Sarah got her second iPod for Christmas, bringing our household total to three. We started with two Shuffles (the big ones - the size of a pack of gum - not the new ones, which are the size of a single Chicklet), and now we've added the Nano(RED). I love the PRODUCT(RED) campaign for the simple fact that it has turned altruism into an aspirational brand. I generally disdain the voracious consumerism that is pushed upon us nowadays, but if consumption can be focused to benefit The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, then by all means people, hit the malls. And so far, the campaign seems to be working.
At first I resisted the iPod phenomenon. I saw those little white earbuds as yet another way that individuals isolate themselves from their environments, to our collective detriment. Do we really need constant entertainment? Can we not enjoy the sounds of our surroundings, or take advantage of the quiet in order to ponder our existence? Or at least what to make for dinner?
That was before I flew to DC beside a talker. And not just any talker - a Vietnam vet who had lost his mind, but didn't seem to realize it. I adhered to the stereotype that Vietnam vets were scarred by their experiences and generally reticent about the subject. This guy, however, shared fond recollections of Saigon prostitutes whose services could be had for a quarter. "A quarter! Can you imagine that? It was great!" And the women received a bonus if they filled a teacup by the end of the day. Not with quarters, mind you. I'll let you figure it out.
I learned then that some situations beg for insulation from your surroundings. I looked across the aisle at the guy wearing the white earbuds, and I lamented the fact that my simple magazine offered so little protection. I was grateful that I had brought my Shuffle along on my flight back from Michigan Wednesday morning, when I sat next a woman whose job somehow involved raisin growers and NASCAR. My wackometer was heading into the red, so when she engaged the neighbor to her left, I immediately plugged in those earbuds and breathed a sigh of relief. I'll stick to my own form of madness, thank you very much.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The weekend before last, we finally got around to taking the kids to the top of the Washington Monument. Ben had been talking about it since our first failed attempt, when I committed Parental Sin #1 (that being "making uninformed promises") by telling him could go before learning that you need to get tickets in advance, and they're usually all gone before lunchtime.
Fortunately, by December most of the tourists have their sights on far warmer climes than Washington, DC. It's amazing how quickly I came to view this as "my" city, where tourists are invaders rather than fellow visitors. Ben has yet to make that transition, however; when a park ranger asked where we were from, Ben said Michigan, not Virginia. Which prompted us to hurriedly explain that we're originally from Michigan, but now we live in Arlington. God forbid we be labelled tourists.
The 500-foot elevator ride to the top of the Monument is surprisingly fast. I swear the elevator at my prior workplace took longer to climb four stories, and all you got at the end was a view of the hospital helipad and a funeral home, so you could watch unlucky patients take their last flight and possibly their last drive, all from my office window. According to the guide (Elevator Ranger?), the Monument is the tallest free-standing stone building in the world with no structural steel. Which makes you wonder what holds up the elevator, and whether it's stopped Flintstone-style with your feet, or lowered gently by an underground dinosaur.
Anyway, the view from the top is pretty impressive, even through thick, narrow windows:
Here's the view to the west, including the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial:
That bridge in the upper right corner? We drive that godforsaken thing every day.
This past weekend, I spent some time working on the car, hoping to rectify my failed emissions test. You see, the State of Michigan, being invested in its primary local industry, is far more interested in keeping its products on the road than keeping the air clean. Pollution in western Michigan is always blamed on Chicago, but where does the pollution from Detroit go? Lake Erie? Who gives a crap about Lake Erie?
Passing the emissions test has proven a greater challenge than I predicted. Not only is my car about ten years old, but without any requirement to keep it in prime running condition, I followed the path of least resistance (read: lowest cost) and let a few things slide. Like driving for about a year with my Check Engine light glowing. You know - the idiot light? Yeah, something like that. Now my tags are close to expiring, and the emissions gods have yet to answer my prayers. My advice for drivers subject to emissions testing? Test early.
Tomorrow we drive back to Michigan for the holidays. If the Thanksgiving traffic was any indication of what to expect, we'll spend two hours or more just getting out of the metro DC area. We might just reach the end of Toy Story before we leave the beltway.
Oh, and Santa? If by some miracle I'm not on your Bad list yet, I might need a new catalytic converter. Just leave it beside the bushes outside the garage.
Fortunately, by December most of the tourists have their sights on far warmer climes than Washington, DC. It's amazing how quickly I came to view this as "my" city, where tourists are invaders rather than fellow visitors. Ben has yet to make that transition, however; when a park ranger asked where we were from, Ben said Michigan, not Virginia. Which prompted us to hurriedly explain that we're originally from Michigan, but now we live in Arlington. God forbid we be labelled tourists.
The 500-foot elevator ride to the top of the Monument is surprisingly fast. I swear the elevator at my prior workplace took longer to climb four stories, and all you got at the end was a view of the hospital helipad and a funeral home, so you could watch unlucky patients take their last flight and possibly their last drive, all from my office window. According to the guide (Elevator Ranger?), the Monument is the tallest free-standing stone building in the world with no structural steel. Which makes you wonder what holds up the elevator, and whether it's stopped Flintstone-style with your feet, or lowered gently by an underground dinosaur.
Anyway, the view from the top is pretty impressive, even through thick, narrow windows:
Here's the view to the west, including the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial:
That bridge in the upper right corner? We drive that godforsaken thing every day.
This past weekend, I spent some time working on the car, hoping to rectify my failed emissions test. You see, the State of Michigan, being invested in its primary local industry, is far more interested in keeping its products on the road than keeping the air clean. Pollution in western Michigan is always blamed on Chicago, but where does the pollution from Detroit go? Lake Erie? Who gives a crap about Lake Erie?
Passing the emissions test has proven a greater challenge than I predicted. Not only is my car about ten years old, but without any requirement to keep it in prime running condition, I followed the path of least resistance (read: lowest cost) and let a few things slide. Like driving for about a year with my Check Engine light glowing. You know - the idiot light? Yeah, something like that. Now my tags are close to expiring, and the emissions gods have yet to answer my prayers. My advice for drivers subject to emissions testing? Test early.
Tomorrow we drive back to Michigan for the holidays. If the Thanksgiving traffic was any indication of what to expect, we'll spend two hours or more just getting out of the metro DC area. We might just reach the end of Toy Story before we leave the beltway.
Oh, and Santa? If by some miracle I'm not on your Bad list yet, I might need a new catalytic converter. Just leave it beside the bushes outside the garage.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Monday, December 11, 2006
Christmas Music
Okay, I confess: I like Christmas music. The day after Thanksgiving I whip out Volume 1 of A Very Special Christmas, and I only skip past the Pretenders. Take me to your winter wonderland, Annie Lennox. When you sing, Sting, I believe in angels. Maybe even Jesus. And few things made me prouder of Ben than his declaring "Christmas in Hollis" his favorite song on the CD.
I'm a sucker for the classics, too. Burl Ives will run through my head for an entire month and I don't mind. The only thing I can't take is when holiday music sounds like a funeral dirge. I got all excited when Aimee Mann released a holiday album, but if I were expecting her to make good on "I'll Be Home for Christmas" I'd put out a bowl of Xanax instead of marshmallows for her hot chocolate.
Even I get a little weary of listening to one holiday CD over and over again, though, so I set out to make my own compilation - something that would unite my Dr. Demento side and my Bing Crosby side without overindulging either. The best thing about this list is that each and every track is available at the iTunes Store, so you can download one or all. So here, for your consideration, is my Ultimate! Christmas! Mix!
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
by Andy Williams
from The Andy Williams Christmas Album (Remastered)
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings"
by Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan
from Barenaked for the Holidays
"Sleigh Ride"
by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
from Boogie Woogie Christmas
"Run Rudolph Run"
by Bryan Adams
from A Very Special Christmas
"A Holly Jolly Christmas"
by Burl Ives
from Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
"Carol of the Bells"
by Celtic Woman
from Christmas Album
"Frosty the Snowman"
by Dan Tyminkski
from A Very Special Acoustic Christmas
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
by Diana Krall
from Christmas Songs
"White Christmas"
by The Drifters
from Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters
"Winter Wonderland"
by Ella Fitzgerald
from Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
"Baby, It's Cold Outside"
by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
from Ella & Friends
"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
by Elmo & Patsy
from Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
"I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"
by Gayla Peevey
from Vintage Children's Favourites
"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
by Lena Horne
from Christmas Classics
"All I Want for Christmas Is You"
by Mariah Carey
from Merry Christmas
"Greensleeves"
by Méav Ní Mhaolchatha
from Celtic Woman Presents Meav: A Celtic Journey
"Good King Wenceslas"
by Mel Tormé
from Santa's Bag
"The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)"
by Nat King Cole
from Christmas Classics
"Silver Bells"
by Perry Como & The Ray Charles Singers
from Perry Como: Greatest Christmas Songs
"I Saw Three Ships"
by Sting
from A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 3
"Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!"
by Sufjan Stevens
from Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmas
"I'll Be Home for Christmas"
by Tony Bennett
from Snowfall - The Tony Bennett Christmas Album
"O Holy Night"
by Tracy Chapman
from A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 3
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
by U2
from A Very Special Christmas
I'm a sucker for the classics, too. Burl Ives will run through my head for an entire month and I don't mind. The only thing I can't take is when holiday music sounds like a funeral dirge. I got all excited when Aimee Mann released a holiday album, but if I were expecting her to make good on "I'll Be Home for Christmas" I'd put out a bowl of Xanax instead of marshmallows for her hot chocolate.
Even I get a little weary of listening to one holiday CD over and over again, though, so I set out to make my own compilation - something that would unite my Dr. Demento side and my Bing Crosby side without overindulging either. The best thing about this list is that each and every track is available at the iTunes Store, so you can download one or all. So here, for your consideration, is my Ultimate! Christmas! Mix!
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
by Andy Williams
from The Andy Williams Christmas Album (Remastered)
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings"
by Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan
from Barenaked for the Holidays
"Sleigh Ride"
by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
from Boogie Woogie Christmas
"Run Rudolph Run"
by Bryan Adams
from A Very Special Christmas
"A Holly Jolly Christmas"
by Burl Ives
from Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
"Carol of the Bells"
by Celtic Woman
from Christmas Album
"Frosty the Snowman"
by Dan Tyminkski
from A Very Special Acoustic Christmas
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
by Diana Krall
from Christmas Songs
"White Christmas"
by The Drifters
from Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters
"Winter Wonderland"
by Ella Fitzgerald
from Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
"Baby, It's Cold Outside"
by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
from Ella & Friends
"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
by Elmo & Patsy
from Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
"I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"
by Gayla Peevey
from Vintage Children's Favourites
"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
by Lena Horne
from Christmas Classics
"All I Want for Christmas Is You"
by Mariah Carey
from Merry Christmas
"Greensleeves"
by Méav Ní Mhaolchatha
from Celtic Woman Presents Meav: A Celtic Journey
"Good King Wenceslas"
by Mel Tormé
from Santa's Bag
"The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)"
by Nat King Cole
from Christmas Classics
"Silver Bells"
by Perry Como & The Ray Charles Singers
from Perry Como: Greatest Christmas Songs
"I Saw Three Ships"
by Sting
from A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 3
"Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!"
by Sufjan Stevens
from Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmas
"I'll Be Home for Christmas"
by Tony Bennett
from Snowfall - The Tony Bennett Christmas Album
"O Holy Night"
by Tracy Chapman
from A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 3
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
by U2
from A Very Special Christmas
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