While we were visiting our friends in Columbus recently, one night they asked if we were fans of Flight of the Conchords. “Frodo, Don’t Wear the Ring” has always been at the top of my list, but I think that may have been knocked down a peg since Chris and Laura had us watch “Business Time.” Maybe it’s because I’ve been married almost 13 years, or maybe it’s because I could relate to the part about sorting the recycling (although never as foreplay), or maybe it’s just because I find this song hilarious, but I laughed so hard the first time I watched it I cried a bit. Things that strike me as so funny I cry are far and few between.
Because absolutely nothing today is going how I need it to go and I fully expect to get home to a house full of dog accidents (A.M. storm = scared dogs who won’t go out), I thought I’d just post a quick something that makes me happy. And today, right now, that’s the recent Simpsons opening that had the show taking on Game of Thrones. When two of my favorite shows collide like this, it will undoubtedly make me smile, even if just for that one minute.
Things have been pretty stressful of late, for reasons I’ll try to go into sometime in the next few days. But as stressful as things have been for me, they’ve been so much worse for some people close to me, and I want them to know they are always in my thoughts and prayers.
As an avid Linkin Park fan, I’ve always loved their lyrics, and these last few weeks I’ve found myself listening to “Waiting for the End” over and over. I’ve read online where some people interpret this song as being about a soldier heading off to war or about a relationship ending. However, for me, its meaning is more about not letting pain, fear, doubt, and uncertainty take hold of you, about letting go of the bad in order to make room for the good. So it’s with that in mind that I hope these people close to me listen to this song — really listen to it — and embrace even a bit of what it’s about. Because these bad times will come to an end, for all of us. The stress, the uncertainty over which direction life is heading, the fear of what lies ahead, the second-guessing of every decision, the wait for opportunities that have yet to materialize — all of these things will come to an end. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
[Mike:] This is not the end, this is not the beginning / Just a voice like a riot rocking every revision / But you listen to the tone and the violent rhythm / And though the words sound steady something empty’s within them / We say yeah with fists flying up in the air / Like we’re holding onto something that’s invisible there / Cause we’re living at the mercy of the pain and the fear / Until we dead it, forget it, let it all disappear
[Chester:] Waiting for the end to come / Wishing I had strength to stand / This is not what I had planned / It’s out of my control / Flying at the speed of light / Thoughts were spinning in my head / So many things were left unsaid / It’s hard to let you go
I know what it takes to move on / I know how it feels to lie /All I want to do / Is trade this life for something new / Holding on to what I haven’t got
Sitting in an empty room / Trying to forget the past / This was never meant to last / I wish it wasn’t so
I know what it takes to move on / I know how it feels to lie / All I want to do / Is trade this life for something new / Holding on to what I haven’t got
[Mike:] What was left when that fire was gone / I thought it felt right but that right was wrong / All caught up in the eye of the storm / And trying to figure out what it’s like moving on / And I don’t even know what kind of things I said / My mouth kept moving and my mind went dead / So I’m picking up the pieces, now where to begin / The hardest part of ending is starting again
[Chester (till end):] All I want to do / Is trade this life for something new / Holding on to what I haven’t got
[Mike:] This is not the end, this is not the beginning / Just a voice like a riot rocking every revision (I’m holding on to what I haven’t got)
But you listen to the tone and the violent rhythm / Though the words sound steady something empty’s within them / We say yeah with fists flying up in the air / Like we’re holding onto something that’s invisible there (Holding on …) / Cause we’re living at the mercy of the pain and the fear / Until we dead it, forget it let it all disappear (… to what I haven’t got)
*I bolded some of the lyrics that really resonate with me.
On the days I get to work from home, I make a point to send Rich a cute video or picture of Coraline to help his workday go a little faster. These days Coraline is all about going outside, which she pronounces “owsiiiiide,” so I figured our quick afternoon sojourn on the side patio was a good opportunity to film a short video for her poppa. (filmed 4/11/12)
As I wrote recently, Coraline has her favorite YouTube videos she likes to watch over and over. This one wasn’t on Coraline’s list, but it has become one of my favorites to watch with her. I love how sweet the interplay and singing back and forth between Elmo and Andrea Bocelli is. It’s all about going to sleep, making it perfect to watch right before taking Coraline up to her room for bedtime stories.
I first heard “Do You?” by Iffy the Bad Man a few weeks ago, and have only fallen more in love with it since then. There’s something about the song’s lyrics and sound that I just adore. For me, it brings to mind a neo-soul sound, a la Amy Winehouse and Duffy, and makes me visualize those great all-male groups of the ’60s, like The Temptations, all lined up in a neat row, dressed in tuxes with sparkly jackets, as they sing a song like this. Were it not for that free Sirius XM subscription that came with buying my Elantra, I never would’ve heard this song. And, boy, am I ever glad I did. Because it never fails to make me happy when I hear it. This song — and Iffy himself — deserve to be so big.
When you’re home and all alone / If I’m ever on your mind / It’s a sign that we should be together
Oh I try to make it work / But your listening to her / And that’s why we couldn’t make it better
I’m falling behind myself, no I can’t move on / We don’t even speak anymore / I can’t close my eyes, I’m up all night long, and baby / I miss you more than before
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you / Oh I hope you didn’ forget about me / You know your friends say that you’re lonely / But what if I told you I was too?
Oh-oh do you / Do do do / Do you / Do you still think about me?
Oh-oh do you / Do do do / Do you / Oh do you still think about me?
Oh baby come on, you know I didn’t mean that
You said you want a break / Baby I don’t wanna wait / What If I was to show up at you door? / When I think about us and what our love once was / It’s just something I can’t ignore.
I’m falling behind myself, no I can’t move on / We don’t even speak anymore / I can’t close my eyes, I’m up all night long / And baby I miss you more than before
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you / Oh I hope you didn’ forget about me / You know your friends say that you’re lonely / But what if I told you I was to?
Oh-oh do you / Do do do / Do you / Do you still think about me?
Oh-oh do you / Do do do / Do you / Oh do you still think about me?
Burning through my veins like that acid rain / I’ve been following your tracks / Gonna catch that train / I don’t wanna play this game, but I can’t complain / ‘Cause your loving is enough to drive a man insane
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you / Oh I hope you didn’t forget about me / You know your friends say that you’re lonely / But what if I told you I was too?
Oh-oh do you / Do do do / Do you / Do you still think about me?
Oh-oh do you / Do do do / Do you / Oh do you still think about me?
Oh-Oh do you / Do do do / Do you / Do you still think about me?
Oh-Oh do you / Do do do / Do you / Oh do you still think about me?
(Spoken) Oh baby, I know you still think about me, I know you do / I know you dream about me at night, I think I do too Ha ha, your amazing and your breath / Your breath doesn’t stink, Your breath smells good at night / I like that. / I like that alot.
I recently watched series one of the British sketch comedy Man Stroke Woman (of “man-cold” fame) via Netflix, and I loved it. This is one of my favorite sketches, and I think it’s a great example of the show’s style of humor. The fact that the series stars Nick Frost is an added bonus.
