It's a Shame (If you don't do this too)

I was sent this chain mail by my 12-year-old friend, Ms. Banana Bread. I'm not usually into chain mails, but I actually kind of like the sentiment behind this one, because I think that what we listen to really does say a lot about us-- so I'm sharing it with the rest of you, without any "repost" pressure.

Here's my iTunes roulette:

Directions:

1. Put your Ipod, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.

2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.

3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG'S NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.**

**For the purposes of this experiment, I will say that any song on my iTunes that belongs to Mike exclusively (which means metal music I've never listened to) I will choose to skip.

-------------------------------------------

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Savior And the Saved -- Leslie Nuchow

(Interesting choice, iPod. Here's a quote from the chorus for those of you not familiar with the tunes of Leslie Nuchow (which is probably everyone except my sister)

I am the savior
And I am the saved
I am the frightened girl
I am the brave.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Love is Here to Stay -- Harry Connick Jr.

(I'm big on commitment. Or I'm into stalkers.)


WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Fantasy Girl - Stevie B

(I'm not sure if that means that my life's purpose is to be someone's fantasy girl, or to rollerskate more often, because I always associate this song with rollerskating.)


WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Know your Rights - The Clash

(I'm pretty righteous.)


WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Widescreen - Heather Nova

(I don't think I've ever even heard this song. You know when you buy an album for like two songs and never listen to the rest of them... no, of course you don't, you buy individual songs now... but when I was a kid, you had to buy a whole album. Anyway..)


WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Out Loud - Dispatch

(apparently I'm consumed with having someone say my name.)


WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
I Know, and I Said Forget It - Mates of State

(This is another one of those "whole album songs" but the title seems apropos enough for most people's parenting experiences. My parent's didn't say "Forget it" to too much though.)


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana

(I'm so sorry Sherry. Why do you keep eyeing me like a pisces? I am forever in debt to her priceless advice though.)


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

(Mike: "Wait, they don't love you like I love you." Do we need to have a talk?)


WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Trouble - Ray LaMontagne

(I already am Trouble. I guess I'm a success.)


WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
How Lucky we Are - Meiko (lyrics)

(Oh my goodness, that's ridiculously cute.)


WHAT SONG WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR WEDDING?
Civil War - Guns N' Roses

(Oh, now that's funny.)


WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Breathe Me - Sia

(Scary. This song was featured heavily in Six Feet Under commercials. Oh dear. Please don't let me commit suicide. And also, please don't inhale my ashes. I think I might be into mummification though. "Wrap me up.")


WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST??
Insane in the Brain - Cypress Hill

(It's good to know I'm not really crazy. It's just a hobby.)


WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon - Pulp Fiction Soundtrack

(I am pretty scared of growing up.)


WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band

(I think my biggest secret is that I actually still listen to DMB.)


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something

(This is kind of cool, since I tend to collect friends with very little in common with me except a sharp mind and a love of cinema.)


WHAT IS YOUR DEEPEST THOUGHT?
I'm Alive - Heather Nova

(oh Heather Nova, why have you hijacked my iPod? At least this song has a deep sounding title.)


HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING?
Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw - Jimmy Buffett

(Anyone who knows me knows that I hate Jimmy Buffett and that this song is definitely Mike's, but I do know the song, and I think it's hilarious that this is how I feel about global warming. "Forget about it people, let's get drunk and screw." Considering I don't drink, this is especially intriguing.)


HOW DOES THE PERSON YOU LIKE FEEL ABOUT YOU?
I'm too Sexy - Right Said Fred

(You can't make this stuff up.)


WHAT WILL YOU REPOST THIS AS?
It's a Shame - The Spinners

Here are the questions without answers if you want to do this yourself.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
WHAT SONG WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR WEDDING?
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST??
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
WHAT IS YOUR DEEPEST THOUGHT?
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING?
HOW DOES THE PERSON YOU LIKE FEEL ABOUT YOU?
WHAT WILL YOU REPOST THIS AS?

Golfing at altitude = bad

So, I wanted to be a tough guy yesterday and walk the golf course for a full 18 holes....

in Durango...

elevation: somewhere around 6,500 ft...

temperature: somewhere around 80 degrees...

tee time: noon...

Needless to say, I learned some valuable lessons yesterday...

1) I got a sunburn on the top of my feet, cause I forgot to put sunscreen on my sandals.
2) I also got a sunburn on the very back of my arms, cause I didn't quite apply the sunscreen I did apply all that well.
3) I got so overheated, and oxygen-deprived, and all-around tired that I threw up right in the fairway of the 18th hole.
4) I'm not really that good at golf.

Well, at least I made it 18 holes before I tossed my cookies. (at least that's what the rest of my party was probably thinking) And, I didn't need an ambulance or anything.

Today I played again (nothing can stop me!!!) but I used a power cart. Today went MUCH, MUCH better. The cart was better not only because I had a constant source of shade, and I didn't get as tired from walking uphill, but also because I was able to play more quickly and therefore hit more golf balls.

Since I'm a newbie, I wind up picking up my ball a lot to keep up with the more seasoned players. Today, I'm proud to say, I played three holes all the way through. That might not seem like much, but when I'm averaging around six shots per hole before I give up and pick up the ball, that's a pretty big deal. Go me! I even got a slightly illegitimate Bogey, which I am going to call a Bogey anyway, cause it sounds cool.

I also want to give a shout-out to my BFF (despite the fact that he can't spell my name) Seth, who has finally updated his blog and included some cool pictures of his new clothing and tiny dorm room. I think there's a link on the side of my blog. I'm too lazy to paste in-line links today.

Maturity Ensues

Sherry (my best friend in the world) just got a promotion with a scary title: Senior Manager of Strategic Planning. Sure, some of my cohort (myself included) have grown up to become "managers" but I think Sherry wins the scary-grown-up award. (My friend Beata who went to medical school doesn't count, cause she was a scary grown up even in high school.) Growing up is scary. Maybe that's why it's taking me 10 years to finish college.

I finished a great book last night: "Thursday Next: First Among Sequels." It definitely made good on its subtitle. I've often felt that the rest of the Thursday Next series ("Lost in a Good Book," "The Well of Lost Plots," and "Something Rotten") never lived up to the hype of the first novel in the series, "The Eyre Affair." But the latest book, TN:FAS was really great. It was full of the inside book jokes and blatant puns that made the first book so wonderful. While the other three books were a little bit off, they were definitely still enjoyable, just not as polished as "The Eyre Affair." Despite minor flaws, all of his books are consistently funny, and I'd rather read Jasper Fforde's worst offerings than just about anyone else's best efforts.

To be clear, his books are not for everyone. If you are not well-versed in classic literature, you might still enjoy his books, but you'll be missing out on most of the jokes. And if you don't like puns at all, I highly suggest you avoid everything he has written. I, who love both the classics and a good pun, find his writing laugh-out-loud funny, and recommend his books to all of my bibliophile friends.

In addition to "The Kite Runner," which Bernie was kind enough to loan me, I purchased several books to read on my vacation (which starts on Saturday):

• "Prep" by Curtis Sittenfield [I bought this one cause it looked good]
  
• "Stormy Weather" by Carl Hiassen [this one to reminisce about FL]
  
• "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster [never read it, love the movie]
  
• and "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende [never read it, love the movie]

I imagine those four books will get me through the two weeks at my father's house, although I may need to pick up some more for the trip to Alaska. I'll be sure to keep my blog updated while I'm in Colorado, cause I'll mostly be sitting around and golfing. :)

In aquarium news, one of my emerald crabs molted. I thought for a minute that he might have died, cause the shell was picked clean, but he had only molted as he turned up this morning. I added some iodine (despite my intention not to dose my tank with any supplements) out of concern for the ability of my tank members to mature properly.