Karen's Reggae

One day, I’ll get into the detailed dynamics of my office.

The Short Version: I work with six other people –
3 women, 3 men;
4 African-Americans, 2 Whities Like Me,
3 under 25, 3 over 45

We have a great mix.

I am the Manager of them. They are all fantastic at their jobs so I’m more of a guidance. (I’ve been there 8 years. The rest were ALL hired post-Katrina. Pre-Katrina, our office had 22 people. After a bit of a post-Katrina shake up, I was the ONLY ONE of the 22 to make it through. That was a really traumatizing year or so. I’ll expound on that experience one day.)

In working in such close quarters with everyone, we all get to know each other quite well. One of the things that I’m known for is my music knowledge – and they know I love a challenge.

Earlier this week, Karen told me that she’d love to be introduced to some songs that “were reggae, but not that old stuff that I know, but not songs that are too fast that don’t sound like reggae, but not too new that they’re on the radio right now.”

I love a challenge.

This is the CD that I compiled for her. I did sneak in some older reggae (Come Back Darling was released in 1970), but I think I accomplished her goal.

Knocking On Heaven’s Door - Peter Tosh & The Wailers
Close My Eyes - Matisyahu
King Without a Crown - Matisyahu
Short Nigun - Matisyahu
Warrior - Matisyahu
Anda Sola (Remix) - Arcangel Ft. Don Omar y Calle 13
Mamacita - Collie Budz
Adios - Don Omar
Angelito Vuela - Don Omar
Ice Cream Love - Johnny Osbourne
No Ice Cream Sound - Johnny Osbourne
Taxi Riddim - Johnny Osbourne
Fally Lover - Johnny Osbourne & The Roots Radics
Come Back Darling - Johnny Osbourne & The Sensations
Candle - Matisyahu
Shalom Salaam - Matisyahu
Wanna Go Home - Nasio Fontaine
Tu Eres Un Sueno - Wisin y Yandel

The Last Mix

Music has always been a huge part of my life.

I have been making mixed tapes (now mixed CD's) since high school. I always give them titles - Dance Til Dawn, Cruisin' 92, Birdman's Best Unplugged, Sykotic Runner, Reinventing The Lake. The reason behind the titles and the songs picked specifically for the compilation could each fill a blog entry.

Over 90% of the compilations have been for myself. I use mixed CD's to express whatever I'm feeling at that time.

The rest I give away to friends, never keeping a copy.

I have made literally hundreds of them.

There is one mixed CD that I have been working on since 1993 called The Last Mix. My only criteria for entry is if I say "Oh My God. That is the best song I have ever heard in my entire life. Ever."

I then add that song to the mix.

I have promised myself that 1) once a song has been added it can not be deleted, and 2) the day that I fill up that compilation, I will never make a mixed CD again.

From 1993 to the present, I have added 10 songs to that compilation. This afternoon, I am adding an 11th song.

It's a 1995 song by the Jayhawks called Blue. I knew the song back then, but heard it again recently and realized how much I still loved it.

Here's the song - audio only:



If you're wondering what the first 10 songs in The Last Mix are, you'll have to wait. The compilation is less than half filled. I'll publish the details once it's done.

Shirtless Sanjaya

Every season* on American Idol, there is at least one contestant that I really root for. Last season, it was Sanjaya Malakar. Yes, his singing got worse and worse almost every week, but I still liked him.






It only took me a year, but I finally found shirtless pictures of Sanjaya.



*To compare: My pick in the first season of American Idol was Jim Verraros. I still follow his career. I'll save shirtless pictures of him for another time.

A List for Us Homosexuals

1. Homosexuality is not natural, much like eyeglasses, polyester, and birth control.
2. Heterosexual marriages are valid because they produce children. Infertile couples and old people can't legally get married because the world needs more children.
3. Obviously, gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
4. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if Gay marriage is allowed, since Britney Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage was meaningful.
5. Heterosexual marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are property, blacks can't marry whites, and divorce is illegal.
6. Gay marriage should be decided by people, not the courts, because the majority-elected legislatures, not courts, have historically protected the rights of the minorities.
7. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
8. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
9. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
10. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why single parents are forbidden to raise children.
11. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society. Heterosexual marriage has been around for a long time, and we could never adapt to new social norms because we haven't adapted to things like cars or longer life spans.

Civil unions, providing most of the same benefits as marriage with a different name are better, because a "separate but equal" institution is always constitutional. Separate schools for African-Americans worked just as well as separate marriages for gays and lesbians will.

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

I can't take credit for it. The credit goes to the Gator Gay-Straight Alliance.

At the end of the list, they add, "This list is sarcastic. We don't see how anyone could take our list seriously! We don't want people to get the wrong idea :) We hope to show how ludicrous the arguments against gay marriage really are, by explicitly stating the arguments... and letting the obvious conclusions from these arguments follow, which are clearly not accurate."

New (To Me) Song

My new favorite song - from the end credits of The Last Kiss.



The band is called Turin Brakes and the song Pain Killer.

Apparently, the song is five years old. I gotta get more current with my music!

Improv Everywhere: Frozen Grand Central

Another mission from Improv Everywhere...



Here's a link to their web site.

What Religion Are You?

I took a "What Religion Are You?" quiz...

You fit in with: Atheism 40% scientific. 60% reason-oriented.
	Your ideals mostly resemble those of an Atheist. You value objective proof over intuition or subjective thoughts. You enjoy talking about ideas and tend to have a lot of in depth conversations with people.
Take This Quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Morning Commute

During my usual morning commute this morning, a large white van pulled out in front of me. I had to slam on my brakes.

Once I caught his eye in his rear view mirror, I gave him The Look. Since he was driving a company van, I made exaggerated gestures, showing him that I was calling the phone number of his office that was posted on the side of his van. (I wasn’t really dialing.)

He got really upset and attempted to speed up to me so, I assume, he could catch my eye and give me The Look or The Bird. Apparently he was paying too much attention to me because he slammed into the truck in front of him.

He and I made eye contact one last time as I slowly drove away, smiling and waving at him.

Sometimes, it’s fun to be evil.

Fun with Remodeling

I have lived in my current house since 2000. I was renting it from my sister and her girlfriend until they decided to sell it to me in 2006.


The house is only 750 square feet so upkeep is easy, but I have wanted to do remodeling work on it for awhile. I made a game out of the process. (I can hear Carlos now: "Of course you did.") I wrote down the names of all the areas of my house, including the outside, on small pieces of paper and placed them in a bowl. Picking a random area, I would work on that area until totally done and then move on to the next.


The first area I picked was the bathroom. Jason, Carlos and I stripped the old wallpaper and painted it. We also picked out new linens from Bed, Bath and Beyond. Months later, after my plumbing problems, I got stalled on the tile work and updating the sink.


I couldn't find anyone to do the work so I was stuck - and frustrated. To make me feel better, I bought myself a gift – a CD rack.


I pulled out all the shelves in my office holding the CD's, ready to move them to the new rack.

Then I thought that since most of the furniture was pulled out of the room, I should just pull out all the rest and rearrange the room.

Then I thought that since all the furniture was pulled out of the room, this would be a good time to paint the walls.

Then I thought that since it’s rarely used I should throw away the twin bed in my office.

Then I thought that since I now had so much extra space I should get an overstuffed chair and a new larger desk.

Then I thought that as long as I was painting the walls, I should get new carpet for the office. The person at Home Depot told me that the $199 installation charge was for any amount of carpet. Instead of paying that again when I replace my bedroom carpet, as I was planning on doing this summer, I thought that I should have that carpet replaced also.

Then I thought since I am getting new carpet in the bedroom, I thought that I really should repaint those walls too. (I am thinking a light yellow. I'm going this weekend to pick out a color. I hope to have the bedroom painted by the end of this weekend. It's a three-day weekend because Monday is Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday and so we're off work.)

And all that started because I bought a CD rack.

Once all this is completed, I’ll post before and after pictures.

Brad Renfro - Rest in Peace

Reminds me of the day I heard about River Phoenix's death. Drugs kill, you dumb kids!