Sometimes, even new shoes are a privilege to be taken away.
And also fireman helmets.
Baby Jane done went and gone graduated to a big-girl bed. I suppose it’s all downhill from here on out. But for reals, she’s snoozin’ like an olde pro on that thing. Now, what shall we do with that crib that’s just hangin’ out in her room with nobody in it? Hmmmmmmm…
The Mustard Room keeps a tweedley-deein’ along. We’re movin’ t-shirts and gettin’ ready to print up another big batch o’ hoodies this afternoon for some olde pals. Why, we even put together THIS TIMELY CATALOG of last year’s t-shirt line for your enjoyment. All february shipments have gone out with bonus prizes like this here hand-drawn likeness of Mr. Zippy. Congratulations if that were you.
Now, while you’re adding that data to your pocket calendar, enjoy this outtake from the Kiss It All Goodbye sessions titled… Glorybound
Y’all come back now. Y’hear?
Let me preface this by saying that the new year that is 2011 has found me in extremely sluggish form. Maybe it’s the post-holiday blahs. Maybe it’s the self-imagined urgency/weary frustration toward potty training. Maybe it’s the checklist of half-successful repair projects reminding me that they’re just that: half-successful. Did i use that colon correctly? Crap. Now that’s going to bother me as well.
Now, on to more pressing matters which are, in actuality, not at all pressing whatsoever. I have spent way too much time contemplating what to do or not do with this blog during the past four or five days. It’s quite embarrassing actually. And yet, there’s the heart-on-my-sleeve truth of it all. Again, this is all absolute ridiculousness. However, it’s been bugging the crap out of me. Now, after losing minutes of sleep over this decision of no importance, i’m happy to announce that this will remain our blogging home for 2011. Please hold your applause and allow yourself a moment to catch your breath.
So here we are, almost fourteen days into the new year, and our first post is spent rambling on about the greatest non-event in perhaps all of history. You’re welcome. All that being said, i’m gonna try real hard to be more frequent with my visits to ye olde companion. After all, them Jane gals and i are cookin’ up some new goodnes for the year upon us. Meanwhile, enjoy the following rendition of an olde tune as captured by a fly on the living room wall.
Thanks for joining us. Enjoy every sandwich.
Here, for your consideration, we present a few get-down-on-it seasonally flavored numbers constructed in the Rockey home. You can click on any of the images below to be magically transported to a cornucopia of home-crafted vibes.
Running Time: 55:27 | File Size 64 MB
Download: .mp3
To subscribe to this podcast: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ARockeyHomeCompanion
Hector Laveta gets the Led out as he rambles through another hour of tasty cuts culled from our musical archives. By golly, if this ain’t the best way to begin an indulgent holiday weekend than what the heck? Savor the flavor.
1. Led Zeppelin “Ramble On”
2. Derek Webb “Jena & Jimmy”
3. Paul McCartney & Wings “Mrs. Vandebilt”
4. Nilsson “Gotta Get Up”
5. Fistful of Mercy “Father’s Son”
6. Bob Dylan “One More Night”
7. Bob Dylan “Country Pie”
8. Uncle Tupelo “Chickamauga”
9. Cat Power “Paths of Victory”
10. Great Lake Swimmers “Still”
11. The Tallest Man on Earth “Little River”
12. John Lennon “Hold On”
13. Spoon “Peace Like a River (Live)”
14. Jars of Clay “Mirrors & Smoke”
15. Arcade Fire “Deep Blue”
16. The New Pornographers “Hey, Snow White”
"Happy Tiger Eat Your Friendly Face" by Papa Joel & Baby Jane (ink and coloured wax on ruled paper)
"Ugly Bird Making Babies" by Papa Joel & Baby Jane (ink and coloured wax on ruled paper)
It’s been far too long, but not for lack of wanting. Only for lack of trying. Sometimes trying is hard. Anyhow, we’ve been busy with making things, singing songs, and tending to little ones. Speaking of the little one, i had the greatest of intentions to type words about our family’s Muppet-induced fascination with one Mr. Mac Davis. It began with the purchase of a dvd from Half Price which featured three episodes of The Muppet Show. As is the trend, Baby Jane decided that this was the only thing she cared to watch for a good month or so. Consequently, our 2-year-old daughter is now familiar with Mac Davis. Quite honestly, i’ve become much more familiar with Mr. Davis myself going so far as to purchase his album “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me” for two quarters from the clearance vinyl during a return visit to Half Price. However, the crown jewel of this only-slightly-ironic Mac Davis obsession was a conversation Baby Jane and i had whilst on our way to enjoy a tasty hibachi meal. It was a conversation concerning our favorite Muppets and it went something like this:
Yours truly: “Who’s your favorite Muppet?”
Baby Jane: “Kermit the Frog. And Daddy’s favorite is Fozzie Bear.”
Yours truly: “Who’s Mommy’s favorite?”
Baby Jane: “Ummmmm… Mmmmm…”
Yours truly: “Who’s Mommy’s favorite Muppet?”
Baby Jane: “Ummm… MAC DAVIS!”
So there you go. To be fair, our only real context for who Mac Davis is involves his relationship with the Muppets. Anyways, how many 2-year-olds know the man’s name. I should think he would consider it an honour. By the way, check out those eyes. No wonder Mama Jane finds him “dreamy”.
Speaking of dreamy, them Jane Gals and myself ventured to the backwoods of Noblesville at the onset of November for a private show amongst the trees.
Here’s a shot by my pal Lyndsay…
Here are some highlights: Forgot the power chord for my PA, sang half a Blind Melon song with a drunk girl, Played for two hours without a break, Watched Baby Jane boogie, Free chili, Stared at this dude directly across from me the entire time…
A few more public appearances are coming up before 2010 retires, including this one here…
See ya real soon.
Sometimes, learning the system and playing along reaps delightful benefits. We’re kind of nominal fans of surfing Goodwill stores for so-so deals, screen-printable apparel, and the occasional LP score (swordfishtrombones? yes please). However, Goodwill’s pricing is often very questionable. Case in point, an in-the-box coffee maker with a $24.98 sticker being resold for $25. I get it. They are a business, but i’ll have to pass. But what to do when your microwave finally kicks the proverbial bucket? (is that an allusion to one hanging themself? that would be rather grim… i’ll do some research on that and probably NOT get back with you) Yes folks, microwave ovens apparently do indeed have a lifespan and that lifespan is apparently fourteen years. This particular ‘wave traces back through ten years of marriage and four years of college to Mama Jane’s high school graduation when she received it as a gift from family friends and employers. Good times. Au revoir, olde friend.Now let’s not get into a debate about whether or not a microwave oven is a necessity. We’ve already been through that and you know who’s going to win this one. Game, set, match. So, when you decide that you simply cannot live responsibly on this planet without a microwave oven, where do you go to acquire one… legally?
Retail? Come on. What would Mister Ramsey say about that?
Ask a friend? And become a charity case? (just kidding)
Craigslist? Good luck.
Goodwill? Perhaps. There are only a baker’s dozen in a five mile vicinity. Besides, while we’re there, maybe we can find a copy of John Wesley Harding only to be disappointed upon finding the vinyl riddled with scratches and marks. Alright, by golly, i’m in!
Well, after visiting four or five stores, we essentially found two microwaves. The first was the size of a television with a dial resembling a television dial and might have even had an antennae coming out of the back. No, i promise you, it was in fact a microwave not a television. It was also probably closing in on forty years and they wanted $25 for it. I thought the thing would have been amazing, but upon further consideration we figured it would probably use more energy heating a bowl of oatmeal than our electric oven would use heating our home. The second microwave was still in the box with a ding in the side, but priced at $48. Now, here’s where playing the game comes into play. You see, in the greater indianapolis area, Goodwill stores adhere to a weekly color code. In other words, every item in the store is assigned one of five(?) colors. Each week, starting on sunday, everything bearing a tag with the determined color sells for 50% of the sale price. Whether my explanation of any of this makes sense is of little consequence. What matters is that if we came back to the store three days later (sunday) and the color for that week matched that of the tag on the microwave oven box then it could be ours for a mere $24!
Now to bring this story to a screeching halt of a conclusion. Sunday morning, we are parked outside Goodwill waiting for the doors to open. Why yes, that was us who you were pointing out to the kids. Twenty minutes we waited while Baby Jane sobbed and sobbed, but you better believe Mama Jane was the first one through the gate when it opened. She made her way back to the far corner of the store where our little Sunbeam was waiting patiently for us to claim him as our own.
Also wearing a red tag: the rad chord organ pictured above. Also take a look at that shoe in the same photo. Baby Jane told me just this morning that my shoes were “broken” and that i needed to “throw them in the trash”. From the mouths of babes.
The moral of the story is this: Never pay retail for an appliance because there might be a chord organ in it for you.
Now enjoy this depiction of a papa lion nursing two abandoned gosling back to health.
Thank you, Fort Wayne Zoo, for your inspired interpretations of the circle of life using the under-appreciated medium of pumpkins.
