Sunday Songs: Richard Marx/Baltimora

This week's grouping is random for sure, but also enjoyable.

SAD: Richard Marx- Right Here Waiting

My most vivid memory of Richard Marx is how I seemed to be the only person in my 4th grade class who even knew he existed.  We were at some kind of assembly, and I mentioned this very song and the girls I was sitting with (who could be be described as my frenemies for the school year) acted as though he was my imaginary friend.  I was never the type to have an imaginary friend (or even use a different name during games), but if I was, I would NOT have created Richard Marx.  For one thing, he must have been at least 26 by that point.  Also, he always seems so depressed!  

Maybe he and Bonnie Raitt should have gotten together . . . on second thought, Bonnie was way too realistic for him.  At least she knows she can't make someone love her if they don't and can't make their heart beat something it won't.

This is the kind of song that will forever be playing on Delilah's radio show.  If you don't have the pleasure of having Delilah broadcasting in your area, you may have someone else that hosts a show where people can call in and talk about how tonight is their 11th wedding anniversary and request a special song be played for their lady.  Then Delilah will play "A Whole New World" from Aladdin.  

It should be completely obvious by this point that this song is nothing but sad.

(I just have to mention that the site that I referenced the lyrics on for this song says that almost 600,000 people have used the site to read these lyrics in little over a year.  Yeah, that sounds totally accurate.)

HAPPY: Baltimora- Tarzan Boy

By contrast, this song isn't anything but happy!  I can't really remember hearing it when it came out, though I am sure I did.  Perhaps I heard it on my one lone visit to Chuck E. Cheese for a birthday party as I wiped the pooled grease off of my pizza or first heard the Pop Rocks and Coke myth from someone's older sister.  It is nothing if not the sort of song that will make children go crazy and jump up and down.  It would be the perfect soundtrack for a toy run:

I have a lot of residual jealousy towards this kid.

Wanderlust: Asheville, NC

Last weekend, I took an awesome trip to Asheville, NC.  Here are a couple of pictures of the fun!

Mini-cupcakes from Short Street Cakes

 

some shots from the trolley Ghost Tour 

Mt. Mitchell on the Blue Ridge Parkway

(I'll be back later with a Souvenir Stash post with my new goods!)

Wednesday Wants: IAdornU Arrow Bracelet

Wednesday Wants is starting to become an expensive feature on my blog!  Most of the time, it seems that I end up buying the object in question.  In this case, it's already on its way to me.

I saw this adorable bracelet from iadornu on Amy's blog and immediately fell in love.  The last bracelet I wore with any frequency was probably sloppily braided by a ten year old back in the day a slap bracelet, but I could see myself wearing this one all the time.  Now I can't wait to wear it with everything! :)

(Photo via Etsy)

Try it Tuesday: Andrea Zuill's free patterns

When I had a simple surgery a few years ago that would keep me off my feet for a bit, I decided to jump into a new habit and do some hand embroidery.  I had always loved hand sewing, but usually what I was doing was something like securing my Vandals patch to my backpack.

I quickly got hooked on embroidery and was always on the prowl for new designs. 

Andrea Zuill's Badbird's blog was instantly my favorite place for free patterns!  I love her quirky drawings!

Here are my versions of some of my favorite patterns by Andrea Zuill.  I can't wait to try another one!

(Sorry for the quality, or lack thereof, of these images.  They were taken quite some time ago just to document my embroidery.)

Sunday Songs: Laura Branigan and 50th Post Celebration Edition

Today's Sunday Songs is not only the Laura Branigan edition by special request, but my 50th blog post!

SAD: Laura Branigan- Gloria

I'm so confused about this one.  Laura Branigan is presenting this is such a gleeful manner and the words are so...something.  Saying "I think they got your number, I think they got the alias that you've been livin' under" seems to be a classier way to call someone trash. Laura seems to think that Gloria is a desperate woman who needs to learn to value herself.  She also suggests that Gloria hears voices and is "headed for a breakdown" . . . and she does it in such a happy way!  Gloria must totally be her enemy. 

I'm sure quite some time ago as a little kid that didn't understand lyrics, I may have danced around to this song while getting ready for Halloween or something.  It has such a happy tone and Laura is wearing such a happy sequiny thing, but it is so,so sad.

HAPPY: Laura Branigan- Self Control

Laura Branigan sure has a funny way of showing her emotions.  Above she happily tears into poor, trashy Gloria and here she is all morose about being in love with someone.  Confusion reigns!

Speaking of confusion reigning, have you seen this video?!  There is no other way to describe it other than "absolutely insane."  There's some kind of masked swingers dance club with an aluminum foil floor and that's one of the least weird things. 

I think this song is happy because it reminds me of a time where all the clothes in the front of DEB were hung on these weird chains made of rings that hung from the ceiling.  It was like walking through a forest of '80s fashion.  If we're talking about something that could have actually happened while I heard this song, then I could have been hiding under one of the racks of stir-up pants in the back with my sister. 

With this particular selection, I prefer to imagine that this is a song that the DEB salesgirl liked to listen to as she counted the lace headbands in preparation for inventory at closing time on a Thursday night in November.  She's thinking about some guy she likes that she met at a bar while the theme from "St. Elmo's Fire" was playing, and that song could make anyone get carried away with their feelings.  She's going to go home and call him from the princess phone underneath her "Electric Youth" poster and on top of her black and mirrored laquer  light wood wicker nightstand. Maybe they can get an Orange Julius on her break tomorrow night.

Wednesday Wants: Tugboat Print Shop

 

Tugboat Print Shop does such beautiful work!  Unfortunately, the print above is from an edition that is sold out, but it has been on my favorites list for years now!

                                                 

 The work is mostly hand carved woodblock prints.  So gorgeous!

(Photos via Etsy)

Try it Tuesday: Martha Stewart's Key Lime Pie

I've been experimenting a lot with food lately, so it's only fitting that those recipes trickle into Try it Tuesday!

I am a huge fan of Martha Stewart's recipes, so I was excited when a friend who was visiting last weekend chose key lime pie as his belated birthday cake.

It was a learning experience.  I had certainly eaten key lime pie before, but I didn't stop to consider that key limes are actually a different kind of lime.  Tiny, tiny limes!  

  Testing my hand strength by attempting to get a half a cup of lime juice out of these guys has prompted me to look for one of those manual juicers!

Do yourself a favor if you try this recipe and grate the lime zest before you cut up the limes and squeeze all the juice out!  It's not very easy to get grated lime zest from a squished up pile of lime bits.

Yes, I cheated and used a pre-made pie crust.  Shhh!  Don't tell Martha!

This pie was a huge hit!  Once I get that juicing apparatus I will have to make it again!