I Am in Love!

With NYC!!!!!
And Jason

Tell all your single friends, drive it like you stole it.

XO, JamieSmitten

Weekend Meditations

• Too many margaritas affect my balance negatively
• I look pretty hot with a purple eye
• My knee, although bruised in all new ways, is freaking tough
• Letting your friends pick their ringtones is a great idea
• Picking your own ringtones while intoxicated is a bad idea
• Shots are expensive
• Missing bras are often found under seat cushions at the least opportune time

Tell all your single friends, older, certainly no wiser.

XO, JamieSmitten

How Conveeeeeeeeenient!

I just realized that I can hold my ice cold screwdriver against my sore knee and then I don't have to go get an ice pack!

Yes, the knee is jacked up again. Combo of KYA Boot Camp and kneeling, if you get my drift.

The screwdriver is tasty and I highly recommend the Richmond-produced Cirrus Vodka.

There -- two tips! And one salacious tidbit.

Tell all your single friends, whatever it takes.......


XO, JamieSmitten

Life Is Not Fair

Some king cab truck that is literally TWICE the length of my economical Mazda has been parked at the median ALL NIGHT.

No uniformed cop and inspector gadget asshat policeman are standing there handing out tickets. Or towing.

I'm being targeted, I tell you.

The universe is exacting payment for finally providing a steady flow of sex.

Tell all your single friends, $40 is a bargain for what I've been getting.


XO, JamieSmitten

I'm a Hot Dumb Ass!

I have lived in the city of Richmond for fourteen years and I have never had a parking ticket. I've had a parking ticket in DC, but never in Richmond. Until last night.

I came home from work and took Boom for a walk as usual. I had several errands to run, so I went back out. Dog treats, leg wax strips, eye drops, banana bread ingredients, and a pedicure. So when I got home at 7:45 in flip-flops with tons of bags and couldn't find a parking spot on the street in the immediate 2 blocks, I pulled up to the median to unload.

Note -- everybody in the neighborhood has done this once or twice to unload a car. We live in a small shopping district with a theater and restaurants, so evening parking can be difficult. In fact, during last weekend's French Film Festival, there were TWO cars parked where I parked for the entire day. No tickets.

I had every intention of moving my car onto the street as soon as a spot opened. But then I made some dinner (stir fried rice, and arugula/spinach mix with sprouts and lemon gorgonzola dressing, thanks for asking) and started watching ER. I mean this is the end of 15 years of ER, it is understandable that I was distracted from watching the road.

Then Neighbor John calls around 11 and says, "Is that your car parked at the median?" To which I replied, "Oh crap! I totally forgot to move it!" His response was, "Well you might want to get out there because there are 2 cop cars by it." So I go running outside in my pedicure flipflops (O.P.I. Blue My Mind, thanks for noticing), saying apologetically, "OHMYGOSH I TOTALLY fell asleep on the couch! I'm so sorry, I had a ton of bags to carry in, I'll move it right now."

Response of the uniformed officer? "I've got something for you," and hands me a ticket. They both walk away and the plainclothed officer (a dead ringer for Inspector Gadget in his tightly belted trencoat) offers over his shoulder, "You're lucky that I can still cancel the tow."

So I got in my car and turned the radio up to cover the expletives I was bestowing upon these two inflexible asshats and moved my car.

I get to pay a $40 ticket for being a forgetful dumb ass.

Today, I was walking through the grocery store getting the baking ingredients I forgot the previous night and as I rounded the corner, passed a man with a small kid in the cart. He literally did a double take. It was text book. He could give lessons in double take. So I looked at him a second longer than I would ordinarily have to see if he looked familiar. He didn't.

He started to look familiar because I passed him three more times while collecting the 7 items I was purchasing (13 if you count the apples individually, thanks for clarifying). When I was paying, he walked slowly by with his groceries, eyeing me the whole time. He wasn't overly creepy looking, but the eye contact was getting to be a bit much. After paying, I headed for the other exit just to be on the safe side.

Nope, he was lingering, so as I finally made it to my car, he rolls by slowly with the window down and hisses, "Niiiiiiccccccceeeeee."

So there you have it. I'm not reliably bright, but I am noticeably hot. At least to supermarket stalkers.

Tell all your single friends, parking tickets suck. Even for hot people.


XO, JamieSmitten

My Small Contribution

My tissue-typing kit arrived today. I rubbed four swabs on four sections of my inner cheeks (swallow first!) and stuck them in a foam holder. One bio hazard label later and my results are ready for the post office.

In about six weeks, my marrow particulars will be added to the National Marrow Donor Program® Registry.

Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to save somebody as special as Amanda.

Tell all your single friends, find out more at www.marrow.org


XO, JamieSmitten

Requiescat In Pace

My friend Amanda left this realm last night. She battled AML like the true zombie fighter she was and I am completely at a loss.

What I do know is that Amanda was a very special person to many, many people and that she will be laughing with me whenever I read a scathingly witty blog or hear somebody using nail clippers at work.

This life is a short ride. Find the sweetness and surround yourself with the people who matter.

Amanda mattered.

There is a wonderful tribute at Pajiba to Amanda.

Boy, Are YOU Behind!

Despite my lack of posting which might have made you think nothing was going on, something has been going on. Something has definitely been going on.

Here are some things you have missed in no particular order which may or may not get more detail in future posts:

• New couch is in the living room! Long live the 35 year old predecessor -- which has already been cannibalized in the alley.
• I wii-ed for the first time! I'm aces at trivia and fairly sucky at obstacle courses while riding a yak.
• I SAW MORRISSEY. You'll hear more about that. And the fact that he -- JUST LIKE ME -- has to keep pulling up his jeans because he's a no ass having hottie.
• Boom's knee is a little better. Trying to hop on the new couch isn't helping.
• I've been sucked back into several reality shows and yes, I hate myself.
• I learned that KYA Boot Camp wall squats are the BEST preparation a girl can have for balancing in nasty portajohns.
• I learned the previous lesson because I never learn that Church Hill Irish Festival Guinness and Harp drinking requires pacing and a large bladder.
• I've had sex 3 days in a row. You'll definitely hear more about that.

On that note, I'm going upstairs to extend this unprecedented string of damn fine cardio.

Tell all your single friends, Sex is just as fabulous as Smitten remembered!

XO, JamieSmitten

From Britain With Love

[Shuffleathon is a delightful cd exchange administered handily by SwissToni. You send a cd, you get a cd -- all very random and sometimes anonymous. Kind of like music safe sex. These people know music, so it is a darn shame that they might end up with a cd from me.]

I received my Shuffleathon 2008 cd in the mail at least well over a month ago. I swore I wouldn't spoil the surprise by reading the track listing, but I did. First glance was a big hooray -- some familiar, some that probably should be familiar, and some totally new (to me) songs.


The only thing I didn't know was who made it -- as the post-it only stated it was from the "Shuffleathon Pixie." I pictured tights and was a little bit scared. There was a lovely polaroid picture in the case and I'm properly set for my British musical extravaganza to begin.


Since I have a 25 minute drive to work, I do most of my uninterrupted cd listening in the car. I've been listening to this cd for several weeks now and I really enjoy it. Even the songs that didn't initially interest me have become familiar and listenable. Details? Read on.


1. Intro - a few audio snippets to set the mood. She adored London...Yes, London...Mary Fucking Poppins, London! The male voice sounds a bit like Denis Leary?

2. My Year in Lists by Los Campesinos I cherish with fondness the day before I met you. It seemed like the name of a band I read about in Entertainment Weekly and thought, "that might be worth checking out," and then never did. It is a chipper and cheeky song and I quite enjoy singing along. Lots of high hat and tinkly instruments -- but don't let that scare you off. Good start.

3. Nightlife by Kenickie No I don't want to see you, friend, but thanks for asking. Another upbeat tune, happily for me. Grrl power, in a dance-ish sort of way. It was quite surprised when I looked them up and found out this song is from 1997. Sounds current to me. Thumbs up.

4. A British Bank by David Tomlinson and Julie Andrews Children should be molded, shaped and taught, that life's a looming battle to be faced and fought. Yes -- THAT Julie Andrews. An interlude from Mary Poppins. In keeping with the London theme and fine by me as it reminds me of seeing the movie with my goddaughter. O.K., I do sometimes fast forward past this track, but I leave it on just as often. Points for wit.

5. For Tomorrow by Blur She's a twentieth century girl, hanging on for dear life. The only Blur album I have ever owned was Parklife and listening to this track, I can't for the life of me justify not having bought another. Excellent song. Going directly to record store two blocks away to rummage through used cds and fill this now glaring gap in my collection. Ta!

6. School Song by Black Box Recorder Destroy your record collection, it's for your own protection. This is why Shuffleathon is so great -- I would probably have never stumbled across Black Box Recorder if left to my own devices. I didn't expect to like it, but I really do. And I definitely heard a variation on, "and what on earth is that you're wearing? this is an educational establishment, not a nightclub," when I was in high school. Definite singalong song.

7. Come Home Billy Bird by The Divine Comedy A bunch of Belgian businessmen and a strange drinking game, oh god why? I enjoyed the story of a trip from hell (given my recent Utah experience), but even after repeated play, I can't get past the annoying chorus of female whispersinging. I don't hate it, I just don't need it.

8. Sheila by Jamie T She didn't like thugs, but at the same time understood, fellas will be fellas 'til the end of time. English men like to send me this song. SwissToni included it on his consolation Shuffleathon 2007 cd and I liked it immediately. Happy to have it again. You can rarely go wrong with a Jamie in the mix.

9. Long Hot Summer (Pts. 1 & 2) by Helen Love You know the long hot summer won't pass me by. There is no way I wouldn't love a song that name drops The Undertones, The Ramones, and The Buzzcocks in the first thirty seconds. I literally can't wait to drive around in the summer heat with this song cranked loudly. This summer is going to be FANTASTIC!

10. Modern Art by Art Brut Modern Art makes me want to rock out! Well I never thought to put it that way, but sure, o.k.! I had to grab the cd case when this came on because I thought, "How did I miss The Pursuit of Happiness when I scanned the list of songs?" While this song does remind me of "I'm An Adult Now," it stands up just fine on its own. Art Brut is one of those bands I keep meaning to get around to checking out, but now I'm afraid the rest of the songs won't be good and modern arty like this one.

11. Bluebells by Patrick Wolf I fell off the wagon, into your arms. I really like the urgency of this song, but those damn whistling bombs which keep dropping in the background make me wish I knew someone who could strip that track off. I just sing more loudly and try not to have the Gap Band "You Dropped the Bomb on Me" flashbacks. I have no idea who Patrick Wolf is, but his voice is lovely.

12. Tacky Love Song by Credit to the Nation This is the way that the story goes, when you find love, the harmony grows. Another song from 10 years ago -- starting to wonder if the cd author did some reading on my blog and decided I was old and I needed some old songs. Doesn't do much for me, but a month into rotation, I do sing along with bits of it. No harm there.

13. It's Getting Boring by the Sea by Blood Red Shoes Oh no, no no no no, can't escape anything in this town. Now this is more like it! Love the speed of this song -- sounds a bit like Shirley Manson singing -- and the blisters, blisters, blisters refrain makes me think of another song I like a lot--Bandages by Hot Hot Heat. I would definitely see this band in concert - and Myspace informs me that they are touring, but not here, damn it.

14. London by The Pet Shop Boys what do you expect from us, we come from abroad. Can't mistake Neil Tennant. I'm exceedingly grateful that sticking to the London/GB theme did not mean the inclusion of West End Girls. That's one Pet Shop Boys song that I need never hear again. Haven't listened to these guys since university, so nice to be reminded that there was more than the afore-mentioned crap song.

[Starting to feel guilty because my cd recipient only got 12 songs. And there wasn't much of a theme. And she was great about it anyway.]

15. Paris by Friendly Fires one day we're going to live in Paris, I promise, I'm on it. Bring it on! Love the sentiment and the earnestness of the chorus which gives way to the chilled out synth verses. This is as techno as I wish to get and it totally works for me.

16. I Can't Speak French by Girls Aloud I can't speak french, so I'll let the funky music do the talking. Oh dear. Is this the Pussycat Dolls? Nope, Girls Aloud -- a manufactured girl band from the UK. Yes, I now sing along with the chorus (even though I can speak french) because it contains that pop music anesthetic that after repeated listenings, makes you just obey and sing along. Argh. Let's move on.

17. American English by Idlewild then you contract the American dream, you never look up once. I'm a bit disappointed, honestly, as I thought Idlewild was one of those bands that I would like, having read the occasional review. It could be suffering from being stuck between the songs by the fake bands bands with singers instead of musicians. Not remotely memorable, but not painful either. I am probably too lazy to go find out if the rest of their work is more to my taste, but maybe I'm not.

18. Greatest Day by Take That Before we run out of time. Oh dear. The name sounded familiar and a quick Google reminded me why. This is from whence Robbie Williams came. Although this is apparently the post-Robbie brand new single. Not for me. I love boys in bands, just not boy bands. Next!

19. It's Grim Up North by The JAMs Sheffield, Manchester, Castleford...are all in the North. Back to some more acid house (?) type stuff. Not my genre, but quite a geography lesson with the recitation of towns that are, no coincidence, all in the North. Decent music for driving and usually makes me wonder how many of those towns I could visit on a trip. Although with the grimness and all, maybe this isn't supposed to be a travelogue?

20. Life in a Northern Town by Dream Academy and everyone else came down to listen. Totally dating myself here, but this song was played by many of my univeristy friends in their dorm rooms. I never borrowed the cassette (ooh! Smitten IS old!), but I always liked the song. I had totally forgotten about the screaming after the Beatles reference. Nice memory and turns out to be a good segue into the final song.

21. One Day Like This by Elbow cause holy cow, I love your eyes, and only now I see the light. Now I was really hoping to like this song when I saw Elbow on the tracklist as SwissToni has sung their praises in numerous posts. It starts off with some pretty, swelling orchestration and I think it is going to be too somber. But it turns out to be an anthem of hope or at least that is my take. Good. I've enjoyed Elbow. I'll seek out more.

So there you go. I feel well done by and send my thanks (and apologies for slackness in reviewing) to ... Delrico Bandito! (When I imported the album into my laptop, the true identity of the Shuffleathon Pixie was revealed.) I've checked out his blog and he has loads of music stuff, so clearly, he is a bit of a professional when it comes to cd making. Hooray for me!

Tell all your single friends, try it -- you'll 95% like it!

XO, JamieSmitten

Real Text Messages on My Phone

SENT:



How did the big ziti smackdown go?



Requirements gathering. I had a hard time wondering why anyone would care.



I do love it! Just didn't recall talking about it.



I knew she'd go there, smoking & all



She's the bad karma express



I'm not sure I would call that MY eureka moment



Tragically bad. Did yr feet get some action?



Received:



Having raisin toast for breakfast and thinking of you!



Snow is as deep as a gnome's chin! Ha!



She's so weird. so very weird. and quite the bus-thrower-under.



Wanna bail 2morrow?



and nothing helps? drugs heat chocolate?



Read'n about buttery nipples while I eat lunch, whatCHOO doing?



it wasn't my ass, it was my thighs!



Tell all your single friends, who are you calling a twitter?





XO, JamieSmitten

The Things You Hear

On the phone tonight, the Rev said:

It must be the hoar frost that keeps me young

That just sounds funny.

Tell all your single friends, it only sounds like it should be spelled w-h-o-r-e.

XO, JamieSmitten

Photo from http://www.maryedwardsphotography.com

I've Got Spirit, Yes I Do!

DELTA SPIRIT!

Totally worth the drive to Charlottesville last night. And that hand that touched Dave Wakeling? It has now been held in a two hand clasp by Matt Vasquez, lead hottie for Delta Spirit.





Concert-o-rama 2009 is a freaking success -- and only 2 months in! Best idea I've had in years.



It was a quick drive there with plenty of time to reflect on how nice it was to be on the road -- even if for only 70 miles -- and how glad I was to not be trying to make conversation with couch guy. I had a cup of coffee just in case my body started to rebel, having obediently done 150 lunges at Boot Camp at 5:30 that morning. [Yes, Jeifer, I was counting.]



Mapquest actually provided decent directions to the downtown mall and I took the lazy route and parked in a lot. I really should have parked on the street and spent that $8 on beer, but single woman safety first, right? Short walk across the street and $10 at the door and I'm just in time to order a beer and get a good spot for the opening act.



The Gravity Lounge has a great beer selection, so I started with a Maudite. It just appeals to the french major in me. Plus it has enough % to get the party started. It is an odd little venue -- a bookstore with a stage and beer. Decent enough acoustics although the low ceiling made me really hope there would be no pyrotechnics in the show. I identified all exits just in case.



Dawes was the first band. 4 guys and some excellent songwriting from California. A little more mellow than I usually listen to, but the live show sold me. Nice guitar work and some propulsive drumming, especially on When My Time Comes. I bought the cd and I'm not sorry. These boys make commercial radio crap like The Fray sound overproduced and amateurish. Up with Dawes!!



The second band was Other Lives. They were decent, but didn't hook me. So I used my time wisely by visiting the facilities, checking out the C-ville hipsters, and buying a Magic Hat #9. My beer cap said "It's Good to be Queen." Felt like career advice to me. Duly noted.



The place started to get more crowded and everyone who had been sitting on the floor got up and prepared to feel the spirit. A short equipment change later and we were ready to go.



Delta Spirit took the stage to some polite applause and proceeded to get things moving. Now I'd love to tell you that I remember every song and in which order they made me shake my ass, but gosh, I don't. I liked them all though. They definitely played my favorites from the radio and Letterman Show: People C'Mon, Trashcan, and Streetwalker.



My love is coming I can barely hardly wait

My heart is thumping I can feel it more with every beat

My love is coming I can barely hardly wait around



Mmmmm -- yessssssss. The place is so small that every drum thump or trashcan lid crash (more pleasant than you would think) hit me in the chest with a pleasing vibration. It was definitely a hipster crowd, so those of us dancing to the hypnotic beat were in the minority, but everyone seemed to get it -- the infectious joy of musicians playing together perfectly.



If you're feeling what I'm feeling c'mon

All you soul searching people c'mon



It should have been a sell out and it should have been in a bigger place. Fortunately, this will happen. We just need to spread the word.



The drive home was fairly uneventful, except for the empty gas tank light coming on 20 miles from home. So I stopped at Sheetz (brightly lit for single woman safety --check!) where I learned 2 new things. 1> You can't buy lottery tickets between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. 2> Pumping gas is quite delightful when the muzak playing over the tinny speakers is Rod Stewart singing "If Ya Want My Body."



Tell all your single friends, support independent music and buy Ode To Sunshine by Delta Spirit. You will not be sorry





XO, JamieSmitten

Step 1

We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable

I've already consumed TWO and Easter is still two months away. Cadbury should sponsor a 12 step recovery program. I can't be the only one who needs help.

Tell all your single friends, only 5 mg of cholesterol in each creamy oeuf!

XO, JamieSmitten

Nine Days Sober......Not!

Where to begin? With Gilligan and Stripey? With bacon wrapped around dates? With a strange (albeit cute) man on my couch?

We'll start where all good stories start. With the buttery nipples.

Actually, I probably need to give a little background. When I first moved to Richmond, I lived with a bunch of people. It was kind of like having the entire cast of Friends living in one apartment. But break-ups happen, people buy houses, and suddenly the (not even yet contemplating a career as a) Rev and I were on our own -- with a $1000 rent payment. So we advertised and interviewed for potential roommates. I was leaning towards the young, impressionable boys from VCU -- hopefully with a steady stream of equally impressionable friends.

But then we interviewed M. M stood out during her interview because she brought a peppy friend and tried to stab me with a knife. O.K. it was some sort of sleight of hand trick, but the knife did point at and then touch my stomach. Anywho, with this type of entrance, how could we resist? So M moved in with her owl and all was well on Stuart Ave. Peppy girl became DFF, so there you have the players.

Friday night, M came to town and DFF left the West End and we essentially recreated a night from our first year of acquaintance. Some of the trappings are different -- we buy more expensive beer now, we snack on hummus instead of chips, we wear clothes that don't need to be drycleaned to get the smoky bar smell out. But the essentials? That remains the same. We do the girly stuff like use hairspray and assure each other that we are in fact, quite hot -- no "still" about it. We listen to music, we catch up, and we drink buttery nipples.

Well lubricated, we walked over to the bar -- the same bar we always used to go to -- to see a group we always used to see. It was kind of dead at first but it picked up. Helped in no small part by my commitment to dancing, even when nobody else does. Besides, standing up allowed me to meet Gilligan -- an odd man in a Gilligan hat who touched my back every time he passed me. It was kind of creepy, but he looked a little off, so I let it go.

More beer, more dancing. I was thrilled to not be the one who spotted a long-forgotten FWB -- DFF had that honor. His girlfriend was Stripey. It was funny if you were there. Then we found the possibly only normal and good-looking male in the bar and convinced him to dance with us. This being Richmond, he was a friend of a friend of DFF. Richmond is 2 degrees of separation, in case you didn't know.

Lights came up, nobody was ready to stop, so we hot-stepped it over to another bar who firmly refused to serve us. I will attribute this to the late hour as we were clearly a fine looking bunch. Not to be deterred we lurched homeward with the promise of more buttery nipples on our lips. And they were good, although in the morning it appears I had a heavy hand with the schnapps as there is still some Bailey's left. Irksome. There may have been some Morgan and coke. There was definitely some beer.

And just when I was thinking this strange man might warrant a closer look, I slipped. I mixed my party favors. And as M did point out the next morning, "you can't do that, Smitten."

So a short time later, I was on the back porch trying desperately not to coat my Docs with the 3 cherry tomatoes, 5 tostitos, and 4 brownie bites. Thank goodness I don't eat meat, because the bacon-wrapped dates from our first party stop of the night would not have helped anyone in the immediate vicinity of my regurgitation. Thankfully, M lived with me long enough to know that once they dry heaves were done, I could be safely sent to bed. With this on the floor next to me:

When we woke up the next morning, the strange man was gone from the couch, his bedding neatly folded. Well, the bedding and the shower curtain that M had thoughtfully provided as a blanket. Deluxe accommodations, I tell you.

"I totally thought you were going to hook up with him." Sigh. The sad refrain of my life.

I gathered up the empties and carried them out to the recycling bin, where I found a dead bird. I told DFF and she said, "Maybe he ate your puke and it killed him."

Maybe it did.

Everyone was recovered by 2-ish. And I bet we do it again before the year is out. But this time, I'm not mixing my party favors and I'm getting some.

Tell all your single friends, old friends and buttery nipples, don't knock it until you've tried it.

XO, JamieSmitten

We Are in a Recession, People!

So there was truly no excuse for me to pay $2.81 for a grapefruit.

Yes. A grapefruit. One. It was organic and weighed in at an impressive 1.13 lbs. but still, it seems a bit excessive, doesn't it?

I know better than to buy fruit at Ellwood Thompson. I love the store, but it really is targeted at the wealthy people who live on the other side of the Boulevard.

But it was Sunday morning and I was in desperate need of organic milk for my oatmeal and Cafe Bustelo and I just couldn't face the pre-Super Bowl hordes at Kroger. Plus I wanted to look at the sea buckthorn oil lotion.

There was a nice sample plate of oranges and they were good. And that damn grapefruit was just sitting there firm and redolent of sunny days in a faraway place where surely my knees wouldn't be aching from dancing. Sigh.

I also spent $15.99 on sea buckthorn lotion that appears to stain my face orange. But that's another story.

Tell all your single friends, I ate every darn juicy segment, and the seeds.


XO, JamieSmitten

Just Hold My Hand While I Come

Dave Wakeling shook my hand -- shut up -- no I won't -- I'm not even kidding, he really did.



2 Tone came to Richmond and Richmond represented. Oh sure, we were old and gray and some of us will be limping for days because no matter how strenuous the KYA Boot Camp walking lunge is, it does NOT compare to two+ hours of skanking. My Doc Martens kept my feet happy, but the knees are another story.



God Bless the English Beat!



I missed the opening act, because, well, I'm like that. Local musicians, decent enough was the word from one of the many co-workers I ran into at the show.


I arrived just in time to see Bad Manners take the stage. [Time for an observation: Ska bands that have been around for 30 years have generally replaced many if not all of the musicians, leaving the lone original frontman to embody everything that band was. This is clearly because ska is hard on the old bones, as lamented above.] In any case Buster Bloodvessel was in fine shape to lead his young band through their paces. Excellent horn section, tight rhythm, and a good set of about 12 songs. [Observation #2: I can't remember set lists to save my life. Possibly because I'm dancing madly and sweatily and possibly because Dave Wakeling shook my hand and all that went before means nothing. If you like concert reviews with actual reference to songs, go to Forgotten Disc Friday and let March to the Sea lead you onward. He's so good at the concert and record review, he gets free tickets.]



Anyway, Bad Manners ripped through a decent set including My Girl Lollipop, Lip Up Fatty, Special Brew, and Skaville UK. Hell -- I remembered way more songs than I thought I would. Crowd jumped and hollered back when directed, which is pretty damn unusual for a Richmond crowd. Usually they are too hip to acknowledge the opening acts and stand with their back to the stage talking loudly whilst gripping their PBR tall boys. But tonight, everyone seemed to be there to actually enjoy the show. I found a small piece of space and proceeded to sweat off my make-up within 3 songs. GOD I LOVE LIVE MUSIC.



I also had a momentary panic when I looked down and realized my genuine, purchased in 1982 at Commander Salamander, English Beat 2 Tone Girl pin was missing from my jacket. Fortunately, the concert gods parted the bodies and I managed to snatch it back from the sticky floor. The pin went safely in my pocket for the English Beat. Well, I say safely, but I did sustain one stab to the tender upper thigh area as the pin came undone. Price of rock and roll, I say.



So Bad Manners finished and the window of opportunity appeared. A straight shot up to the front stage left. I went. [Observation #3: If you concert with me and it is a band I really want to see, you are on your own for liquids and bathroom. I sweat out all fluids and will drink what you bring me, but damn if I'm giving up my spot for a beer. Just so you know.] So I moved up to the second row.



Second row is actually a bit tricky at Toad's Place. The people who walked right to the front as soon as the door opened are against a metal railing. Behind the metal railing is a 4 foot wide raised wooden step. Second row means you have the constant possibility of your energetic dancing dropping you off the raised wooden level and onto the foot of the people behind you. Sorry, pork pie hat guy! I only got you once. I settled in and waited. About 45 minutes, maybe more.



At 11 p.m. the English Beat took the stage. Dave is a wee little fellow with a lovely smile. The current toaster is Antony First Class. He kept the crowd moving and chanting and I do not doubt that we did lose weight as he swore we would. The sax player was hot, hot, hot and if you see me, I'll show you proof on my phone. [Observation #4: I was not the only one who thought he was hot. A random drunk next to me pulled off her bra and flung it at his feet.]



So off they went, starting with Whine and Grine and moving to Stand Down Margaret. Perfect. They played soooo many songs -- they were on for well over an hour and a half. Mirror in the Bathroom, Hands Off She's Mine, Can't Get Used to Losing You, Tears of a Clown, I Confess, Twist & Crawl, Two Swords, and my favorite, Save It For Later. Although picking a favorite seems ridiculous because there wasn't a bad song in the bunch. I've just always been partial to "Just hold my hand while I come.....to a decision on it." We also got some Tenderness which again whipped the crowd into a frenzy.



When it was all over, Dave came off the stage and shook hands with everyone in the front row. I had made it to front row when some people left before the encore. [Observation #5: I will NEVER be the person to leave before the encore. I'm not missing one minute of any encore.]



So there you have it. January concert -- The English Beat w/Bad Manners -- was a massive success. Let's see if February can compare.



Tell all your single friends, I don't know when to stop or when to start!





XO, JamieSmitten

This is Weird, Right?

I wax my legs. When times are good, I go to Jutta and pay for the long-lasting pleasure of no shaving. When times are lean, I wax at home.

I used to do it old school: heat the container, use the cloth strips, make a mess of drips all over the back porch. [Natural light is key. Neighbor John is a saint and ignores me when I wax al fresco.] Then I found the pre-waxed strips. They aren't quite as efficient, but they are much cleaner and faster.

So I've been using the pre-waxed strips for a few years. Not frequently, maybe 3 times a year. And just recently, Boom has started to take issue.

Boom used to lie on his cot and enjoy the sunshine while I ruthlessly denuded my legs follicle by follicle. Didn't even waste a glance. Now, as I begin to pull the strips apart, he begins to whine and look for an evacuation route. He will run upstairs and sit in the bedroom until I call him. He won't come all the way downstairs until I show him that there are no strips in my hand and assure him repeatedly that I'm all done.

It does make a tearing noise -- like pulling out a length of packing tape. Interestingly, Boom now leaves the room when I use tape too. He did not participate in Christmas present wrapping; he didn't even stay in the room.

So tonight, I gave him his supper and went upstairs to the bedroom to wax my legs. [Emergency late night wax as Boot Camp is inside tomorrow which means shorts which means deforestation must occur, natural light be damned]. He whined a few times to indicate that he didn't appreciate being left downstairs, but he didn't get agitated.

Problem solved, right? Nope. An hour later, I pulled up my pajama leg to scratch my leg and Boom leaned over to sniff my leg. He reared back, got off the couch, and proceeded to pace and whine.

So is it the sound or the smell? And WHY does he care? Boys. Completely weird.

Tell all your single friends, waxing is better, but not for everyone.


XO, JamieSmitten

Hopeful (with a dash of reality)

Hooray! Now we can get down to the business of restoring our economy, ending this war, and redeeming ourselves in the eyes of the world.

And if we could hurry up with that, I'd be thrilled. Especially since my quarterly 401k statement arrived in the mail to inform me that my Personal Rate of Return for the past quarter was -39.4%.

On the plus side, I also received From Britain...with Love -- my very own official Shuffleathon 2008 cd. Review to follow once I have properly reviewed the music (naked, with alcohol).

Tell all your single friends, Good Times are on the way!


XO, JamieSmitten

New Music + Best Friends = WIN!

Singer Neko Case has a new album out called Middle Cyclone.

She is a supporter of Best Friends Animal Society and you know that is a place that is very close to my heart. For every blog that posts her new single, a $5 donation will be made to Best Friends.

I'm not familiar with any of Neko's previous work, but I kind of like this song.

Download the MP3 -- Neko Case: People Got a Lotta Nerve

Tell all your single friends, repost this on your blog!!

XO, JamieSmitten

Jogging Pays Off!

I was CARDED today when I ordered a beer at lunch. Yes, I have a witness, although Lianne did chuckle in disbelief when it happened.

Tell all your single friends, tip your blind waitresses well!!!!!


XO, JamieSmitten