For those who have been hopping onto the site constantly the last 48 hours, waiting with bated breath for my "Top Five Double Albums" post, consider yourselves blessed and the wait over. For the rest of you, this is just another post. (What follows is not necessarily in ranking order. I couldn't decide how to rank these records, so I elected to go alphabetically instead.)
(1) The Beatles' "White Album"
I learned to play guitar listening to this record. Though disjointed and the "beginning" the Beatles' solo careers, I love listening to this record even after literally thousands of hours spent with it!
(2) The Magnetic Fields' "69 Love Songs"
This is actual a TRIPLE album. Most people aren't aware of the Fields and most people, even though aware, don't consider themselves "fans." I think this project is both admirable and insane. (And to think, this was originally intended to be 100 songs!!) For fans of indie music, this is a must have.
(3) Nine Inch Nails' "The Fragile"
I think Trent Reznor is a genius. Krass and vulgar and disturbing--but a genius nonetheless. This record does a fantastic job of giving us a glimpse into the schizophrenic mind of Reznor. Moments of manic highs and depressive lows, this is an album that I love but recognize isn't for everyone. (NC-17 might not be a high enough rating for this record I'm afraid!)
(4) Smashing Pumpkins' "Melon Collie and the Infinite Saddness"
Hoisting the grunge banner throughout the 90s, I still consider the Pumpkins to be important and this to be their greatest achievement. Much like Reznor, Corigan has a strange head full of sounds and textures that both soothe and distrupt you. More than that, I think the best written songs of the Pumpkins' career are on this record!
(5) Stevie Wonder's "Songs In The Key Of Life"
You know the age-old question: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could have only one CD.... This would be my choice. It makes me smile and I am SURE I would need to smile in that context. This is Stevie's shining period and remains one of that decades greatest accomplishments.
There you go peeps--what you have been waiting for. I chose to not comment in much depth otherwise this post would have been DAYS long. (And besides, I wanted to toss in some pics to spice up the look.) Give your feedback and/or Top however many.
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Congrats again visitors to the baldtrain. We have eclipsed another milestone--over 300 visitors! That last 100 was quick. Thank you for your consistency and indulging me and my "soapboxes."
I haven't been in the best of moods today. Not sure what to pin that on (because I have to find a scapegoat--blaming it on me is unacceptable!!), but I have noticed today that there are certain phrases that people use that REALLY annoy me. So, I wanted to give you a short list of some phrases I came into contact with today and hopefully stoke inside of you the same hatred for these phrases or a few of your own 'favorites.' (And feel free to comment and leave a few of your most hated phrases!)
>> "Toodles" (Way to leave a conversation or meeting--with this annoying good-bye!)
>> "That'll do me!"
>> "Can I ask you something?" (Has ANYONE ever said "No" to this question? "No... I'm afraid right now is not a good time to ask me anything! You can ask me something in a couple hours.")
>> "I don't mean to bother you, but...." (If we know what follows is going to bother someone, why do we proceed to say this at all?)
>> "Yeppers!" (There is nothing cute about this!! I even like "Affirmative" better than "Yeppers!" I'm all for simplicity sometimes I guess. Say "Yes" to me--that'll do me me just fine! oops....)
For those concerned, "The Mole Incident" is just about taken care of. I had a small flare-up this afternoon, but I think everything is under control. Thanks for your concern. And the car situation--gotta be taken care of tomorrow!! A couple weird burps and lurches today that worried me. And starting it up this morning caused some concern too. So my fingers remain crossed until I can swing it by my mechanic tomorrow and begin our conversation with "Can I ask you something?"
That's it for now. Be looking for my latest "Top Five" post. I guess I'm going to have to give up the goods since I've heard nothing from anyone so far. But until then.... Toodles!
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Just FYI: I have added a subscription option to my blog. If you would like to be updated when I add to the page, enter your email address and you will be sent a simple email letting you know there is a new post, along with a little teaser giving you an idea whether you want to visit the site and check it out. Just trying to, once again, give the people what they want! Because, very simply, that is just the kind of guy I am.
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Special thanks to
Scott for the unbearably unflattering dedication on his site. Even though the pic is one of the worst in the history of all humankind, I have to admit that I am happy to have some extra traffic and visitors to the site yesterday! (Yesterday was the highest traffic day for thebaldtrain... guess I should have the same attitude as fellow blogger Cait and be an unashamed "Blog traffic whore!")
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Thanks to those of you who have faithfully made comments about my posts. Even though I haven't made additions, I have really been entertained by what you have to say. I am hoping a lot of people are reading your comments too!!
I am a big fan of "Top Fives" as many of you know and might remember from a past post (Top Five Break-Ups). I've been thinking about another one recently. So, I'm tossing it out to you, the blog-reading community, to think about and maybe even comment. I'll wait and give my response later on, so I don't post something that each of you feels like you have to match up to :)
OK here it is (and yes, no big surprise, it has to do with music): "Top Five Double/Triple Albums" These are any recordings that are not your typical 10 song single CDs. For example, a few posts back, I suggested an artist of the week, Over The Rhine. Their newest record, "Ohio," is a double-album: two CDs and 21 songs. There are a LOT of other examples and I am wondering, from you the readers, what YOUR favorite double albums are. (And yes, there are some triple albums, though they are typically more self-indulgent and much less common.) If you can't come up with 5, give what you can. We would ALL love to know what you are listening to! (Well, even if I can't speak for everyone, I would like to know!!)
Don't worry--I'll post in a day or two.
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I cut myself shaving today. This is nothing extraordinary or profound. It's not anything I haven't done before. But today, I knicked a mole. I want to stress: KNICKED! I didn't cut into it or slice a piece off or anything so bad. I just barely touched it with the edge of one of the blades. But the amount of bleeding that took place would lead one to believe that I had severed a major artery!
Amish Aaron's wife Janet is an ER nurse. I called her today, after about 20 minutes of waiting for the bleeding to stop. She told me that moles have their own blood vessels. I think they also have their own blood supply! It took literally an hour for the bleeding to stop. And then, a little more than an hour later, it began again. That cursed growth confirms my abhorrence for shaving. One day soon I plan to get a few removed. I've worried about a scar, but I've been told it will not be very noticeable.
My "Service Engine Soon" light came on today. The ole Saturn has been incredibly reliable so I can't complain about this. This past weekend I did notice that my car sounded "louder." It's amazing how those 3 glowing orange words make every noise or lurch or burp of my car seem much worse than it probably is. It's as though I suddenly notice EVERY little thing and assume it's going to be a disaster! I got my oil changed last week and I am ALWAYS afraid mechanics wil find something. It's less to do with a lack of trust or a skepticism about mechanics. Far from it. My dad is a very gifted mechanic and very trustworthy. It's just that my dad knows cars sooo well, he can ALWAYS find something that needs "tweaking." So, I'm always worried about a couple "little things" that will cost me a lot of "little bills." I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's not a big deal (that is, whenever my fingers aren't pressed against my lip trying to put pressure on the geyser known as my upper lip!)
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Once again, I have been delinquent with my postings. My new living situation makes it tough to consistently have access to the internet so... Regardless, there hasn't been that much to write about. Life continues to plod along uneventfully I'm afraid. I have been thinking of a lot more things to write about, so I am getting ideas ready and I cannot say I have nothing to post.
I clipped some coupons today. I cannot believe I actually do that now. It just seems so unlike me I guess. I actually caught myself debating whether I needed fabric softener just because there was a good coupon for it. What I found astounding though was the number of things advertised in the 'coupon section' of the Trib. Along with the Purina and Campbells options, there was the chance to purchase a life-like porcelain dog AND a collection of plates that are SURE to marvel all who visit my house (windmill plates always impress the ladies I've heard!!)
I also came across some coupons for some new candle options from a well known candle maker. I'm all for new scents, but I'm afraid the stretch is too far now. This new option is "Cooking With Grandma." What must that smell like?!?! Does my candle HAVE to remind me of that or is it ok to have my OWN sense memories? What if I want to remember a bonfire I had in high school and the girl's hand I held? Or the smell of scorched hot dogs in the blazing hot summer. Must a candle prescribe my recollections? Maybe grandma didn't cook--or maybe she was a ROTTEN cook--or maybe she was a verbally abusive cook and everyone was fearful of her when she donned the apron and was yielding the spatula. Maybe those memories are the ones I'm wanting to keep repressed! I can't wait for two other great memories to be captured in candle-form. I love the thought of "Chicken Coop Cleaning With Uncle Joe." That one NEEDS to be a candle for sure. And everyone's favorite: "Wrestling With Middle School Cousin Who Hasn't Learned The Value Of Good Hygiene Yet" You can be sure I will be begging my friends to clip that coupon for me.
Only 305 more shopping days until Christmas!!
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