Summer Jams

Some of the best memories I have of old summers revolve around the music that was blasting out of my stereo and popular during that particular year. I remember dancing and jumping up and down to The Go-Go's in the summer of '81 (or was it '82?) I remember discovering PJ Harvey, Meat Beat Manifesto, and Orbital in the summer of '92, the same year I was religiously going to club Arena every Saturday night to dance to all that monotonous techno stuff that I was so into at the time. I remember Stereolab and Smashing Pumpkins in '93; DJ Shadow, Dr. Octogon in '96; the Strokes, White Stripes, and Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama" in '01.
This year I already have a soundtrack set up to accompany my summer days. I will be grooving to these tunes as I fix my home, go to the beach, camp and take little road trips, barbecue and get drunk, host dinner parties, and get together for fun, fun, fun with those I love. In no particular order, you will find a list below of what I predict will be some of my favorite summer jams for the year 2005.
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1. M.I.A. "Arular" This London-based, SriLankan woman is the most exciting artist I have discovered this year. Her fusion of hip-hop, garage, dancehall and Asian beats makes her album one of the most fun, party record I have listened to in a while. Check out the tracks "Bucky Done Gun," "Hombre," and "10 Dollar."

2. Fannypack "See You Next Tuesday" The Brooklyn-based quintet who brought us the anthem "Cameltoe" two years ago is back with a new disc, which grew on me after a couple of hearings. Once you get into their c.d., you'll find their new songs to be be just as fun as their last effort but more polished and grown-up.

3. Stereo Total "Do The Bambi" It is hard to believe that this Franco-German duo has been playing together for over ten years. I discovered them three years ago and immediately fell in love with their sexy, quirky, witty style. Their songs are sung in French, German, Italian and English and are best described as Stereolab on acid. Thier newest recording is not as catchy as their previous ones, but features a few fun tunes---including my favorite song this year so far, "I am Naked."

4. Coralie Clement "Bye Bye Beaute" This French chanteuse released a beautiful bossa-nova inspired c.d. (title escapes me) in 2002, which gave her a cult following outside of Europe. Her latest offering sounds like music coming from a completely different artist. It is just as excellent as her last record, maybe better! In "Bye Bye Beaute," Clement explores her more contemporary influences, with songs expressing the same nostalgia and saudade found in bossa nova, but singing in a more pop or rock-inspired fashion.
I love this c.d.!

5. Reggaeton This is the best music to work up a sweat to. Often repetitive, but never dull, this hybrid of merengue, salsa, reggae and hip-hop can be heard in most radio station and Latin dance clubs across the Americas. Chances are many of you have heard Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina." I don't own the record yet but hope to get it and others like it soon.

6. Nouvelle Vague "Nouvelle Vague" this band performs wonderful Bossa-Nova, loungy covers of punk and new wave classics from the likes of P.I.L., the Dead Kennedys, XTC and more. Check out their beautiful cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart." Nouvelle Vague are French, but of course...

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If anyone has any suggestions as to what else I should be listening to this summer, please send them in. After all, the summer has just started.

School's Out for Summer

I am on summer vacation once again. The kids had their last day of school on Friday. Faculty and staff showed up to work today to finish cleaning up, organizing and to socialize one last time before we return to work in September. I had an interesting school year. I worked with the most incredible child this year. Incredible in fantastic ways and incredible in frustrating, anxiety-filled ways. The child I am speaking of has Autism. My patience was definately put to the test this year. I learned so much from him, and feel quite fortunate to have had this experience.
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I look like a lobster today. I went to the beach with a couple of friends (Serene & Steve M.) We had a fun time eating fruit and scones, reading, napping and catching some rays while laying on the sand as we faced the Pacific Ocean in Manhattan Beach. We were obnoxiously and fabulously rude as we gawked at every single attractive surfer dude or lifeguard that passed by. We had binoculars, even! Anyway, I must have not applied enough sunblock lotion, because my back and torso are on fire today. I feel like jumping in a pool full of ice water.

Prologue

How do I begin this new entry? What do I talk about? Who is going to read this? These are the questions that plague me as I force myself to start on my very first blogging entry. Throughout the 1990s I was an avid writer and journal-keeper. Those who have known me for a long time have reminded me of how often I used to share my diaries (or memoirs as I used to call them) with others. So it seems as such a natural transition that I should begin blogging. The problem is I have not keept a journal since the summer of 2000, nor written much else since then. The idea of starting a new journal again, be it private or public, frightens me. Where do I begin? What do I talk about? Who gives a damn? A part of me feels that since I lead such a simple or rather laid-back life, I may come of as boring, ignorant or uninteresting. I have my routines and they keep me happy. I am not in school nor an academic but am smart. I am not an "artist" but am artistic. I am not political but am a socially-concerned citizen. However, I experience incredible things everyday. I have opinions. I love life! I love people! I enjoy telling stories. I enjoy listening to them. I cherish reading. I am a fan of music and cinema no one else seems to have heard about. Not to be different, but because it is appealing to me. I'm a lover of art. And I surround myself with brilliant, complex, fun people. I love life! Did I say that already?