose mom worked with my mom) and had a great night. I remember going into this small TV room late at night and watching Clueless. Then we watched it again, and again, and again until the sun came up. We memorized lines and just could not get enough of it. (This also proved to be a trend that whenever I went to someone's house and they owned Clueless I would campaign for watching it over and over until one day it was lent to me and never returned...oops.) I remember having a lot of fun that night and I still enjoy Clueless- even if it was farted on...Trish.

Catholic Throwdown

This brings back memories...check it out.



Also check out this video that made me tear up a little:

Another Great Commencement Speech:

Music Monday: Importance of Soundtracks

It is no secret that I love music and think it is very important. It is also no secret that I love movies and good TV. So when the two combine it is awesome. The music chosen for a movie and where they choose to use it can make or break a scene- or even a whole movie. Like in Corky Ramano, a surprisingly funny movie that makes me mad every time "Kryptonite" comes on in the weirdest place and does not fit AT ALL. Or on the opposite side-Star Wars which would not be as awesome, or emotionally moving, if it were not for John Williams. (He is my favorite modern composer- don't get me started) Music is important for setting the mood and helping you feel for the characters. After the movie is over soundtracks can remind you of the movie, how you felt or expose a new way to think about the song. For example I loved the Away We Go soundtrack from day 1, way before I saw the movie. After the movie seeing the heartbreaking way they used "Oh! Sweet Nothing" by Velvet Underground it made me love that song even more. Or, it wasn't until I was listening to Hello Dolly and teared up at the start of "Put On Your Sunday Clothes", that I realized I loved the movie Wall-E.

Another reason I love soundtracks is because they are great mix tapes. You can put a soundtrack on when you want a mix of music and don't want to think about what goes well together and the hassle of making a new playlist. Or when you are in certain mood, you can put on the soundtrack of a movie that makes you feel better- like Clueless when I am happy and Garden State when I want to relax or am feeling a little off that day.

So for the next few weeks I am going to tell you about a few of my favorite soundtracks non score, non musical. (Sounds like a Grammy Category) So then I guess I will start with a Grammy Winner for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media; which is saying a lot since is always goes to a musical or a movie about music (like Ray, or Crazy Heart).

Garden State:
Garden State is one of the best soundtracks of all time. With everything from Coldplay to Simon & Garfunkel. Nick Drake to Cary Brothers. Not to mention most of the country's first exposure to The Shins with "You gotta hear this one song — it’ll change your life; I swear." (so true) Garden State is a perfect combination of mellow music that everyone can enjoy. It is an album that when we played it in the store we sold it or one of the individual artists they heard. I imagine hundreds of thousands of records have been sold because of Garden State- in my own collection I have not only the soundtrack but 8 others I bought because of what I heard!  (it started at 5 but then I keep remembering more that I got just because of this album) Which is a quality that will define most of my favorites- a combination of familiar and unfamiliar that introduces you to new artists and makes you dig deeper into the old ones. Garden State is a must have for everyone, you don't need to like the movie or even see it to enjoy this one (although I would recommend it) because it is the perfect CD for the morning or night, a gloomy day,  to go to sleep to, read to, study to, or rocking a child. I mean it won a Grammy and you think they just give those things away? Cause they don't. (bonus points to name that movie reference.)




**So what brought this on? I watched Going the Distance yesterday, not bad, don't think I will be watching it again, but great soundtrack. Might "pick that up later." (said in the style of New Girl...I know I am obsessed)**

First Friday: Harry Potter

In honor of the new JK Rowling teaser: Pottermore I am going to talk about Harry Potter. The first time I heard about Harry Potter was on Rosie O'Donnell (I loved that show. Remember Cutie Patootie, obsession with pre-crazy Tom Cruise and Barbie reenactments?). She raved about the series and frequently gave books away, but I never read them. As a family gift Christmas in 1999 my mom got the first three books together in a set because she had heard so many good things about them. They were starting to gain a lot of popularity but it was nothing like it is now. I brought the first one on our New Years Eve vacation and after the world did not end and our computers did not turn on us, I read it. I loved it, but was not crazy over it yet. However, then I read book two in 4 days (which is quick for a freshman in high school  reading a non school book) then book 3 in three days (after that is was always 2 days tops) and I was hooked. I became the Harry Potter lover that I am today after those three books and could not wait till the fourth.

Luckily I did not have to wait long. The fourth book came out that summer and I found myself party hopping at 11pm trying to win Harry Potter prizes and get the book at midnight. I had never done anything like that before and the fact that is was for a book not a movie, concert, or a new Apple product means a lot. I have since made appearances at many midnight releases (including the other 3 Harry Potter books) but Harry Potter 4 was the first. It was so much fun being in line with Cece and Co. in Meijer and getting my book at 12:10ish that night. Now it is not like I went home immediately to read it (although eventually that became the norm) but I just loved the series and I also love what Jimmy Fallon likes to call "shared experiences". I love really getting into things, it is just more fun going all out (insert rollerskating 80s party here) and now I am one of those people to wait in a ridiculously long line for 3 days or wears a costume to a movie (still working what to wear to Arrested Development opening, but it looks like I have a lot of time to figure that one out).  In a way you can blame Harry Potter for some of my crazy fandom.

Graduation

I wish Conan was the speaker at my college graduation.

He had some great and hilarious things to say.

Music Monday: Cults

So today I will be talking about the CD I have been listening to non-stop for the past 2 weeks online because my iPod has been missing in action due to the need to update, but first replace Mac battery. Anywho, this was available for 2 weeks on AOL/Spinner and just when they started acting stupid and not working I find it still available on NPR! Woo Hoo! (I will buy it eventually...I need to find a reason to go to BG besides just cd shopping.)

This is Cults (not to be confused with The Cult, an 80's rock band) debut album and I love it. Cults is made up of   Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivionand and (on this album) the engineer of Vampire Weekend and Sleigh Bells. Now, it is no secrete that I love female vocalists and think that in the grand spectrum of popular music there have been very few good ones when compared to the boys. I am a proud member of the "Girl Power" movement of the 90s and yes, a fan of Spice Girls. So, the fact that they have a female lead who is good was immediately a huge plus. Her voice is so pleasant and their music so fun.

The cd opens with the song Abducted, one of the few with vocals from Brian. It is a nice song that displays their varied tempos that you will hear through out the album, good Side A track 1- it got me to keep listening! Then song after song you will hear something new, fun, but familiar- not in a this sounds like everything else but more comfortable like something you want to play on a sunny summer day.

Which leads me to my negative, although it just speaks for my awesome skills that record companies should be hiring me for. I have an ear for music, not the I hear it and play it (I do not play...well) or the hear it and I can write it out (takes me too long to read music, what is it Every Good Boy Deserves Chocolate?) but I have an ear for remembering music and hearing its potential. This coupled with my amazing "understanding America skill" best seen during Family Feud watching- I would be amazing as an artist developer, track listing consultant, or "target audience" for many different genres. So, anyway, this summer I wanted to make a summer soundtrack with music to listen to in your car on a nice day with your windows rolled down. Due to my computer battery, it is not done yet, but that is a good thing because I can now put Cults on it! HOWEVER, I was listening to my satellite radio (going on 9 months! Take that 6mo free trial!) and the Cults came on. Immediately I got excited until I realized it is the song I wanted to use on my CD :( You see, I try not to use singles on my mixes or if I do try and keep them to a minimum. This way your possible exposure for an artist I like increases and maybe you will check out their album too. This obviously is not a big deal, and is not a negative thing about their album but it is just frustrating, especially after my 2010 year end CD where 3 (and counting) songs were released as singles shortly after my CD's release. Ugh.

Well, thank you for letting me vent. In conclusion: Cults, awesome. (Although many of you probably do not care about my opinion after my declaration that I am a Spice Girls fan...oh well your loss.)

New Release Tuesday: (although I have not heard these yet)

• Marc Broussard- Marc Broussard (he tends to be awesome)
• Owl City- All Things Bright and Beautiful (their first one was good)
• Barry Manilow- 15 Minuets (because I know you Barry Manilow fans are out there, we sold a ton of his stuff at Finders. Plus he writes the songs, he writes the songs.)***UPDATE!!: THIS CD IS HORRIBLE....go back to covers Barry.***

**Watch out for future post of my Mix CD Rules, coming soon**

First Birthday

Today is my Birthday so for First Friday I should naturally talk about my first birthday...but I do not remember that. It must not have been that eventful. I will however talk about my first, and only, surprise party. I have thrown a good amount of parties and many of them surprise parties- I like to think that I am pretty good at it. I am very good at keeping secrets, planning things and influencing people. After many successes I started to wonder if I would ever get a surprise party? With my inquisitive and sluthy nature I did not think that my family and friends could surprise me but will they try?

Well the answer is yes, they did try, for my 17th birthday. Was it a surprise? No, I knew. My mom is not that good at lying-unless she is on the phone. But were their surprise elements? Yes. The first being that we were spending the night at the Holidome (it used to be a local Holiday Inn- a big deal in the day). As we were on our way back from the Findlay Mall (I know, I know it sounds a little too "Outrageous Kid Parties" but my mom always dreamed of going to that mall and spending the night in a hotel and you only turn 17 once) my friend (actually not Cece, Cece is not that stupid) ruined that surprise. I started to mess with my mom about the night ahead because it is funny to see her squirm and she who shall remain nameless just came out with it then tried to cover it up. The other surprise, for dinner and cake we got to have my Dad's favorite choices...which I do not like and was yelled at for voicing that opinion.

Overall I had a lot of fun because the life of the party was there- ME! (oh and of course Cece. Some called us the tandem team...by some I mean one of our teachers who would confuse us in a class of 3 girls when we look nothing alike) We stayed up all night, were loud and the next day the hotel did not call my mom saying I was never allowed back for the rest of my life so, SCORE!!!

One Dress Video

One of my friends from college and her husband made this video of her 30 days in one dress:

Advertising to target audience

I was able to spend four days last week with one of my best friends Jessie as she visited from Illinois. She is pretty hilarious and in college when we were all getting ready to graduate and move into the real world but not having much luck, she started to come up with some jobs that she could do outside of the corporate world. Things such as card writer (trust me her cards are hilarious, my favorite was about a jr bacon cheeseburger for Valentines day), dog groomer, impressionist (she has great impressions that sound so similar it is creepy, all while wearing fuzzy ear muffs), and situational comedian (where she follows you around and makes funny comments as things happen). Well this weekend one of my favorite things was when she discovered another job to add to the list. At a gas station the advertising at their Arby's distracted her, and wooed her into buying exactly what they wanted her to buy. You may think this means she is easily influenced, but really it just means that she has a new career as "target audience".  Below is a picture of her future career as target audience. If you know of any job openings for target audience please let me know and I will pass them along.

Music Monday: Best Backup Singers Ever

So last Thursday I got to go see Raphael Saadiq Live in Detroit thanks to my awesome friend Jessie. It may have taken us a while to get in (doors supposed to open at 7, did not open until after 8) and my feet may have been killing me because of the 3 hours of standing before the start of the show and a poor shoe choice but it was a pretty great show. I told my brother, he obviously went to the Prince school of performing because he knew how to let a song ride and how to play perfectly to the crowd. He performed my favorite songs, some revamped versions of older stuff, and even a Tony! Toni! Tone! hit to the pleasure of those surrounding us. We met some nice people next to us in the front row and got to enjoy the best backup singers I have ever seen. They danced, they sang, they performed. As I mentioned we were in the front row, a mere 3 feet from the stage in between the massive speakers- so a little hard to hear anything but the vibrations from the speakers- but still sounded good. Which means if we were back about 20 feet it would have sounded amazing.

Overall a great show- I would highly recommend it.

Here are some good new releases for tomorrow: Sondre Lerche- Sondre Lerche and Cults- Cults

Also, on Spinner Listening Party you can listen to the first united album of  hopefully many from the married couple Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks now known as Tedeschi Trucks Band!!! It sounds great.

Pics from the show:

The singers doing there thing.

Raphael Saadiq in his green suit with matching dress shoes.

Jessie and Me!