So Long, Toots!

I'm kind of a terror behind the wheel in any circumstance.

Today it's a Mix Tape free for all!

My theme this week is songs for driving. I know, it sounds vague and lame... but I CARE about what I listen to in the car- particularly on long road trips. Coincidentally, it's pretty much the same music I like to listen to when I'm deep-cleaning the house.

So I'm just going to leave this here where you can enjoy it, hopefully get a lot of stuff done, or stay wide awake while you drive across the country.

Because my favorite mix is one that keeps you moving around.

I know it's supposed to be a short mix, but I can't help myself. :)

Enjoy!





You might remember I'm a Porcupine Tree fan. I love this band. And I'd say about half of the mixes I ever make have a Porcupine Tree track on them. Sometimes "Shesmovedon," sometimes "Last Chance to Evacuate Planet Earth Before It Is Recycled," sometimes "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here..." you get the idea. But this song showcases a lot of what I *love* about this band. The deep rock, the spectacular vocal harmonies, and the poetic lyricism.

Bonus? I was at this show. And it was amazing.




I live in Chicago, so I really can't help myself from thinking of this song every time I hop in the car after a family holiday. Because I'm headed back to Chicago, and it's been swell. I've danced to this song with my kids more times than I could possibly count. It's good, clean, 90's swing fun.




I had been a fan of Soundgarden, so I was skeptical at best when Chris Cornell went solo. And with song he nearly made me forget about the rest of the band. He has not disappointed since. I won't say I'm a bigger fan of his solo work than I am of, say, Black Hole Sun... but I will say that he's responsible for my favorite Bond theme of all time.

And I am more than passingly familiar with the entire Bond library.




And then, there's this little relic. You may or may not know this, but I'm a classically trained singer. Studied opera and everything. Oh yes. a day will come when I'll make you sit through an opera mix, and you WILL enjoy it. Just don't get me started on Charlotte Church. At any rate, this lady? Has PIPES. And I cannot and will not stop myself from putting down whatever I'm doing to rock out to this song whenever it comes on.




While we're on the subject of songs I MUST sing along with... this would be number one on the list. Actually, it's to the point when a radio station playing "Somebody to Love" makes me a legitimate hazard to anyone else on the road. Because I don't just sing, I ROCK it. And that means front-manning with my microphone steering wheel. And gesticulating wildly. Because I own the stage minivan.




Now let's take it back a notch. Not in terms of theatricality, just in terms of... well... how dangerous I am on the road while I'm singing along. Oh, how I love this song! And I'm not the only one. This is just one of DOZENS of marvelous fan made videos- stage productions, comics, cartoons... it's the sort of song that lends itself to nearly obsessive fan-love.




The first time my parents traveled to Spain for an extended visit, my mother brought me back this album. I'd never heard of Dover. You know what? They're AWESOME. First of all, I adore a sister/sister band. I mean, Breeders? Yes. Please. Second of all, Cristina has an AMAZING voice. Truly unique, and with such SPECTACULAR range and emotion.

You may know them from the one song that's included in a Rock Band music package. So if you play Rock Band, go forth. Rock along with Cristina.




Do you know Flogging Molly? They're one of those bands. You know them, even if you don't know you do. And now you know you know them.




Gogol Bordello. Once upon a time, the ultimate Hipster band. Obscure, dark, deep, funny but esoterically so, political, and unheard of. And then Elijah Wood went ahead and befriended the band (thank you Everything is Illuminated) and brought the band out of "too cool for you to know" obscurity. Much to the chagrin of everyone who loved them back before it was, you know, cool.




And to close it up- a sign off. As I said, my favorite mixes are for driving around. And you know, there's nothing more satisfying when you're cruising around at seventy miles an hour than belting "FUCK YOU" out your open windows, even if it's just to a field of cows in Ontario.


Now go forth, lovely readers, and dance your day away.

I Am Batman

"Batman!"

It's not often that a child has a personal hero before they're two.

Or maybe it's commonplace, I guess I'm not sure. But I can tell you this- RH has one.

It's been the same person since she was seven months old.

No, it's not me. And it's not Daddy. And it's not a grandparent or even a sister. It's... well...

It's Batman.

She's obsessed. Completely, utterly, absolutely.



There is no such thing as "enough" Batman for this kid. The above video was taken a month ago. It took me an entire month to get it on camera, but there was something critical missing from it. And that was...



She barely walks, but she knows Batman when she sees him. And she sees him everywhere.

She spends a fair amount of time watching me use the internet, and every time she sees a picture of Sir Patrick Stewart, she points and shouts, "Batman!"

Every time she sees a superhero logo- Superman, The Green Lantern, Wonder Woman... she starts yelling. "Batman! Batman! Batman!"

And it doesn't stop there.

When she's playing with the food on her tray, she'll push it around until it resembled the Batman logo.

She sings the Batman song in the car.

And she sees the inner Batman in everyone.

I can't tell you how many of my days have been improved by having her look at me, her eyes full of wonder, before pointing at my face and calling me Batman.

On Halloween, DD was Batman, and gave RH the thrill of her life by waking her up from her nap in costume.

DD as Batman, RH as the Flash, and SI as Supergirl

But the thing that really gets me is how much it makes me feel like Batman. Like a hero- an invincible, benevolent force of nature. Not a tragic, Christian Bale Batman, but a campy, doo-gooder, daylight and spandex Adam West.

I believe it. I actually do. When she picks up a drawing Deborah made at school of an egg-shaped me, points at it and then my face and shouts "Batman!" with delight, I buy it.

I am Batman.

Okay. so maybe I'm wonder Woman.

So until Sir Patrick Stewart comes clean, you can shine the Bat Signal this way.

RH and I will be happy to answer it.




PS: In case you've stopped by from NaBloPoMo and you're noticing a missing post or two... I've got them scheduled on another blog, but didn't have the energy for TWO posts every day. I promise- there will be makeup posts!