...Chugger

...chug...chug...chug. Has the steam from my engine puttered out? Have I given up on blogging?   

…Negligent Blogger

I’ve been a bad, bad girl who’s neglected her little ol’ blog for too long. Poor little blog. It’s been naked for lord knows how long (my free background template moved locations and left my blog exposed!). I found a new free background site, Shabby Blogs. They have so many cool designs, it was hard to choose! 

More posts to come...I promise.  

...Chipped Tooth

Sometime yesterday between snacking on a delicious cupcake and happy hour with coworkers, I chipped my bottom tooth. And swallowed the itty bitty fragment. It’s weird to have a portion of your tooth permanently gone. I like to think of it in Tooth Fairy Land, and not working its way through my intestines. Tooth Fairy Land is a much happier place.

My insecurities about my chipped tooth definitely came into play today at work. I smiled less, and when I did smile or laugh, I used my hand to cover my mouth. Very coquettish of me, I know.

I can't get into the dentist until next week which is a bummer. I should have learned from dental mishaps of my past. Remember the ol' emergency root canal? Oh (laugh), gosh (laugh), that was a blast! My chipmunk cheek, the gnawing pain, talk about a riot! Ha-lar-i-ous!!!

I should have been keeping up with my regular dental visits. But truth be told, I haven't been to the dentist in two years! Boy time sure flies when you're trying to avoid the dentist. As a result, my bottom teeth have been slowly thinning at the tops, compounded by the fact that I'm not only a grinder, but also a clencher in my sleep. So each and every night, my teeth die just a little bit more.

Cheers to dental health!

...Amateur Photographer

Coaxed by the rainy weather mixed with patches of sun over the last few weeks, my flower garden is really starting to shoot up! My lilacs are in full bloom (and their wonderful fragrance envelops my home!), hostas are sprouting up everywhere, ferns are beginning to unfurl, clematis are already climbing, cheery pansies are smiling, catmint are already staking their claim and traveling throughout the garden, and my peony bushes are now at least three feet high! I can't wait to see and smell the peonys' fragrant blooms later this month. They are one of my favorites, of course I say that just about every flower! But I think peonies are such a wonderful old-fashioned flower, and they always remind me of my mom, which makes them extra special.

I took this photo last summer of one of my blooms. How can any one resist these spectacular flowers?

...Band Widow (Continuing Saga)

It's been nearly three weeks since I last saw my hubbie. His band has been touring around Europe and I miss him something terrible. Our pooches miss him too. His band, Banner Pilot, almost didn't get out of Minnesota due to the crazy volcanic ash. (The uncertainty of the tour even  made local news - second page of the Star Tribune, baby!)

Thankfully, their flight was pretty non-eventful and they made it to Belgium in time to play Groezrock, a two-day music festival with some big headlining bands. It was by far the biggest crowd Banner Pilot has every played to. My hubbie said the crowd was awesome, and there was a constant stream of surfers, as you can see in the following videos.

Thank you "elephantstone1984" for posting video from Groezrock on YouTube. It's alot of fun to see my hubbie rockin' out.




And thank you "Siscolito" for also posting a video from Groezrock.

...Book Nerd

Kathryn Stockett's presentation tonight at Barnes & Noble was amazing! She was cute as a button, charming, and adorably funny. She spoke to a crowd of maybe 200+ about her book The Help, and then answered a few audience questions and signed copies. I arrived early so that I could grab a seat, and I'm glad I did because most people had to stand. While I waited for the discussion to begin, I finished chapter one of Dead in the Family. (Am still so excited the book is finally here!)

At the end of her discussion, Stockett briefly spoke about her book being made into a movie. Filming will start this summer and Steven Spielberg will be directing it. And though not confirmed, it's rumored that Sissy Spacek may play the role of Mrs. Walters, who will have a larger role in the movie than she did in the book. So fun to have the inside scoop!

 

...Logophile

I love words. I especially love putting the right combination of words together to encapsulate something so succinctly, so perfectly.

For example, I love the phrase SHIT STORM.

As in...

"Ooh girl, I can't believe Denise done caught Dwayne cheatin' on her with Tonya. Shoot, he's only been out of a jail three months and I heard Tonya's knocked up. What a SHIT STORM."

It's a funny, descriptive, and pragmatic phrase that you can use in a variety of situations, in a variety of ways.

I recently heard an upgrade to the phrase, which I had never heard before, and which I'm now adopting and using as my own.

So I think I'm going to have to break up with SHIT STORM.

Dear SHIT STORM,
We've had some really good laughs over the years. You'll always have a special place in my heart. But we're just not working out anymore. A new phrase has come into my life, and it's really special. I really have fun with this new phrase. It's just bigger and better and funnier than you are. I'm really sorry, but I am trading up with my meteorological jet stream phrases. I hope we can still be friends.
-Jennifer

So what phrase have I just fallen head over heels in love with?

Meet SHIT TORNADO.

Yes, when a storm can no longer describe the extreme shittiness of a situation, you bring in the tornado. How can a mere storm even compare with a tornado? Poor storm never had a chance.

SHIT TORNADO is especially effective when said with a southern drawl where all three syllables in TOR-NA-DO can really be drawn out in their full glory, adding even more emphasis to an already disastrous situation.

So if you thought Denise's situation was bad before, just wait until the SHIT TORNADO hits.

As in...

"That Dwayne's sure been busy. I heard he's also been catting around with that girl Misty from down at the Pump and Dump. She's already got eleven babies, all with different baby daddies. All this goin' on, and then poor Denise's trailer catches on fire last week. She done lost everything. Shoot, she just had new aluminum sidin' in-stalled last month. The po-lice are saying a little 'coon done started the fire, bit Denise on the ass, and then just took off. Denise's had to get 5 rabies shots. Can you believe that? What a real SHIT TORNADO."

...Sookie Stalker 2

In less than 24 hours, my grubby little hands will have a copy of Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse book #10)! I can't wait! I'm so excited!

I'll be picking up my copy at Barnes & Noble and reading it while I wait for author Kathryn Stockett's reading/discussion/book signing of The Help.

Two excitingly fun book events in one day! Score!

...Pizza Referee

Whoever coined the expression “fighting likes cats and dogs” certainly doesn’t know my cats and dogs.

I have two cats (Toby and Gizmo) and two dogs (Scout and Kona) and they all get along great! They get along great NOW that is…because we weren’t always a happy family. It’s taken a few years to reach a balanced energy level in our household.

I often catch the “kids” playing together, snuggling together, and last night, even sharing together.

The always rascally Toby and the up-for-any-and-all-new-adventures-and-isn’t-life-so-exciting-and-fun-and-did-you-say-treat Scout & Kona are true team players.

I caught Toby on top of our kitchen counter, pawing at a freshly baked pizza. Much like playing with a tinsel ball or catnip mouse, Toby was using his paws to push pizza slices onto the floor where two big, open mouths were eagerly waiting to gobble up the gooey, cheesy goodness.

They tag teamed the ingestion of three slices before I busted up the fun!

I was too impressed with their teamwork to get mad at them. I mean Toby could have easily nibbled away at the pizza by himself as he perched on the countertop. But no, he wanted to share the love that we call pizza with his brothers. How generous. I’m so proud.

Note to self: Don’t leave any more food on the countertop.

...Sookie Stalker

No, I don’t mean Snooki of Jersey Shore “fame.” I’m talking about Sookie Stackhouse of Bon Temps fame. I’m talking about the wonderfully addictive book series written by Charlaine Harris.

The 10th book in the series, Dead in the Family, will be available in exactly seven days from now! I have been anxiously waiting for this new book since the last book came out in May 2009. Charlaine you are so cruel to make me wait a whole year for new Sookie stories!

My love for Sookie began from watching the first season of HBO’s hugely popular True Blood series. One of my friends had read the books the show was based on and lent me her copies of the Sookie Stackhouse aka Southern Vampire Series.

I was instantly addicted, devouring all eight books in the series. I stayed up late reading…would get up early in the morning to read…would read at lunchtime…would bring my books with me everywhere just in case I had an extra second to eek out a few pages. Harris’ writing style is casual and funny, and her characters are complex, surprising at times, and human (even though they’re not!). Sookie is a tough cookie and I admire her for that. (So unlike Bella in the Twilight books.)

Thankfully I’ve been able to get a little of my Sookie fix by enticing a coworker to just “try” the books. As a die-hard Twilight fan, she was reluctant at first. But she soon became entranced with the books, and even changed her mind a little on Twi/Stephanie Meyer. (We both think Meyer totally ripped off some of Harris’ themes, but I won’t get into that here.) It’s been so much fun to discuss all of the mysteries and romances in the books as my coworker reads them for the first time.

Adding to my Sookie fix, over the last year I have re-read several of my favorites in the series (can you say Eric & amnesia!) and right now I’m re-reading book nine, Dead and Gone, to refresh my memory and ramp up for the new title.

Let the countdown to the new book’s release begin!

...Dolphin Trainer

As a child when people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said a dolphin trainer. I was fascinated with dolphins, even though I had never seen one in real life…and I really didn't know what the job actually entailed...and I didn’t particularly like to swim…and I was actually kind of afraid of water. Just a few minor details indicating dolphin training probably wasn’t the best career choice for me. And yet dolphins continued and still to this day continue to fascinate me.

I was reminded of my childhood dream job a few weeks ago when I saw real dolphins in the wild. While on vacation with girlfriends in Ft. Myers, Florida, we witnessed maybe a dozen dolphins swimming in the smokey blue Gulf of Mexico. We could see them jumping through the waves right from the shoreline. They were magnificent! I was squealing and clapping - I was a little kid again. While I didn't get a photo of the dolphins, this is where they were swimming...

It was my first time seeing dolphins in the actual wild, in their natural habitat. I have seen them before, sadly, in captivity when I was a child. As I'm now older and wiser and able to control my activities and actions, I know better and make a point to never go to those terrible roadside marine and animal parks. I don't want to support the captivity and often neglect of those animals.  

In celebration of Earth Day, thursday's episode of Oprah had the director Louis Psihoyos and activitist Ric O'Berry from the dolphin documentary The Cove. I dragged my hubby to see it last fall and we left the theater so angry and appalled and saddened by what we had seen. I went home and signed up right away to take action. The documentary won an Academy Award this year, which presumably has brought even more attention to the film and the cause. They will be airing the film soon in Japan, so it will be interesting to see how the Japenese act to the horror happening in their own country. If you haven't had a chance to see this film, I HIGHLY recommend you do. Dolphins are such  magnificant creatures. 

...Green Geek

Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day! Happy Birthday Earth Day!

Today is a day to ask yourself if you’re doing all that you can do for Mother Earth. Are you…

• Recycling? Uh, DUH, let’s hope so! My city accepts cardboard/paper, and only #1 and #2 glass & plastic bottles with necks. That leaves out a ton of other recyclables which go straight into the trash. So, you too can step it up and bring all of your recyclables to your local participating co-op. I bring mine to EastSide Co-op in NE Mpls. They have a pilot recycling program, taking #s 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. It still amazes me how quickly all of these recyclables pile up!
• Recycling your bottle caps? Did you know that most bottle caps are not recycled? Aveda has a recycling program for these caps. I collect bottle caps from my work, as well as home, and bring about 3-4 boxes of caps a month to Aveda.
• Supporting a local organic farmer? Last year I purchased CSA share and loved it, so signed up again this year. I can't wait for all of the yummy veggies coming my way starting in June!
• Capturing your rain water? I am so excited each spring when we hook up our rain barrel. It’s free water, great for my garden, gives me a great workout, and allows me to water my plants even on city-restriced watering days.
• Using reusable shopping bags? I love Envirosax. Super cute designs, super strong, and super compact.
• Washing all of your laundry in cold water? My only exceptions to this rule are towels and bedding, which I clean with warm water to kill any germs.
• Eating organically grown and humanely treated food? Eggs, for example, from organically-fed, free-range chickens noticably look and taste better. The brilliantly bright yolks even converted my skeptical husband.
• Supporting local green businesses? I like to consult Heavy Table's Atlas of Ethical Eating for eco-friendly and socially-responsible local restaurants.
• Using decomposable doggie poop bags? I have two 65+ pound dogs and they poop alot! Their poop doesn't need to be preserved for the next 200+ years in regular plastic bags.
• Using non-toxic chemicals on your skin? In your house? Take stock of all of the cosmetics, lotions, soaps, detergents, cleaning supplies you use every day. Are they toxic to you, your pets, the environment? 

These are just a few of the things I'm trying to do, but I'm certinaly not perfect. I often forget to bring my reusable bag to the grocery store. While I drive an econimcal Ford Focus, my husband drives a gas-guzzling SUV. But bit by bit, I'm trying to do better. 

In honor of Earth Day, I want to make a commitment to ramp up my green efforts for 2010. The things I’m already doing (which at one time felt like a lot) have become second nature and pretty much a part of my daily routine. As a result, I feel like I’m not doing enough! So I’ve decided to step it up.

Composting and rain gardening have been at the forefront of my mind lately, probably because a few weeks ago I arranged for a Hennepin County Master Gardener to present both topics at my work. I’m on the Green@Work committee, and we try to bring green ideas/resources/events to the people – or in this case my co-workers. Some of them get it, a lot of them don’t. Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about both topics since the presentation.

So what earth friendly actions can I really commit to in 2010?

• Composting. It’s too easy not to be doing, right?
• Planting more native flowers and grasses in my landscaping.
• Using recyclable/compostable dryer sheets, or better yet, a dryer ball/sachet.
• Learning more about beekeeping. (Earlier this year, I briefly explored the idea of raising chickens and found out that the hobby isn’t for me. Good to know ahead of time.)
• Learning more ways to be green & reading more about environmental topics. (I’m going to start with Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food.)

So my list isn’t huge. But it’s a solid start, and I feel I can actually commit to doing these things.

How are you celebrating Earth Day? What green practices have you incorporated into your daily routine?

...Roadie

The SXSW music fest is next week already! I can't believe it. My husband's band Banner Pilot is playing at it and I'm going along for the ride. I think I'm technically a roadie. I asked my hubbie if that meant I really had to carry heavy equipment because, well, I'm really kind of a wimp when it comes to muscles and stuff.

I've been so consumed with house projects the last few months (Should We Stay or Should We Go Now?!) that I haven't even really looked over the massive lineup of bands playing the fest (easily hundreds), let alone all of the special events, author signings, etc. Celebrity sightings will be at an all-time high. OMG, what am I going to wear? I'm going to be surrounded by hipsters and movie stars.

Lots to think about and research. I don't want to overly schedule myself while I'm there. I am trying to learn to go with the flow. So just a quick peek at the schedule unveiled a few bands that I love and would love to see in person:

The Walkmen
She & Him
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Bowerbirds
We Were Promised Jetpacks
Metric
Low Line Caller
The Muffs (blast from the past, right?!)
Spoon (2nd time seeing them + I have tix to see them at First Ave. in Mpls in April)
Elle Bandita

Question: Is it wrong to travel all the way to Austin to see a local Minneapolis band? 'Cause if it's not, I would also like to check out these bands which I love:

Peter Wolf Crier
Jeremy Messersmith
Kid Dakota (still one of my favorite local artists)

I'm so looking forward to Austin! I can't wait!

...Broken Record

I hate it when I get a song stuck in my head - especially when it's a song I can't stand. I liked Adam Lambert on American Idol last season - he was different from everyone else, he was entertaining, and boy, does he have some wicked pipes! But I cannot stand any of his "hit" songs which are played on the radio ALL of the time. And I barely even listen to the radio.

Over the last few months his song "Whataya want from me" has been on repeat in my head. I find myself humming it...often. And that's especially infuriating because the song is so LAME.

The tune is lame.
The lyrics are lame.
It's just all around lame.

And here I am humming it of my own free will. Ugh. Please make it stop!

"Hey - whataya want from me
Whataya want from me--ee
Whataya want from me"

...Cute Blog

I just updated my blog background - you like? There are lots of free, cute designs to choose from at http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/. It was hard to choose just one design!

...Bean Hater

I am prejudice...against beans. I have been since I was a child. No, I'm not talking about jelly beans, or green beans, or coffee beans, or even black beans. I'm talking about the really yucky beans that no kid would ever in a million years want to eat - the dreaded Kidney bean, the terrible Pinto bean, and the absolutely horrifying Lima bean.

Growing up, my mom would always make her famous Five Bean Hotdish for special occassions, like church or school potlucks. As if one bean wasn't bad enough, her casserole had five different kinds of beans in it! I remember it being very clumpy - the beans congealed together in a big brown mass! Yuck. I hated that hotdish. So ever since then, I have held a prejudice against most beans. Even though I can't remember what any of those beans taste like, I think I still don't like them.  

(Side note: A viewing of Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a young child at a slumber party scarred me from ever eating chili again. Kidney beans are in chili. See? Real, solid proof that they are indeed bad.)

Now that you know my history with beans, you can imagine my surprise when at the grocery store last night I tossed a can of Azuki beans into the cart. While they weren't in  my mom's hotdish, they are a bean and as a rule, I try to avoid them.

My holistic hero, Dr. Gillian McKeith, has been preaching about the Azuki beans since forever, and it obviously has stuck with me. She says, "Hail to the Adzuki Bean, my Bean of Weight Losss." (From Slim for Life.) I expected the beans to taste terrible. Afterall, Gillian always makes the people on her tv show (You Are What You Eat) eat them and they usually throw tantrums of disgust. I was expecting the worst...

And I found out they aren't that bad. In fact, they're kind of good. I actually kind of like them. I mixed the beans with some brown rice, broccoli, and a little chicken. It was really tasty. What a surprise! This tiny success has encouraged me to branch out and try some other unfamiliar beans. And maybe...eventually...I can gather enough courage to revisit the beans of my past.

...Winter Seed Sower

Last winter I read an article in Northern Gardener magazine about sowing seeds outdoors in the winter using recyclables as little mini-greenhouses. It seemed to be all the buzz in the local Twin Cities gardening world. The MN Hort Society offered classes on it – several times in fact because the class kept selling out. Kare 11 even ran a story on it. I was intrigued by the idea, it sounded way too good to be true. No grow lights or extra space needed to grow seeds? Could it really be that easy and inexpensive?

I liked the idea and wanted to give it a try. So, last February I planted dwarf sunflowers, morning glory, viola, Johnny jump-ups, phlox, verbena, cosmos, baby’s breath, mallow, and zinnia in my plastic recyclables (spinach and mixed greens containers, take out containers, 2-liter pop bottles, milk jugs, etc.). And then I waited…And waited…And waited some more.

And then finally, as the days became sunnier and warmer, I saw little sprigs of green popping up through the soil. Mother Nature gently guided their growth. She knows what she's doing. All of the seeds I planted came up, with the exception of the zinnia (and I think that was only because the wind jostled around the plastic container several times, knocking it off of the table I had it sitting on).

Fast forward to today. Today I am yearning for spring’s arrival. It is a beautiful, warm, sunny Sunday, and that inspired me to get my hands in some dirt and sow my seeds. This year I planted cosmos, nasturtium, marigold, moss rose, bells of Ireland, Johnny jump up, black eyed Susan vine, zinnia (I’m going to give it another shot), English daisy, painted daisy, coleus, dwarf sunflower, poppies, and fleabane. I can’t wait to see the little sprouts peak through the dirt later this spring!

If you want to learn more about growing seeds outdoors in the winter, the Winter Sown website is an awesome resource. They have tons of helpful information, including a great listing of seeds in your zone which easily can be started outdoors. Happy planting!

...Music Head

Ferraby Lionheart is my favorite find of 2009. I stumbled upon his music last spring, though he’s been around for a few years. His music reminds me of Rufus Wainwright (who I also love), though more folky and less theatrical, less gypsy.

Ferraby Lionheart’s music makes me happy, makes me ponder, makes me smile, makes me inspired…to put together a list of my favorite music picks from 2009. Everyone loves a list, right? And this time of year is dominated by TOP 10 (or 20, or 100) lists of music, movies, books, scandals, worst-dressed, etc.

So I’ll join in on the fun and share with you the music I just couldn’t get enough of in 2009. Some of my picks were new in 2009, while others were newly discovered or rediscovered favorites. So here goes…

Favorite Finds of 2009:
1. Ferraby Lionheart – Catch the Brass Ring; Ferraby Lionheart EP (2007; 2006). I love all of his songs, but two of my favorites are “A Crack in Time” and “Something to Love.”

2. Banner Pilot – Collapser (2009). This is my husband’s band and their debut on Fat Wreck Chords (which I’m still totally pumped about and can’t believe). The album has made quite a few top music lists (I can brag, I’m very proud), so my obvious nepotism is valid. The tunes are totally catchy (you’ll find yourself humming them afterwards) and the lyrics smart and thoughtful, especially in “Skeleton Key.” Other favorites on the album: “Empty Lot” and “Greenwood.”

3. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career (2009). I love this album from head to toe – from the opening track “French Navy” to the closing track “Honey in the Sun,” and everything in between. This album is true perfection. I love, love, love it.

4. Beirut—March of the Zapotec/Realpeople Holland (2009). Give me accordion music, and I’m there. Sold. Add big brass (can you say tuba?), and I can barely contain myself. I loved his (Zach Condon’s) previous albums (Gulag Orkestar, and The Flying Club Cup) and this album/double ep is more of the same unique and lovely gypsy tripping with accordions, brass horns, and the occasional synthy electronica. I can’t get enough of this one! Favorites: “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille,” “My Wife, Lost in the Wild,” and “The Akara.”

5. M. Ward – Hold Time (2009). God, what can I say about M. Ward?! Part retro reinventer, part magician, all genius. You can’t quite put your finger on what his music is, what genre it should neatly be categorized in, or what it exactly reminds you of, and I love that. Stand outs: “Never Had Nobody Like You,” and “To Save Me.”

6. Neko Case—Middle Cyclone (2009). Neko Case’s voice is haunting, aching, dark, beautiful. Her vocals are vulnerable and tender, but I have a feeling Neko could kick some major ass. She’s no woose. Neko is my hero. Stand outs: “People Gotta A Lotta Nerve,” “Red Tide,” and “The Pharoahs.”

7. Kings of Convenience – Declaration of Dependence (2009). It’s been way too long since these guys put out an album. I loved Riot on an Empty Street (2004), and have been waiting for something new for what seems like forever (five years is a long time!). This album was definitely worth the wait! Favorite tracks: “Boat Behind,” “Peacetime and Resistance,” and “Riot on an Empty Street.” I had a chance to see these guys a few years ago perform at the Fine Line in Minneapolis. Erland Oye’s awkwardness and geeky dance moves were endearing, and his music fantastic. If you have a chance to see these guys live, definitely go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

8. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes – Up from Below (2009). Mix a little bit Iggy Pop, and maybe a wee bit Neil Hannon (of The Divine Comedy), with happy hippie vibes, and you get this band. Spread the joy. Spread the love. Stand outs: “40 Day Dream,” “Black Water,” and “Home.”

9. Silversun Pickups – Swoon (2009). I had a chance to see these guys live last fall with my girlfriends. I liked the album before seeing the show – but loved the album after the show. They remind me of Smashing Pumpkins and how much I loved them in high school. Anyway, the band put on a great performance and you could tell that the singer (Brian Aubert) is a total sweetheart; he was so kind and appreciative of the audience. I love it when band dudes are nice, and not assholes. Like the bumper sticker says: Mean People Suck. Favorites: “Panic Switch,” “Substitution,” and “Catch & Release.”

10. Preservation Hall Jazz Band – Marching Down Bourbon Street (2001). My husband and I vacationed in New Orleans last fall. To get ourselves jazzed for the trip (like my pun?), we dug out this album in our iTunes archive because a trip to NOLA wouldn’t be complete without visiting Preservation Hall. It was a packed house and we had front row seats (rather a bench) for the show. We stayed for two hot, sweaty sets. The hall was vibrating with joy and soul. It was a spiritual experience I’ll never forget. And p.s., I swear I saw one of the American Idol contestants there at the show (Season 8’s Anoop Desai), but my husband says I was hallucinating.

Here's some cool photos I took from the Preservation Hall show:

Carry-overs from 2008 that I still can’t get enough of:
1. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (2008). You will have a spiritual experience listening to this album. Absolutely phenomenal.

2. Okkervil River – The Stand Ins (2008). I love all Okkervil, but definitely “Lost Coastlines” and “Calling And Not Calling My Ex” were standouts on this album.

3. Blitzen Trapper – Furr (2008). I bought this album for the single purpose of the title track “Furr,” which is an amazing, amazing song. Does he not sound like Bob Dylan? There are only a few other good moments on the album, namely “Black River Killer” and “Lady on the Water.”

4. Bowerbirds – Hymns for Dark Horse (2007 & 2008). Beard rock at its best. Another album that I can listen to from start to finish without skipping a track. (I just downloaded their newer album (Upper Air) which was released in 2009. I had no idea!)

5. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007). Sweet, delicious, sassy soul/funk. Makes me shake my groove thing and grunt a little “ugh” and a little “mmm.”