So...Anyway...

You Are An ISFJ

The Nurturer You have a strong need to belong, and you very loyal. A good listener, you excel at helping others in practical ways. In your spare time, you enjoy engaging your senses through art, cooking, and music. You find it easy to be devoted to one person... a partner who you do special things for. In love, you express your emotions through actions. Taking care of someone is how you love them. And you do it well! At work, you do well in a structured environment. You complete tasks well and on time. You would make a good interior designer, chef, or child psychologist. How you see yourself: Competent, dependable, and detail oriented When other people don't get you, they see you as: Boring, dominant, and stuck in a rut

I am starting a new blog. I will maintain this blog for topics that I might want feed back from friends on but don't want the whole world to know. Who knows. We'll see what happens. If you're a regular reader, I hope you follow me on the new site.

The problem with getting the flu shot is that it doesn't prevent you from getting the flu. It just seems to prevent you from getting violently ill.

I've been feeling like shit for the past couple of days: with fever/chills, nausea, and gastrointestinal issues. I keep telling myself that I'm lucky as friends who have had this flu have had problems with vomiting. I'm also lucky in that I have started reading 2666. So, being at home isn't so bad right now.

1. Continue with the lavalife thing, but find other ways to branch out and meet new people/men.
2. Read the following books: 2666, Count of Monte Cristo, Gravity's Rainbow.
3. Continue to whittle down debt load.
4. Make chèvre.

I managed to figure out my top 10 list of albums released this year.

10. Midnight Boom - The Kills
9. Momofuku - Elvis Costello
8. Mr. Love and Justice - Billy Bragg
7. Little Honey - Lucinda Williams
6. Golden Delicious - Mike Doughty
5. Stay Positive - The Hold Steady
4. Third - Portishead
3. Party Intellectuals - Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog
2. I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too - Martha Wainwright
1. A Piece of What You Need - Teddy Thompson

My number one album would have been Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten but it apparently was released in 2007. And I would have chosen it despite that iIt would have seemed to be an odd choice as there isn't any new musical material on it. However, the selection of songs, their order, and the inclusion of snippets of dialogue construct an auditory portrait of Joe Strummer equal to any biography or documentary out there.

And shock of all shocks, neither Joe Jackson nor Paul Weller made my top ten. 2008 was a year of me branching out and discovering new music rather than clinging to musicians that have populated the landscape in the past.

Last year at this time I was clinging to the inner rim of the depression pit, kicking at the invisible hands that were trying to grasp hold of my ankles to pull me down.

This year, I'm running around in the field that surrounds the pit, knowing that it has been fenced off.

Please tune in and listen to A Thompson Family Christmas, which will be available for another 5 days. The concert includes Kamila, Teddy, Richard and Linda Thompson on stage together. It's the type of Christmas concert I'd love to go to and thought I would share it with who ever reads my meandering thoughts as they appear on this site.

"Drink a lot, eat too much, spend some time with the ones you love."

Guess which urge won out?

It's very lovely to be able to lay on the chesterfield and watch fluffy flakes of snow drift to the ground. I've watched as the branches of the tree outside my window have become heavier with their cold white blanket while snuggled under my warm downy one. And I've found myself contemplating bundling up and heading out in the cold to trudge through the ground cover searching for interesting images to capture with my camera. I'm torn between staying warm and dry and being creative. Hmm. Which urge will win out.

As there are 12 days left in the year, I thought I'd start compiling my selection of albums from which I will be drawing my "Lue's Top 10" lists.

This year I purchased a number of albums that were not only new releases, but new bands (to me at least). Included in the list are:
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Fred - Go God Go
The Kills - Midnight Boom
The Last Shadow Puppets - Age of the Understatement
Matt Mayes & El Torpedo - Terminal Romance
Mother Mother - O My Heart
Martha Wainwright - I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

I discovered the genius of a Marc Ribot, although I had been hearing him play on other artists' albums for years and picked up:
Marc Ribot - Exercises in Futility
Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog - Party Intellectuals

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank blue_lotus for hooking me up with some Lucinda Williams that lead me to pre-order her latest album, Little Honey.

To top it off there were several albums released by artists I love:
Mike Doughty - Golden Delicious
Billy Bragg - Mr. Love & Justice
Paul Weller - 22 Dreams
Teddy Thompson - A Piece of What You Need
Portishead - Third
Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
Elvis Costello - Momofuku
Joe Jackson - Rain

And the kick ass "music from the movie" cd, Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten.

As I look over the list I'm a little shocked at how much new music I purchased this year and I think people will be a little shocked by what my list will end up looking like. Who makes the cut? Who gets left off the list?

Don't worry. You won't be force to read a list of all the books I've read this year.

Joe Springsteen tagged me with this meme. I was curious about the picture of my life that would emerge if I did it. And what would happen if a piece of classical music came up.

So, anyway...

The rules:

1. Put your ZUNE/iPod/MP3 Player/etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Add commentary.
5. Inflict it on others.

*************
IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" WHAT DO YOU SAY?
"Let's Misbehave." - Elvis Costello.
Hmm. I am a bit of a rebel and don't like following instructions. I guess this is somewhat accurate.

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
"Modern Woman" - Richard and Linda Thompson
"She's got no strings, she likes it that way/No little babies crying all day". Yep. That'd be me.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"In My Arms" - Teddy Thompson
"Not a lot of room to feel free/In my arms." Okay. I have had a tendency to fall for men that had issues. But, I love the sound of Teddy's voice in this song. That timbre of voice gets me every time. Maybe that's what I like in a guy.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"Ziggy Stardust" - David Bowie
"He took it all too far but boy could he play guitar" - ? My life's purpose is to live for music, I guess.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"Love at First Light" - Joe Jackson
Hmm. Falling in love after you've fallen into bed. Can't says it's my motto, but maybe it should be.

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Heroin (live)" - Lou Reed
I don't know what to make of this. It could say that my friends find me numbing or that they think I have an addictive personality.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"A Man of Great Promise" - Style Council
"But you seemed to forget the dream/And the more you saw you hated." I do kind of think about death frequently but not in a "I want to kill myself" kind of way.

WHAT IS 2+2?
"I Misunderstood" - Richard Thompson
I'm not very good at math at all so this is spot on.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"Nihilism“ - Rancid
Given that Joe Louis and I had a falling out this year, this song does sum up my feelings.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Get That Girl" - Joe Jackson
Given that I'm not currently in "like" with anybody, I think a song about some guy finding me if he's "lucky" might be appropriate.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Radio Clash" - The Clash
Yep. My life is all about The Clash!! Not much more to say about this.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Patti Smith
"Stupid and contagious"? Not sure what to make of this aside from wanting to continually feel like I am in the process of growing up and finding myself.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Between the Wars" - Billy Bragg
"Mine is a faith in my fellow man". Once again, I'm not "in like" with anyone, but I currently have hope that I will meet someone.

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Flash's Theme - Queen.
I guess my parents think I will "save the universe". Or that they want to blow up a planet.

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" - The Who
This is a great idea! The marriage of Lue to ? with music by The Who. That sounds like my kind of wedding.

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb - Spoon
Kind of a weird good-bye song. I'd prefer "Fire and Loss" by Lou Reed for a funeral song.

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Homeless" - Paul Simon
I thought this song did speak about my interest in paleoanthropology because it made me instantly think of South Africa which is where the first Australopithecine fossil was found (Taung child by Raymond Dart).

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"What's Your Favorite Color" - Living Color
I think that most people know what my favorite color is and that I don't really have that many secrets.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Another Brick in the Wall (Part 3) - Pink Floyd
"I don't need your arms around me/I don't need your drugs to calm me". I have tried to live my life without feeling dependent upon people as I have been bitterly disappointed by unreliable friends in the past. Ultimately, I do need my friends and feel that it's okay.

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
"Haul on the Bowline" - Bob Neuwirth
This song is from the Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys. I don't think there's any thing bad about being at sea.

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
"Happy Together" - The Jam
Ahhhhh. That's reassuring.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
"Helen of Troy" - Robert Planet
"The world is waiting there for you". Yeah? It's still waiting. I just need to take a nap and then I'll get to it, okay?

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
"Every Little Bit Hurts" - The Jam
I do enjoy some schadenfreude now and then.

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
"Steam (live)" - Peter Gabriel
"Can't you see I've lost control". Nuff said.

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
"Mast Nazron Se Allah Bachae" - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
I'm going to cling to the fact the song is off the Devotional and Love Songs cd and believe this means I will. I really don't know what else to make of this.


WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
"Happy Just the Way We Are" - The Simpsons
What if this is it for me? That thought terrifies me.

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
"Union Strike Folks Song (Parts 1 & 2) - The Simpsons
I guess they're all out on strike. Maybe management (me) needs to do some contract negotiations soon.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
"English Civil War (live)" - The Clash
I would definitely go back in time and see The Clash play live. You betcha!!

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
"Never Said" - Liz Phair
"So don't look at me sideways/Don't even look me straight on/And don't look at my hands in my pockets, baby/I ain't done anything wrong". It hurts to feel like people are judging me.

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"The Man's Too Strong" - Dire Straits

Sort of:



I would have loved to have been in that crowd, singing along.

I conferred with Joe Nerdo and there is also a dearth of Santa packages at her house. Maybe it's just the short people that are getting short shrift. I think that we elves need to go on strike!!

I picked up a parcel from my father at the bus depot yesterday. Inside were gifts for my brother and I. My brother is receiving gifts from my mom, my dad and Santa. I am receiving gifts from my mom and my dad. I guess I was on the naughty list this year.

My tree was decorated last night by Lisa, Bart, and Maggie. Goalie Joe helped a bit while Joe Coffee was doing a coffee/alcohol/sushi run. It was a fun night and the tree looks beautiful. I pretty much bought all new ornaments this year and, even though I'm a little broke now, it was definitely worth the expense. I've also made five batches of cookies (one for my friends daughter who is in the hospital) and have two more that I want to make before I feel like I'm done. My shopping is all done and I've started wrapping gifts and putting them under my tree. I have purchased a number of gifts for myself and they are being wrapped and placed under the tree. I'm going to tag them as being from some of my family members that I don't believe will be sending presents. Now there 11 more days and I have a few other things I want to do and I'm not feeling tired of the holiday. Perhaps this embracing the season was a good idea.

I started writing this blog for personal reasons and have kept it up my need to express myself is being fulfilled. However, knowing people who are active members of the social media make me sometimes a bit envious that they are known for their blogs. It's a silly thing as I have consistently resisted becoming a writer by profession and being part of the social media means that you are earning your living by writing. Still, I read their blogs and find out what kind of perks they get and think "I could do that".

Today has not been a good day. For some reason it really started hitting me that I won't be celebrating the holiday season with Joe Louis this year. So far I've successfully pushed the thought to the farthest recess of my mind. But POW it hit me out of the blue today and I couldn't shake intense sadness that came with it. I'm trying to be gentle with myself as I know that I've come a long way in the past year and that this will pass.

Besides, I haven't bailed on the lavalife thing and have actually messaged one dude a couple of time.

Your Spiritual Number is Eight

You bring inspiration and success into people's lives. You understand how the world works, and you have a knack for money. Right now, your life is all about goals and progress. This is nothing new though - you're always moving forward. You have a lot of perspective in life. You are able to remove your emotions and see the big picture. You usually bet right in life. You have are intuitive and win often.

But who is bringing inspiration and success to my life?

I'm heading out to see The English Beat with Joe Tunes and his lovely wife. I've prepped with 3 oz of bourbon, 1 1/2 cups of coffee, 2 pieces of pizza and a head full of tunes. Bring on my younger ska driven days. Woo hoo!!!!

Later ----

So, the concert was fabulous even though I'm not sure if you could actually call Dave Walking and four musicians The English Beat. I managed to dance the whole time without worrying that my knees were going to give out. However, when the slamming started, instead of kicking my knees higher and throwing my elbows and body around I found myself picking up a bottle off the floor out of concern for people's safety.

But, tonight, for the first time in a long time I felt fully like the self I remember being before depression started strangling my life over 10 years ago and I don't want to lose this feeling.

Even though I was willing to bet money on it, I'm still pissed that my sister forgot my birthday. It's not like she couldn't take two minutes, turn on the computer and send me a message via facebook.