Category: music

updates

General update about blog stuff and things happening in my life.

My recently read/reading list is gone for a little while. I tried upgrading the plugin last week, and it broke. The author says he’ll have a fix for it sometime this week. I’m heading out to NASIG on Wednesday, so it will probably be sometime next week before I can get it up and running again, if all goes well.

Speaking of NASIG, the hotel this year has free wifi in public areas and some meeting rooms. The conference organizers have a blog available for attendees to post and comment on. If you aren’t able to attend the conference and you have an interest in all things serials, then do keep tabs on the blog. I’ll be attempting to some live blogging both here and there.

As you may know, I write reviews for a website called Blogcritics.org. I’m trying to catch up on the backlog of review items in my house, which is why that’s about all I’ve been posting lately. Hopefully things will get back to normal once I get caught up. You can keep tabs with what’s pending, if you’re interested. I’m really behind on the books. Arg.

you can hear ’em singing la la la

I’ve got invites for anyone interested in joining la la. Send me an email or leave a comment. So far, I’ve sent out three CDs and received four, and all it cost me was $3, since the first one was free. la la provides all of the mailing stuff, so no trips to the post … Continue reading “you can hear ’em singing la la la”

I’ve got invites for anyone interested in joining la la. Send me an email or leave a comment. So far, I’ve sent out three CDs and received four, and all it cost me was $3, since the first one was free. la la provides all of the mailing stuff, so no trips to the post office or packaging supply store required.

la la

A few weeks ago, I heard about a new online service that’s sort of like a mashup of Netflix and a swap meet. Members can list CDs they’re willing to swap on la la, along with their wishlist. The system alerts members when one of their available CDs is wanted by another member, at which … Continue reading “la la”

A few weeks ago, I heard about a new online service that’s sort of like a mashup of Netflix and a swap meet. Members can list CDs they’re willing to swap on la la, along with their wishlist. The system alerts members when one of their available CDs is wanted by another member, at which point they have a the choice of sending it to the member in the pre-paid envelope provided by la la, or declining. You can receive one CD for free, but if you want more it’ll cost $1 + $0.49 for shipping. Not bad considering that it costs $0.99+tax for just one song on iTunes. As long as you are sending as much as you’re receiving, you get new music for cheap. So far, I’ve sent out two CDs with no problems and I’m waiting on my first request to arrive. The only down side is that it’s all dependent on what other members are willing to swap. It may cost more to buy a new or used CD elsewhere (or download a bunch of iTunes songs), but you get them as soon as you buy them, and sometimes that’s worth paying for.

music icon

I met Cris Williamson this past weekend, thanks to my friends Kiya & Miriam. Although I was aware of Cris and her importance in women’s music, I had not listened to her much. Her best-selling album The Changer and the Changed was released the year I was born. I didn’t even know that women’s music … Continue reading “music icon”

I met Cris Williamson this past weekend, thanks to my friends Kiya & Miriam. Although I was aware of Cris and her importance in women’s music, I had not listened to her much. Her best-selling album The Changer and the Changed was released the year I was born. I didn’t even know that women’s music existed until 1996-ish, and by then it was virtually gone. There are still some remnants of it, but women (mostly lesbian) musicians and fans don’t need it now like they did in the 1970s. Meeting Cris in that context was…interesting. I have tremendous respect for her.

One question that resulted from that meeting is: Who is the icon for 20-something women? The only women musicians I can think of for my generation are in their 30s (Ani DiFranco, for example). I can’t think of a 20-something woman musician who has influenced her peers in the way that Cris did for her peers in the late 70s.

feeling empty

I spent the past four days with my friends Kiya & Miriam. They’re in a folk-roots band called Wishing Chair, which I’ve mentioned a few times on this blog. They flew out here on Thursday, and until this morning, I was their driver for the PNW part of their west coast tour. Despite the hours … Continue reading “feeling empty”

Wishing Chair
I spent the past four days with my friends Kiya & Miriam. They’re in a folk-roots band called Wishing Chair, which I’ve mentioned a few times on this blog. They flew out here on Thursday, and until this morning, I was their driver for the PNW part of their west coast tour. Despite the hours spent in my cramped and crowded Toyota Tercel, it was wonderful to be with them. Now they’ve gone on to the Northern California portion of their tour, and I feel empty. I have to re-adjust to being alone. To living in a place where all of my relationships are new and without the depth of the friendships I left behind in Kentucky and elsewhere.

I have to keep reminding myself of the joy of this past weekend. I produced a show here on Sunday. Wishing Chair has arranged some of their songs to be performed by/with a women’s choir. The concert included two of those songs performed by/with the Ellensburg Women’s Chorus, of which I am a member. It was amazing to be up on stage with my fellow choir members, singing Wishing Chair songs. Normally, I’m just sitting in the audience quietly singing along. This time I was up there with them. With my friends.

vocal bands

It started one night a couple of months ago when I was cruising CD Baby for some music similar to The Bobs. I ended up buying two CDs: In Accord’s Departures and In the Buff’s Disturbing the Quiet Enjoyment of the Home. Then last week I was surfing the web and ran across a mention … Continue reading “vocal bands”

It started one night a couple of months ago when I was cruising CD Baby for some music similar to The Bobs. I ended up buying two CDs: In Accord’s Departures and In the Buff’s Disturbing the Quiet Enjoyment of the Home. Then last week I was surfing the web and ran across a mention of Grapevine, the women’s a cappella group at Swarthmore College. I ordered the CD and it’s been on regular rotation at work and at home. Now I’m hooked! I can’t get enough of this stuff! If you know of any other groups I should hear, please let me know.

play that funky music

For the last two weekends, I’ve heard the folks on Weekend America discuss the significance of the #1 song on the pop charts on the day you were born. It seems that quite often that song is rather appropriate for your personality. They used a site called This day in Music to find their Birthday … Continue reading “play that funky music”

For the last two weekends, I’ve heard the folks on Weekend America discuss the significance of the #1 song on the pop charts on the day you were born. It seems that quite often that song is rather appropriate for your personality. They used a site called This day in Music to find their Birthday No. 1 songs. Turns out that the number one song on the US pop charts on the day I was born was “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry.

Yeah, they were dancin’ and singin’ and movin’ to the groovin’
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted

Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down that boogie and play that funky music till you die

i am not a hollaback girl, either

Heather has so kindly reminded me that I needed to look up the meaning of Gwen Stefani’s latest hit single. I’ve managed to hear it enough that it stuck in my mind, and that’s despite not ever turning on pop radio anymore. I found this useful Wikipedia entry about the song, which then led me … Continue reading “i am not a hollaback girl, either”

Heather has so kindly reminded me that I needed to look up the meaning of Gwen Stefani’s latest hit single. I’ve managed to hear it enough that it stuck in my mind, and that’s despite not ever turning on pop radio anymore. I found this useful Wikipedia entry about the song, which then led me to this most excellent analysis of the lyrics. This sh*t is b-a-n-a-n-a-s.

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