Guest DJ: Martini Mom

So…in this Episode, I’d like to expound a bit on a subject that I believe needs more elucidation, entitled:

Just How Easy is it to Submit a Shuffle?

Now, I know that many of you are just itching to be Guest DJs…but you’re thinking

“Well, I don’t know Ri or any of the people who normally post over there – I’m not sending anything in!”

(…or some other such nonsense.)  Now, no – don’t shake your head – you know I’m right.  So, what do you do?  You stay mum, and make ME do all the hard work.  Yes, I realize it’s my blog and I’m supposed to do the work, but I’ve already told you that I’m inherently lazy…were you not paying attention?  So, you see, you’re really doing me a disservice by NOT sending your shuffles.  *sigh*  (I’ll be alright, but I can’t say I’m not just a smidge wounded.  *sniff, sniff, back of hand to forehead, clutching pearls…*heavy sigh*)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enter today’s Guest DJ:  Martini Mom.  She’s one of those sweet, wonderful, surprising gifts sent floating down from Mt. Olympus on gossamer wings, and she shall be my co-star in today’s vignette.

Now, let it be clearly understood that I did not know Martini Mom or her blog from a canned ham on the shelf at Safeway before the early hours of this Wednesday morning past.  When I crawled from my bed -  bleary eyed and weary from the constant pressure of shuffle solicitation…*sigh* – and made my way to my desk, coffee in hand and fuzzy kitty slippers on the wrong feet, I  was surprised and delighted to see the following missive awaiting me:

From:

Martini Mom

Message:

Ooh! Pick me! Pick me!

Hi Ri,

I am Martini Mom (kbhotmama.blogspot.com), and this is my shuffle:

1. Take On Me by A.C. Newman

This song falls into that rare category of Covers That Don’t Totally Suck.

2. Saturday Waits by Loney, Dear

I think I first ran across Loney, Dear at threeimaginarygirls.com, and I liked him very much despite that annoying comma in his name.  He’s reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens, but Nordic. Maybe that explains the comma.

3. Billie Holiday by Warpaint

This song is deliciously haunting, and I must give a shout out to my favorite music blog of all time, aurgasm.us, for introducing me. Also, I must confess that it took me far too long to realize what they were spelling. Far. Too. Long.

4. Rains on Me by Tom Waits

Tom Waits cycles through the shuffle on my iPod WAY too often to be random. I think my iPod has a crush.

5. Leave Me (Like You Found Me) by Wilco

I once had a dream that Jeff Tweedy and I were related through our dogs. Family reunions don’t get more awesome than that.

6. Blue by Cat Power

Cat Power makes the perfect music for those sad, break-upy kind of nights.

7. Don’t Let Me Down by The Beatles

Uh, it’s The Beatles. ‘Nuff said.

8. Goodbye California by Jolie Holland

Shortly after I met my boyfriend (but before we were dating) we discovered that we shared a mutual love of Jolie Holland. More accurately, I thought her latest album was pretty good; HE loved her.  A lot. Like, waxed poetic about her. They’re both from Texas and I thought he must’ve dated her at some point. Turns out they didn’t date, but he was a groupie for a while. It was a very long time before I could listen to Jolie without getting jealous. Now I can’t listen without chuckling at myself.

9. Endless Shovel by Rogue Wave

Rogue Wave is one of those bands that sounds as good live as they do recorded. And they take turns playing different instruments. This led me to refer to them excitedly as “switch hitters,” but then I realized that everyone thought I was suggesting that the entire band was bisexual.

10. Pink Bullets by The Shins

To me, The Shins sound like freedom. Glorious, sunny, beautiful freedom. This is most definitely a side-effect of listening to them almost exclusively while I was going through my divorce.

*****

I’ve spent the past 6 years as a single mom to my son. For the last 2 years, I’ve been in a very long distance relationship (Seattle to Dallas). A little over a month ago, my boyfriend moved to Seattle and moved in to my place. So I write a lot about parenting and dating, like here:

http://kbhotmama.blogspot.com/2009/09/when-are-you-no-longer-single-mom.html.

Sometimes I vent, like here:

http://kbhotmama.blogspot.com/2009/08/enticing-men-to-fornicate.html.

And sometimes I waggle bits of my silly psyche, like here:

http://kbhotmama.blogspot.com/2008/09/psychoanalyze-this.html.

Hope you enjoy.

Martini Mom

Well, to say that the clouds parted, the sun shone brightly and choirs of imaginary James Brown impersonators broke into a rousing rendition of “I Feel Good” would not be an overzealous description of the excitement I felt at that moment.  So, without hesitating a nanosecond, I fired off this note in return:

On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 4:59 AM, Music Savvy Mom Blog <musicsavvymom@gmail.com> wrote:

Okay, know what?  I officially love you.  I’m forty two, so clearly old enough to be your very hip big sister – consider yourself adopted.

The Tom Waits, Wilco and Cat Power trio in the middle there was enough, but then that first post with the photos of adorableness did me in, dude.

Since you are obviously the awesome, and have giftwrapped a perfect post for me…what say we throw caution/planning/schedules to the wind and run this day after tomorrow?  (‘Cause I’m devil-may-care like that. )

I’ll let you know for sure tomorrow night, but SOOOO glad you contacted me.  YAY for new bloggy buddies!!

Xoxo
Ri

Annnnnnd, SCENE.

That’s it.  It’s JUST that easy.  I don’t bite, nor will I pepper you with questions or make you do research.  One email and whammo – you go from canned ham to family.  Now, honestly – THAT is an offer you just CANNOT refuse!!

So, no more deliberating.  Grab your iPod/Zune/iTunes/Music Library and shuffle it.  Go to “The DJ” page, type the list and a note into the Contact Form and hit send.  Share the love – share the music!

But first – listen to this Shufflefull of Hip Coolness,  and then go check out those hilarious posts over at Martini Mom’s.  Tell her Big Sis says hey.