No. 157: Songs and all

Finished Something Wicked This Way Comes yesterday and started The Rum Diary, which I'm embarrassed to say I only realized was fiction after like ten pages. But it's great. My first Hunter S. Thompson novel. Jimmy Buffet reviewed it, which I found interesting. Anyway, it comes highly recommended so I look forward to having a good book to read the next few rainy afternoons and on the plane.

I'm ready to go home. It's been a good trip, but truly, I'm ready for the sun. Moving in the Marylander will not be my favorite picnic, but hey-- it'll only take a week or so and then I'm settled and can get back to the everyday. It will be SO good to see Mum and Fred and the girls and to hang around with guys again. I hadn't realized how different the energies are with just girls. Quite strange, actually. Not unpleasant. Just ready to see Bri and Geof and Jordan and Matt, etc. Plus I think Kuna's in town and after about a hundred years, it'd be cool to grab some pho with the hippie and argue theology. I am going to miss Francesca and the rest of the girls, however. But yes.. home calls.

Today was nice, despite the gross drizzly rain that persisted throughout. Francesca and I had a hilarious suitcase buying venture for her extra bag in the sketchiest suitcase store in the history of London. We went to Dullwich (pronounced Dull-itch), which was a really cute, sleepy little town. The gallery was designed by Soane, so of course it was interesting to look at. Anyway-- tomorrow we're going to Oxford for a walking tour and (my heart quickens) to visit The Eagle and Child!!!!! (aka the Bird and Baby aka the pub the Inklings spent all their time in). So psyched. Hope it doesn't rain all friggin' day.

So here's the songs. I'm particularly fond of this group.
Pray my suitcase weighs under 50 pounds. I've done some shopping, tee hee.

1. Search and Destroy// Iggy & the Stooges: Was watching The Life Aquatic the other day when it was rainy and I didn't feel like going out to dinner. I love the scene where Steve goes nuts when the pirates attack and he chases them off. This song plays and it's absolutely perfect.
   
2. Empty Shell// Cat Power: I hadn't really listened to The Greatest, although I've had it on my Ipod since it came out. But I gave it a really thorough listen while I rode back from Trafalger on the bus on like, Tuesday, and it's absolutely fabulous.
   
3. Garden Grove// Sublime: I've had this stuck in my head for days now. I think it's b/c it reminds me of home and The House, etc. But in any case, it's one of my favorite Sublime songs.
   
4. Kamera// Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is simply one of the greatest albums of all time. The end.
   
5. What Kind of Love Are You On?// Aerosmith: This song plays in the sketchy scene in Armageddon when the boys go out the night before they go up. Aerosmith was playing in a store when we went to Camden on Saturday and so I listened to all the songs of theirs on my Ipod. I had never really listened to this one though and then the lyric I love came up and I kind of freaked out for joy on the street while I was walking back to the Res from South Ken station. A little old lady with her umbrella was startled and I laughed. And then you found twenty dollars.
   
6. Gold and a Pager// The Cool Kids: I was rapping this (the bit about how he's got a hold of his jeans b/c they're falling off) b/c my jeans, too, were falling down on Saturday night when we went out for Sam's birthday and we were running around Piccadilly. It was apparently impressive to Francesca until I told her it wasn't just a free style. I don't own Nikes anyway. Or a pager. Still, it's a great song.
   
7. Glamorous// Fergie: We were discussing our guilty music pleasures on the train to Dullwich today and it came up that we sometimes love Fergie, even though she's ridiculous and peed herself on stage (which I found out about today for the first time... so I'm late). We also love the part where Ludacris raps. Because it's ludicrous.
   

So that's it.
Cheers. H.