Playlist of the Week: Broken Wingedness

I am handicapable!  Ish.

Right wrist broken. Economy of words blogging philosophy to commence for 6-8 weeks. The playlists must go on.  P.S. Rollerskating is dangerous.

Thoughts for the week:

Using an iPhone app that listens to my words and types them out the results should be somewhat interesting

Generally speaking people are nicer to you when you have one less usable arm.

God definitely has a sense of humor but I think with a purpose.

Everything becomes slower everything becomes more methodical. Everything becomes a way that I never done things before

More phone calls more direct conversation more personal interaction less text messaging less e-mailing

It is hard to type it is hard to text and yet ironically everyone text messages to ask me if there's any way that they can help

But that's okay I still love you guys

A different perspective a character building opportunity chance to relearn what I already learned

Putting on belts is surprisingly hard taking out my contacts and putting them back in a surprisingly easy

God definitely has a sense of humor. And this is good for me somehow and he knows that and deep down I know that to

Good music still helps new Radiohead definitely helps

31 -year-old man probably shouldn't be rollerskating especially 31 -year-old man is clumsy as me

Fitter happier more productive. Giggle

Yes I chose the song one wing for this playlist intentionally I pretty much had to include that song don't you think. The song works and is true on so many levels

Never been so glad to be left-handed and all my life. He could've been my left hand or my leg or my head I am so incredibly blessed

Music on this blog will stay good even if writing isn't

Goodbye. Love you listen to playlists. Enjoy. Let me know what you think  try to do better next time at being more interesting

Playlist of the Week: Gentleman Rob's Heartbreak Companion

Scotch is a scientifically-proven and effective solution for the problem of love.  Look it up.

Well looky, looky it's that time of year again where upscale restaurants and greeting card companies get a short respite from the realities of our current economic downturn and we celebrate all things love.  Now many of you who know me are probably expecting me to come on here and be Mr. Bitterpants (or Dr.Bitterpants if I go back to school), but I refuse to walk down that cliche road of telling you that love is bullshit or it doesn't exist or whatever.  Love does exist.  I swear I read that somewhere or it was on a TV special or something.  So no need to go down that silly, misguided road again.

Having said that, it is one of my true core beliefs that every man--I won't speak for women even though I keep trying to no avail--should always, ALWAYS be prepared for heartbreak and have the proper playlist ready and waiting.  Sure, there are all the stages that involve denial, anger, drinking, rebounding, rebound-related drinking, disappointment, despair, looking for homes/jobs in other states, drinking, and ultimately acceptance.  I mean, duh.  Everyone knows you can't avoid those critical stages of post-breakup resolution.  But what are you going to be listening to while all of this is going on?

In this romance is dead, iPod-laden, 5,000 tracks or more generation we live in, you don't want to be scrambling around during your super awesome heartbreak experience looking for the right sad songs.  I mean, if you just hit shuffle you could wind up accidentally hearing that Coldplay you fully intended to delete years ago or--worse yet--happy music.  That is simply no way to cope with heartbreak on an auditory level.

For weird, voodoo-magical reasons borne out through my own experience and therefore most certainly your experience, sad music makes us feel better.  Or at the very least, it makes us feel like we're not alone in our misery.  Despite what we see in our friends' Facebook statuses, we are not the only ones in the history of the world to feel the sting of having our nuts caved in by a woman's metaphorical steel-toed boot.  And these songs remind us of that.  And that is good.  Having a "go-to heartbreak" playlist is key to the process of healing because these become the songs that transcend one ex or another.  It becomes the warm blanket you can always count on when it's all fallen apart again.  Having been through such an experience last year, I can assure you that music helped and helps.  And if you have a consistent set of songs, it makes it easier to remember the words when you get drunk and you're legally required to belt these songs out at the top of your lungs in your apartment much to the dismay of your neighbor.  Or so I've heard.

So here is my up-to-date heartbreak companion playlist.  Each song has a story and a memory associated with it.  And I've got to say that since the list has been evolving since high school, some of the songs associated with previous heartbreak somehow end up becoming odd sources of comfort and border on actual humor because it's much easier to laugh at a version of you and the way you felt about the heartbreak from a decade ago.  For those of you in love, I wish you well.  For those of you still searching for love, my sincerest wishes for success.  And for those recovering from love, pour a drink, put on your playlist, and know that tomorrow will be a little bit better.

P.S. Make sure she's "the one" before teaching her about good music.  Otherwise, she'll haunt you with her presence at concerts of bands she never knew or cared about before she met you for the rest of your life.

Playlist of the Week: Polarizationing

Is this Minnesota this week?  Or Oklahoma this week?  And would you bet your life today on that answer?

Short bursts of thought on things or music or this playlist--which is appropriate for my currently disjointed state of mind while I watch Snowstorm of Doom 2011 unfold:

1.  I know I've come late to the Bon Iver party, but I dig it (thanks, Ms. Swanholm).  Having said that, lead singer Justin Vernon is obviously using a fake voice.  The fact that I still like it despite this bit is a strong testament to their quality.

2.  I've received lots of questions lately from friends regarding the upcoming rock concert my friends and I are producing/promoting and I tried to answer many of them in my previous blog entry.  But the question I get the most is, "Will I like this kind of music?".  And my answer to you is two-fold.  1) If you like good ol' fashioned rock 'n' roll, there's no reason you wouldn't enjoy it and 2) If a simple Google search is too difficult for you, I've included a Nobunny song on both THIS playlist and a previous playlist.

3.  The Joy Formidable is the most promising chick-fronted rock band I've heard in years.  Is that a somewhat sexist statement?  Probably.  But is it true?  I think so.

4.  This is one of the most beautiful music videos I've ever seen--and especially meaningful to me because the band--Cat's Eyes (whose debut LP comes out in the next month or so)--performs this live at The Vatican--a place I visited last summer on a day that I can only describe as the best and worst kind of day.  Oh, and this song is also on this playlist.  And it's pretty great on its own.




5.  Interpol in Tulsa.  Wilco in Denton at UNT.  And of course, Nobunny in Oklahoma City.  I'm establishing a pretty solid live music agenda for the year.  You should join me.  Unless I don't want you to.  But otherwise, totally.

6.  Wayne's World still holds up.

7.  A proclamation: I just made it through three days in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  I shall not let this weather keep me from the bar and friends and Friday happy hour--even if it means dragging some of you there myself, dammit.

Here's your playlist.  All this snow for a southern boy produces a playlist as divided as his sanity is at present. First half, up-tempo rock. Second half, slows it down for your winter state of mind.  Some new, some old.  It's all over the place.  Like you.  Like me.  Stay warm.  Whiskey helps.