Another holy grail attained!

Ah yes, I previously wrote how I received the biggest of my grails about two years ago during Record Store Day (so appropriate it hurts) and that I had a few more of these big catches lined up. I managed to find another later that year in Buckingham Nicks, which I did not write about. I probably should have, but that's beside the point.

And now, I managed to find a surprise one in late November!

A year or so ago, I read a Talking Heads book (God help me if I can remember which one) and saw a passage about a side project that Jerry Harrison did sometime in the early eighties. He teamed up with Busta Jones and some more folks, including Dolette McDonald, and made an EP under the moniker "Escalators" (dumbass me thought it was "Elevators", so probably why I wasn't successful in finding anything until now). I hunted in vain for any evidence of the record's existence. The book I read (har har) made it sound like the EP was never released or if it was, it was super limited. I figured I would never find it and left that possibility in the dust.

Cut to about late last month. I'm faffing about on the Internet and am going through Discogs, a much excellent website. I was doing some research on Harrison's solo career, primarily on the singles he released in 1988. I talked about finding two variations of "Rev It Up" in San Francisco, which led me to learn more about variations of the "Man With a Gun" release. Blah, blah; I was doing that and under the heading of other bands he was in, I saw "Escalators". Clicked it and... boom. The EP not only existed, but it could be purchased (only on vinyl, though)! I immediately went to eBay and found one for a reasonable price. From the prices, its scarcity wasn't as serious as I thought.

And here we are now, me as the proud owner of the Escalators EP!

Worst selfie ever.

And after all that, what is the verdict? It sounds like a lost Tom Tom Club album, which is hilarious since none of the Escalators had anything to do with that album. It also sounds like the band was having a lot of fun making it, which is always great to notice in a recording. Oh and favorite track? "Here Comes That Girl Again". Hell yes. Saxophone and synth for the f***ing win.

Overall, it was totally worth it.

Har-har-har.

P.S.: This is a slightly older post, written around the time I got the LP.

*meme does not belong to me*

New year off to an educational start

Besides ringing in the new year, I also welcomed my parents back to the family homestead (my mom was volunteering as a park host for over eight months). I thought I was gonna adjust to having them back easily, but I was surprised to find myself doing a lot of changing on my end to factor in their return. One of those things was how we handle personal things.

For my mom and I, we struggle with weight. We both need to lose about the same amount (~20 pounds) and need to do it for pain management (knees and hips for my mom, sciatica and heel issues for me). I found myself struggling to understand why my mom kept badmouthing herself about her weight gain (she lost it only to regain it) and it hurt to see her do it to herself. Even though she does have healthy self-esteem and isn't delusional (she knows she will never have her former teenage weight again, etc.), it still had a weird effect on me. It wasn't a case of "I'm tired of hearing it", despite what y'all might think. After talking about it, along with dealing with some pain issues I had earlier today, we agreed that we need to ease off the negative talk. Weight and food issues are touchy subjects, even between a mother and daughter who are close.

We're gonna goof and likely talk about all this again, but I have hope for my mom and I. We watch what we eat (portion control and cooking simple quality meals), exercise, and drink lots of water. And now since we know our sensitivities to these topics, we can have mature conversations, encourage each other, and lose the weight.

I agree, random manatee!

As for other things to learn about, my mom bought this thing a while back. She calls it the "ant machine" due to the sensation. She swears by it, saying it helped her with her pain issues, as with my dad's. She helped me with using it earlier today. I never tried anything like this, and man, it really makes a difference. I'll invest in one when I move out.

~

So there ya go. Two days into 2014 and I learned stuff. Good, quality, important life stuff.

~~

*memes do not belong to me*

Merry Christmas!

Hello everyone! Hope you're having a good day whatever you're doing, whether it is celebrating with loved ones or alone. I hope you are warm, comfortable, and have some food in your belly.

Haven't posted very much on here and I have no reason other than work to blame for it. Either way things will be slow here until the new year. Not much to talk about or post really. So I will find things to talk about. That's why there will be a pause.

Until then, take care and see ya later!

So I finally got my new insurance

After struggling with the ACA website and resisting the urge to punch my computer screen for almost two months, I finally got my account to work again and sign up for my new health and dental insurance. I apparently qualified for a tax credit and my monthly premiums won't be as hair-ripping terrible as I psyched myself into thinking. Yes, it's still money I will have to spend. Yes, the tax credit came from somewhere, likely mine and yours' pockets, so there ya go. Just because I'm liberal, doesn't mean I'm stupid.

I know there is no such thing as a free lunch and I feel it more than ever as a part-time employee in this economy. I am very fortunate to have not only qualified for the tax credit, but also to be able to keep all my doctors ('cause they're all awesome as hell) and still be able to take the necessary medicines for my conditions. I value my physical and mental health very much and this helps me realize that not only can I do it, but others can so too. It's another way I show myself that I love myself and it is worth all the time and money to invest in my health.

We all have different operating systems, imperfect bodies. Let's take the best care that we can.

If you are trying to get insurance, keep plugging away. You'll get in the site soon. Never hurts to ask for help too. The 1-800 number yielded better results for me.

And for those who didn't want the ACA to be a functional thing (?), let alone exist... I really don't know what to tell y'all. Really, I don't. No sarcasm or passive-aggressiveness, I promise. And if it helps, I find the mandate to be unnecessary. Wouldn't having no insurance in and of itself be a big enough consequence?

The abridged version of this entry: I got a huge and heavy weight off my back in time for the new year.

Holy s***, I'm 27

About twenty-seven years and sixteen minutes ago (as of right now), I first graced this planet with my glorious presence. My family rejoiced and showered me with love and attention. Whenever it ended up on Thanksgiving, it was like having a large feast in my honor (lulz).

I had the monopoly until my sister came along. It was a good run. /sarcasm

And what am I doing today? I'm heading to work! Such is life, as it should be... I guess. At least I don't work Black Friday (though it's never bad at B&N anyway?) My birthday hasn't and will never be a holiday (until 2015 when my birthday and Thanksgiving collide again!)

And a happy birthday to my fellow birthday buddies: Tina Turner and John McVie! It's fun until it ends up on Thanksgiving, right?

What do I have to say for being on Earth for this long? Some memes, that's what!

And when in doubt, always look at pictures of tiny houses and remember that I live in a world where I learned from personal experience that Vienna Teng is a good hugger.

Here's to ice cream cake and good times. Let's triple the years, self. Live to be 100 and eff the typical lifespan of your family tree!

*drinks water, 'cause she's too broke for beer and it's too early for that, duh*

*memes do not belong to me*

Small update on life and stuff and whatever... *snoozes*

So here I go again, writing things on this here blog and whatever. You want to know what the eff I've been up to? Sure, here ya go:

• My birthday is this Tuesday. I have no plans other than ice cream cake and surviving a morning shift at my job.

• I applied for grad school for the second time. I got everything done in less than a week. The story, I feel, is my strongest yet. I have a better advantage this time; two sets of eyeballs looked at it (a friend and my mom).

• My job search has been halted for now. I'm taking a different approach: temp jobs. More on that as it goes on.

• Yes, the job search was going that bad. I've placed twenty-six applications out there and only got one interview. Those are terrible odds.

• I actually have Thanksgiving plans! My parents invited me up to the state park they're at for a late lunch all the park employees are doing. I'm bringing a cheesecake. :D

• No Black Friday shift for me. Then again, at B&N, it's pretty underwhelming. But that doesn't hold for the rest of the retailers. Seriously, opening on Thanksgiving night, who the eff thought that was genius? No, you poor wretched retail peons, you can't have a blessed Thanksgiving! (/sarcasm) And whoever came up with it, can I please kick them hard in their happy places*?

So there ya go. You happy? You want more? Help me get a life first.

*Happy places = genitals

P.S.: Seriously, I'm not this grouchy. 

I love it when...

my favorite artists spoil me with new albums. I wasn't expecting it, but Nicole Atkins, Warpaint, Dum Dum Girls, and Broken Bells are coming out with new records next year! And all within two months! Yeaaaaa!

I pledged money to Atkins' project and will be getting a vinyl copy of Slow Phaser. I also preordered vinyl copies of Warpaint and Too True (Dum Dum Girls' new album). I'm waiting on pins and needles to get a chance to preorder After the Disco (Broken Bells' new album).

God, it makes me feel like a spoiled child getting the toys she wanted for Christmas.

Here's what we get to look forward to!