Day 14533

I can't sleep...a combination of wishing I was somewhere else, nasty cleaning fumes, and still hyper from cleaning the bathroom, I guess. Anyway, all the cool kids are doing it (Type year graduated in Search box), so...

Top 100 Hits of 1984 / Top 100 Songs of 1984

1. When Doves Cry, Prince
2. What's Love Got To Do With It, Tina Turner
3. Say Say Say, Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
4. Footloose, Kenny Loggins
5. Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now), Phil Collins
6. Jump, Van Halen
7. Hello, Lionel Richie
8. Owner Of A Lonely Heart, Yes
9. Ghostbusters, Ray Parker Jr.
10. Karma Chameleon, Culture Club
11. Missing You, John Waite
12. All Night Long (All Night), Lionel Richie
13. Let's Hear It For The Boy, Deniece Williams
14. Dancing In The Dark, Bruce Springsteen
15. Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper
16. The Reflex, Duran Duran
17. Time After Time, Cyndi Lauper
18. Jump (For My Love), Pointer Sisters
19. Talking In Your Sleep, Romantics
20. Self Control, Laura Branigan
21. Let's Go Crazy, Prince and The Revolution
22. Say It Isn't So, Daryl Hall and John Oates
23. Hold Me Now, Thompson Twins
24. Joanna, Kool and The Gang
25. I Just Called To Say I Love You, Stevie Wonder
26. Somebody's Watching Me, Rockwell
27. Break My Stride, Matthew Wilder
28. 99 Luftballons, Nena
29. I Can Dream About You, Dan Hartman
30. The Glamorous Life, Sheila E.
31. Oh Sherrie, Steve Perry
32. Stuck On You, Lionel Richie
33. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues, Elton John
34. She Bop, Cyndi Lauper
35. Borderline, Madonna
36. Sunglasses At Night, Corey Hart
37. Eyes Without A Face, Billy Idol
38. Here Comes The Rain Again, Eurythmics
39. Uptown Girl, Billy Joel
40. Sister Christian, Night Ranger
41. Drive, Cars
42. Twist Of Fate, Olivia Newton-John
43. Union Of The Snake, Duran Duran
44. The Heart Of Rock 'N' Roll, Huey Lewis and The News
45. Hard Habit To Break, Chicago
46. The Warrior, Scandal
47. If Ever You're In My Arms Again, Peabo Bryson
48. Automatic, Pointer Sisters
49. Let The Music Play, Shannon
50. To All The Girls I've Loved Before, Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
51. Caribbean Queen, Billy Ocean
52. That's All, Genesis
53. Running With The Night, Lionel Richie
54. Sad Songs (Say So Much), Elton John
55. I Want A New Drug, Huey Lewis and The News
56. Islands In The Stream, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
57. Love Is A Battlefield, Pat Benatar
58. Infatuation, Rod Stewart
59. Almost Paradise, Mike Reno and Ann Wilson
60. Legs, ZZ Top
61. State Of Shock, Jacksons
62. Love Somebody, Rick Springfield
63. Miss Me Blind, Culture Club
64. If This Is It, Huey Lewis and The News
65. You Might Think, Cars
66. Lucky Star, Madonna
67. Cover Me, Bruce Springsteen
68. Cum On Feel The Noize, Quiet Riot
69. Breakdance, Irene Cara
70. Adult Education, Daryl Hall and John Oates
71. They Don't Know, Tracy Ullman
72. An Innocent Man, Billy Joel
73. Cruel Summer, Bananarama
74. Dance Hall Days, Wang Chung
75. Give It Up, K.C.
76. I'm So Excited, Pointer Sisters
77. I Still Can't Get Over Loving You, Ray Parker Jr.
78. Thriller, Michael Jackson
79. Holiday, Madonna
80. Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us, Ollie And Jerry
81. Nobody Told Me, John Lennon
82. Church Of The Poison Mind, Culture Club
83. Think Of Laura, Christopher Cross
84. Time Will Reveal, Debarge
85. Wrapped Around Your Finger, Police
86. Pink Houses, John Cougar Mellencamp
87. Round And Round, Ratt
88. Head Over Heels, Go-Go's
89. The Longest Time, Billy Joel
90. Tonight, Kool and The Gang
91. Got A Hold On Me, Christine McVie
92. Dancing In The Sheets, Shalamar
93. Undercover Of The Night, Rolling Stones
94. On The Dark Side, John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band
95. New Moon On Monday, Duran Duran
96. Major Tom (Coming Home), Peter Schilling
97. Magic, Cars
98. When You Close Your Eyes, Night Ranger
99. Rock Me Tonite, Billy Squier
100. Yah Mo B There, James Ingram and Michael McDonald

OMG! Now I won't be able to sleep with all these nasty earworms and the shock of realizing just how bad the radio was when I graduated! I remember listening to an awlful lot of cassettes back then...now I recall why! Oh, and to further nauseate the masses, the theme song for my Prom was none other than Almost Paradise, by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson!

Ack!

Day 14532

OMG! Where did the days go? Seems lately that I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off! Unfortunately, I will be keeping up this pace for a few more days until the move is final. Then we (How cool is it that "we" means 1-2 adults plus 2-3 youngin's?!?) will be heading out to do a little camping/relaxing/fishing/reading. Ahhh...a nice thought, even now, as I stare at a pile of dishes. Anyway, enough of this.

So, yesterday at work a co-worker and myself were having a discussion about strange but supposedly true burglary stories. This is perfectly normal conversation when things are slow. So, apparently things were slow...and I thought you might like to hear some of them.

One started when a couple got up one Sunday morning to find a note on their door that said, "Sorry for leaving our truck in front of your home, but it broke down and will not start. We will be back on Monday to have it towed away. For your trouble, please accept these tickets as we will no longer be able to attend." There were 4 tickets to a San Diego Chargers football game that day in the note.

The lucky couple called some friends and took them to the game that afternoon. When they returned 4-5 hours later, the "broken" truck was gone, along with most of their possessions from the house!

Another story involved the help of a neighbor! Seems a high school-aged boy was walking by as a thief was stealing valuables from a house and loading them into a U-Haul truck. Well, the boy was short on funds so he offered to help the gentleman pack his moving truck in exchange for some quick cash. Unfortunately, he was not able to ID the guy who was robbing the home, but he did make $20!

Today, we were also slow at work, but we didn't discuss any burglaries. However, I'd hate to short you a story, so here goes...

This is from Sioux lore, I think. Apologies to those who know it, as I'm sure my telling will have some holes in it.

"Ahem. Without notes."

After Screaching Hawk had just eaten breakfast, he went to visit his friend, Fast Elk. When he got to Fast Elk's fire, he noticed that his friend looked quite upset.

"What is it that disturbs you, my friend?"

Fast Elk looked up at Screaching Hawk and said, "I had a terrible dream last night and I cannot get it out of my mind."

"Tell me about this dream. Maybe it isn't so bad." Screaching Hawk replied.

"OK. Last night I dreamt that I was walking on the trail along the river and heard some splashes that seemed out of place. Not sure who or what was making them, I crouched down behind a big rock along the side of the trail and looked over it to see what was causing the commotion. In the light of the moon I saw the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on standing in the water."

Screaching Hawk interupted and said, "Friend, that doesn't sound so bad."

Fast Elk continued, "As I watched her, it was apparrent that she was naked and taking a bath."

Again, Screaching Hawk interupted and said, "Kola, this doesn't seem like a bad dream to me."

Fast Elk continued, saying, "I could see her straight, wet hair between her shoulder blades and the moon's envious glare off her firm, full breasts."

"This is certainly not a bad dream!", said Screaching Hawk.

"As I watched her, I noticed an intense sensation between my legs as my penis began to grow increasingly longer. Soon it was outside of my loin cloth and on the ground slithering like a snake around the big rock, across the trail, and racing toward the river's edge. Within moments my penis found her legs and went up between them."

"Fast Elk, my friend, this is certainly a good dream!"

"I entered her warmness and began moving in and out of her, as she arched her back and moaned."

"Again, I tell you, friend, this is a very good dream!"

"I was enjoying myself like no other time in my life, when she looks over her shoulder and gazes into my eyes."

"Fast Elk, this is the best dream I have ever heard!"

"Just then, her eyes darted to her left, spotting the white man's horse and buggy racing along the trail towards the rock!"

That's it. Good night, folks!

Day 14514

Those of you who know me well know that I have nothing but the deepest respect/idol worship for Grant-Lee Phillips. He is a musician/singer/songwriter with an amazing ability to bring visions and memories to life from mere words, an excellent storyteller.

Today, I stumbled across his site looking for the lyrics to Wish I Knew from his most recently released record, Virginia Creeper. I love that song. It tugs... It has become something especially special to me.

Anyway, I was snooping around the site and came across this. A blatant mention of Katrina and it's aftermath - a subject I've been trying my best to avoid. It is not that I don't care, it's just that the whole situation is just emotionally exhausting to me.

So, getting back to his post...brevity - conciseness - Is that a word? - empathy. This news is by no means intended to be art, yet... Wow. I wish on my best day I could write like that. Simply amazes me. Wish I knew... ;)

wish I knew by Grant-Lee Phillips

Ain't nobody there to step on the brakes
Lit up like Tijauna city carnival lights
Mmm, why somebody better pull up the shades
Hey, hey, hey , second time ya had to kiss her goodnight

Outside the motorcycle devils
Rev for the cruise
Buddha's in the alley, working the Rue
Ping, ping-a-rain a comin’ down the edge of the roof
Thinkin’ I’d be a little mystified too
Wish I knew
Wish I knew

Drop another silver plug for the damned
Don’t forget to make it a wish
Mmm, Yellow thunder bolt a' Shazzam
Isn't very likely to miss
Shutters on the winda’ beatin’ like wings
Smoke a’ backin’ up & up in the flu
Hounds are in the gutter startin’ to sing
Thinkin’ I’d be a little mystified too
Wish I knew
Wish I knew
Wish I knew
Li Di Di da da da da da da Di Di Di Di ...

Sooner or later gotta’ live in your skin
Sleepin’ in the very bed that you make
Some walking dead behind the Wayfarer lenses
Hangin' by the skin your teeth
Motorcycle devils
Rev for the cruise
Soldiers in the alley working the rue
Little bitty pretty one
What’s got into you
Thinkin’ I’d be a little mystified too
Wish I knew
Wish I knew
Wish I knew
Li Di Di da da da da da da Di Di Di Di ...

Wish I knew
Wish I knew
Better than ta do as I please
Better than ta skin my knees
Better than a fallin’ for
Wish I knew
Wish I knew
Wish I knew
Li Di Di da da da da da da Di Di Di Di ...
Li Di Di da da da da da da Di Di Di Di ...
Li Di Di da da da da da da Di Di Di Di ...
Li Di Di da da da da da da Di Di Di Di ...

Day 14506

I have not posted in over 2 weeks. Hmmm...I did do 2 rough drafts, though!

I'm in the process of moving to Redding, CA and juggling several personnel issues at work. It keeps me quite busy. Long story, short...I'm tired.

Now you know what's been going on with me during the recent lateliness. I shall return.

You have been warned!