That's all, folks.

I'm proud to say that because of my age and experience, I now not only know what I want in a car, housing, or even a mate, but also how to search and find exactly that. Okay, so not as much luck in finding a mate, mainly b/c the kind I've concluded that I'm looking for isn't out chatting up girls at the local bar, or on an online dating site. You apparently have to wait, watch, and work for it once my kind of guy finally surfaces.. and then usually wait some more.. and work some more, but only diligently enough to not come across as overexhuberant; crack through a wall, but only enough for them to take notice as they would a new bird at their window, go through a bit of trial and error.. mainly error... its a complex process, trying to find the perfect way to slide into their world without upsetting their natural habitat.. I'm still waiting on the results.

The car and housing though, I've spent enough years on both of those to know exactly what you should and should not be looking for and at. Besides locating these things much quicker than I used to, I've heard stories from "newbies" on the subject, and I have to say, I'm shocked someone could be so dense and naive. But! You live and learn. Unfortunately I'm thinking some of these young'uns don't seem to have the same amount of common sense as I do. (Seriously, you sign a lease before even walking through the vacant apartment?? I can find loopholes in your contract, but c'mon. Not when you've agreed to everything, sight unseen. Didn't your parents teach you anything?)

Back to the mate, because now I've started thinking. I've always wanted to live in a house on the edge of some kind of amazing landscape. I first came up with this dream on top of the Rimrocks above Billings, MT. We'd gone up there with my cousins and aunt (who have always lived there) and my aunt pointed out this cool house on the edge of the cliff that she said was owned and designed by an architect and his wife. Behind the house, on the other side of the drive, (and I don't know if this is still that way because of housing developements,) the land became like something out of A River Runs Through it. That's what I wanted. Or just a little cottage with gardens I could work, in a little village somewhere. OR a bit of land where I'd have like 5 dog, some cats, a couple of goats, maybe a llama.. You have to have dreams. Moreover, you have to have determination in those dreams. Will it ever work out? Will I end up living instead with a long-time friend in a house in New England with a bunch of cats? Who knows! (Probably not though, b/c both of us are set in our ways when it comes to having our own place. It would be more likely that we'd have adjacent cottages, and live like those "odd women" they wrote about before the 1900's who grew herbs and kept to themselves.) So no! I don't want a husband that works a 9-5 office job, especially one he hates and has no meaning. I don't want to sit on the couch every night of the week watching the prime time sitcoms. You know, the best marriage I've ever seen, and what I still think works perfectly for the right kind of people, is that of the organ builder who I met this Spring. He has his home and shop outside of Seattle, WA. However, 4-6 months out of the year he's either traveling to do some work on installed organs, or living in another location while he installs his latest creation. Guess what his wife does. She handles a lot of his administration work, but she is also an artist.. and she has an apartment in Houston. MIND-BLOWING. I love it! Seriously. That is the key. Do your own thing, be supportive of your partner doing theirs, and you still have a mutual home and someone to love. BAM. That's all, folks.


*And yes, I do love Looney Tunes.

Lazy Drive (mixtape, playlist)

Forever Longing the Golden Sunsets - The Appleseed Cast
Hey, Hey, What Can I Do - Led Zeppelin
Lost in the Supermarket - The Clash
Here Comes Your Man - The Pixies
I Summon You - Spoon
Don't Say You Don't - Maritime
Last Dance With Mary Jane - Tom Petty
Dramamine - Modest Mouse
Kamera - Wilco
Overdue - The Get Up Kids
Always See Your Face - Love
The Song Was Right - Old Canes
Closer to You - Brandi Carlisle
Falling - Ben Kweller

Alone at Work, So Here's a List!

I'm terrible at picking favorites. If you ever ask me what my favorite band is, I don't know. I used to have an idea, but then I start thinking about it, and how can you pick one band/artist out of all the thousands across the decades and genres? Same with movies.. I might say High Fidelity or Gross Pointe Blank one day, but then I might say something by Almodovar on another.  How do you decide??

All these years I've struggled to come up with my favorite song. Finally awhile back I decided what would be my top, number one, favorite of all time. I always came back to it, so it might as well be official: Led Zeppelin's Since I've been Loving You. Its got everything. Mood, structure, build, and the guitar solo was recorded when Jimmy Page was just playing out in the hallway! Plus, you know, its by one of the greatest rock bands in history. I feel like its the closest thing to a perfect song.



That being said, I had a hard time narrowing the rest of my favorites down to five. I could come up with maybe 6 or 7, but that's not really a good number, now is it? So here are the TOP TEN. The slower songs are basically all the ones that just kill me every time.
The others make me feel free, and I can't help smiling. I could easily do 20, but then where does it stop??

*revised AGAIN


Since I've Been Loving You - Led Zeppelin
Lover, You Should've Come Over - Jeff Buckley
Case of You - Joni Mitchell
Still Be Around - Uncle Tupelo
Hey Jealousy - Gin Blossoms
Kathy's Song - Simon & Garfunkel
Don't Think Twice, Its Alright - Bob Dylan
Mary Jane's Last Dance - Tom Petty
Wet Sand - RHCP
Evaporated - Ben Folds Five