The Curse of the 4th Sunday

1-2-3-4. Counting is easy. Everyone knows how and even Annabelle is starting to catch on....except me. I've regressed in some way.

Do I need special ed? Why I cannot count Sundays each month is beyond explanation. Well, at least a rational one. For the life of me, I cannot seem to show up for my nusery duty on the fourth Sunday of each month. I haven't done this one time, but THREE TIMES. I should be fired. The third strike was this past Sunday. And now, I can officially add the esteemed title, "Black Sheep of the Church Nursery Volunteers," to my growing list of titles.

Bill's theory is that I spend too much time in a world of the complex, pouring over such things as neprylisin assays and kinetic parameters. At work, I am in a constant state of trying to comprehend Ph.d. level biology and chemistry. He thinks my brain is so consumed with the complex, which is why the simple eludes me.

Not only did I flake in the Lord's house(I thought my nursery day was this Sun., but alas it is July 1st), but TWICE, I had the nerve to leave my child in the nursery for someone else to watch her when that "someone else" was supposed to be ME. Bill would drop her off, and we would sit blissfully in the service knowing that our very active toddler was in loving (but unknowingly resource-constrained) hands. Yeah, selfish. Just about as selfish as me eating the entire pizza, half of which I promised to my hungry, travel-weary husband returning from an early morning trip to the Bay Area. It is all about me. (Aaaahrgh. My sip of delicious rose wine just went down the wrong pipe. It burns, and it is a reminder of my despicable self service).

At least grace exists for a despicable nursery volunteer like myself. The Lord forgives. He would cover for me in the nursery every time...even when I am unfaithful.

Hallelujah!

The iTunes Junkie

This one is for you, Amber....

That's right, you heard it. I am an iTunes junkie. It's my obsession. It's my candy store. For some people, it's clothes (my mom), shoes (my mom), books (Emily), news (my dad & the Chief), lead soldiers (my brother), wine (my husband). For me, it's music. That's just my thing, at least for the time being.

Maybe it is because my attention deficit tendencies cause me to tire quickly of the same old playlists. I have a constant, nagging need to listen to fresh music. I listen to my iPod every day and take it wherever I go in the off hand chance that I'll get to tune in. (Yes, it is rather optimistic for a mother of a toddler). I'm also a perfectionist when it comes to making a playlist. When I throw a party, I have to have the right music for the right crowd at the right time.

I'm also one of those people that has to have a variety of music to suit my every mood or activity. Moody? Picky? High-maintenance? Yes, yes and yes.

Friends have been asking me lately about my current favorites. So, I thought I would post a few selections tonight.

Mellow to
Lucinda Williams - West
Ray La Montagne - Trouble & Till the Sun Turns Black
The Fray - How to Save a Life
Goldspot - Tally of the Yes Men
Kings of Convenience
Mat Kearney - Nothing Left to Lose
Nouvelle Vague (all of their stuff is great; Frenchy remixes of 80s tunes)
Paolo Nutini - "Million Faces"
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise or Michigan
Lay Low - "Mojo Love"
Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower
Belle & Sebastian - "If She Wants Me," Dear Catastrophe Waitress


Drink cocktails to
Gotan Project - Lunatico
Jorge Drexler - Ecco
Zero 7 - Simple Things
Theivery Corporation
Clear Voyage - The Sessions
Frederico Aubele - Gran Hotel Buenos Aires
Madeleine Peyroux - Careless Love or Dreamland (dreamy French music, wish I knew what she was saying)
Hotel Costes (album title; famous hotel in Paris)
Verve Remix (album title)
If you haven't discovered downtempo music, then you should get crazy and try it. It's what they are always playing in a swanky hotel lounge.

Workout to
Beck - "Nausea," The Information
The Chemical Brothers - "Galvanize," Push the Button
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth"
Cold War Kids - "Hang Me Out to Dry," Robbers and Cowards
Psapp - "Hi," The Only Thing I Ever Wanted
Paul Oakenfold
LCD Soundsystem
The White Stripes
The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams
AB O'neill - "California"

What I would like to get my hands on
Kate Earl - new CD only avail in UK
Oren Lavie - such good stuff coming from the Brits as always
Marisa Monte
The Decemberists are playing with the LA PhilHarmonic at the Hollywood Bowl - would love to hear this recorded

There's much more. As they say, I should end on a high note to leave you wanting more (or stop boring you).

You know you live in Los Angeles when.....

your new favorite drink is a lavander mint green tea latte* (c/o The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf). And it was worth every penny of the $4 I paid.....yum, yum, yummy!

*for you locals, it is not on the standard tea latte menu, but they will make you a latte out of any tea you want.