One of my favorite holiday songs.  Probably because you don't hear it all that often.  And it's so sad and poignant, much like Harry Chapin's Taxi & Sequel.  All make me cry. The songs about serendipitously running into a lost love and reconnecting and having to leave again...it just hits me hard. 

Met my old lover in the grocery store,
The snow was falling Christmas Eve.
I stole behind her in the frozen foods,
And I touched her on the sleeve.

She didn't recognize my face at first,
But then her eyes flew open wide.
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse,
And we laughed until we cried.

We took her groceries to the checkout stand,
The food was totaled up and bagged.
We stood there lost in our embarrassment,
As the conversation dragged.

We went to have ourselves a drink or two,
But couldn't find an open bar.
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store,
And we drank it in her car.

We drank a toast to innocence,
We drank a toast to now.
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness,
But neither one knew how.

She said she'd married her an architect,
Who kept her warm and safe and dry,
She would have liked to say she loved the man,
But she didn't like to lie.

I said the years had been a friend to her,
And that her eyes were still as blue.
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw,
Doubt or gratitude.

She said she saw me in the record stores,
And that I must be doing well.
I said the audience was heavenly,
But the traveling was hell.

We drank a toast to innocence,
We drank a toast to now.
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness,
But neither one knew how.
We drank a toast to innocence,
We drank a toast to time.
Reliving in our eloquence,
Another 'auld lang syne'......

The beer was empty and our tongues were tired,
And running out of things to say.
She gave a kiss to me as I got out,
And I watched her drive away.
Just for a moment I was back at school,
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home,
The snow turned into rain.
- Dan Fogelberg, “Same old Lang Syne”

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How are you spending New Year's Eve?

my messy desk

Well, since it's technically NYE now, I'm spending it not sleeping.  Which sucks and I don't know why I'm not.  However, if you're talking about the rest of the day...

Working during the day.  Until 5.  This is going to suck royally

Fresh salad

Then?  Taking care of the dogs.  And probably eating something myself. 

After that?  I have no idea.  Maybe a house party.  Maybe a bar.  Maybe just sitting home feeling bad for myself.  It will probably include alcohol of some sort, but not champagne; it gives me a headache.  I'm not overly fond of NYE - it's amateur night and things are too expensive. 

I'm melancholy at the moment.  And kinda grumpy.  Which may or may not be discussed in another post.

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I've been listening to Rabbit Fur Coat for awhile now, but I think this is the first time I really listened to this song.  It's beautiful.  The rest of the album is good, but not fabu.  I like their cover of Handle Me With Care though.

Are we killing time?
Are we killing each other?

It's bound to melt your heart,
One way or another.
It's bound to melt your heart,
For good or for bad.
It's like a valentine
From your mother.
It's bound to melt your heart.

When you're kissing someone
Who's too much like you,
It's like kissing on a mirror.
-Jenny Lewis (with the Watson Twins), "Melt Your Heart"

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What's the best photo you took this year?  Show and tell!

It's actually between 2 or 3, all for different reasons.

1)  Because it's tough to get a decent shot of yourself at this angle.  

Dinking around, take 3

Bella in the sun

Seven

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I've just discovered Band of Horses.  They're good.  Get a little too countryesque on some songs, but there are others (like this one) that I really like.

And take a little walk
When the worst is to come
When I saw you looking
Like I never thought.
And say you're at a loss or
Forgot that words can do more than harm.

The town is gonna talk,
But these people do not
See things through to the very minimal.
But what's it gonna cost to be gone?
If we see you like I hoped we never would?

When eyes can't look at you
Any other way...
- Band of Horses, "Detlef Schrempf"

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It was on the radio on my way back from getting my hair cut.  It's catchy and not all that annoying. 

She paints her nails and she don't know
He's got her best friend on the phone
She'll wash her hair.
His dirty clothes are all he gives to her.
And he's got posters on the wall
Of all the girls he wished she was
And he means everything to her.

Her boyfriend
He don't know
Anything about her
He's too stoned,
Nintendo
I wish that I could make her see
She's just the flavor of the week.
- American Hi-Fi, “Flavor of the Week”

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What's the best book you read this year?

Hmmm.  Interesting question. 

Water for Elephants: A Novel

The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic that Shaped Our History

The best new non-fiction book I've read is probably The American Plague, which talks about how yellow fever affected and changed the US after the Civil War. 

The best book I've read this year though?  I have no idea.  To be honest, until I see a book's cover or start to read it again, I have difficulty remembering what I've read. I read a lot, but unless someone reminds me of the plot, I couldn't tell you if I've read most books just by telling me the title. The 2 that I mention above I've read in the last 3 months, which is why I remember them.  I know, you're going to say, "But t.  You're a librarian, how can you not remember, or if you know you can't remember, why don't you write them down?"  Well, that would be way too easy.  I have tools at my disposal to help people find what they like to read.

Ah well, I did reread Outlander by Diana Galbaldon, whatever Harry Potter came out this year (hated it), a couple Cormac McCarthy novels (eh), several non-fictions (the most recent of which is Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters which is pretty interesting), a couple Carl Hiaasens (always good brain candy), reread Neuromancer.  Other than that, I have no idea.  Bad t.

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Well, I'm sitting in my new/old (old/new?) office and don't have my speakers set up for my iPod.  So I'm left with what's on my little laptop for music.  Luckily, it has lots of the stuff I've been listening to for the last year or so.  Course, now memories are flooding back.  There's also a smell (not bad, just an odor) in here that's bringing back lots of odd memories.  Strange as I haven't worked in this office since early 2005.  Ah well.  Maybe it's just the day.

That taste -
All I ever needed
All I ever wanted
Too dumb to surrender.

She shakes -
Like a morning railway.
She's checking me out
With someone on her shoulder.

The lamp -
Flickers in the bedroom.
She must feel as awkward.
Whorehouse Arizona

I go
Stand up to a giant;
Say that I'm a fighter;
Too drunk to remember.
Too drunk to

My face -
Lying on the pavement
Tastin' something awful.
I hate when that happens.

She waves
Thinking it's a sexy
She must be plum crazy.
I kinda think I like her.
I kinda think I do.
- Kings of Leon, "Arizona"

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Show us how you keep yourself entertained.

ahahahahahahahaha.  yeah. right. 
Nice try.
Did you really think that would work?

I'll just leave it to the imagination, thankyewverymuch.

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What's the best gift you received this year?

Money for You

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