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VH1’s The Greatest Songs of the 80s

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The following post was written by my lovely wife, M

a_flock_of_seagulls.jpgI’m a huge fan of 80s music and countdown shows (They could have a show titled “The Most Boring Moments Ever Captured on Film” and I’d just have to know what the most boring moment was) . So when I saw that VH1 was doing the top 100 songs of the 80s I was immediately hooked.

In general I greatly enjoyed watching the show, hearing other artists’ takes on the songs, and finding out what had become of the 80s artists. For the most part, I agreed with the songs that were included, but some of my favorite 80s songs were missing.

Also, before we watched it, I told K that my prediction for #1 was Thriller by MJ. I mean, come on, that song’s an 80s classic, not to mention innovative in the story/video format. It wasn’t even on the list! The song that was selected as #1 – “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. What?! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like me some Bon Jovi, such as “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Never Say Goodbye.” I agree that “Livin’” should be on the list, but not #1. Here’s the top ten songs on the list:

10. “You Shook Me All Night Long” AC/DC
9. “Walk This Way” Run-D.M.C.
8. “Like a Virgin” Madonna
7. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” Guns N’Roses
6. “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” Daryl Hall & John Oates
5. “When Doves Cry” Prince
4. “Billie Jean” Michael Jackson
3. “Hungry Like the Wolf” Duran Duran
2. “Pour Some Sugar on Me” Def Leppard
1. “Livin’ on a Prayer” Bon Jovi

While I agree with most of the Top 10, I would have placed these a bit lower:
“Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Like a Virgin,” (I prefer “Get Into the Groove”) and “You Shook Me All Night Long.”

There were a few songs in the top 100 that I would not have included:

  • “Only in My Dreams” Debbie Gibson
  • “Straight Up” Paula Abdul
  • “Just Can’t Get Enough” Depeche Mode
  • “Ain’t Nobody” Rufus & Chaka Khan [I would have put in “I Feel for You” by Ms. Khan].

Some of my favorite 80s songs were not included in the list. These include (in no particular order):
1. “The Warrior” Scandal
2. “Der Kommissar” After the Fire
3. “Our House” Madness
4. “Come Dancing” The Kinks
5. “If This is It” Huey Lewis and the News
6. “Summer of 69” Bryan Adams
7. “Dirty Laundry” Don Henley
8. “The Tide is High” Blondie
9. “Break My Stride” Matthew Wilder
10. “Fast Car” Tracy Chapman
11. “Centerfold” J. Geils Band
12. “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” Billy Joel
13. “Abracadabra” The Steve Miller Band
14. “Always Something There to Remind Me” Naked Eyes
15. “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” Queen
16. “Smooth Operator” Sade
17. “Shout” Tears for Fears
18. “Missing You” John Waite
19. “Rock of Ages’” Def Leppard
20. “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” The Police

What about you? Do you agree with the songs on the list and their order? What are your favorite 80s songs not represented here or on the VH1 list?

Links:
VH1 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s
Ultimate 80s songs (lyrics)
Bradboard- Top 733 of the 80s

My Name Is Kary And I’m An Addict

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Surprised guy Fat-froDrugs? No. Alcohol? No. Tobacco? No.

I’m addicted to food. Food Food Glorious FOOD. And it’d be different if I stuffed my face every day with vegetables and tofu. But pretty much the worse the food is for me, the more I love it and want to eat it.

It wasn’t always like this you know. I blame the Body for Life program. I did that for 12+ weeks perfectly and never looked better. It has a “free day” where you can eat as much as you want of whatever you want. Its purpose is two fold: 1) to let you satisfy your cravings and 2) to be a self correcting behavior like when your dad catches you smoking at 12 and he makes you smoke the whole pack so you won’t ever touch cigarettes again. Unfortunately, the second part never worked for me. After the program, every day became free day.

Since then (2001) I have cycled gaining weight in the fall and winter, getting disgusted and then losing it in the spring and summer. Each cycle I gain more and lose a little less. I really just want to find a balance.

I make the worst possible nutrition choices. I guess I feel like “Hey, I’m gonna start being good on Monday so I’ll get the fries and burger and tenders and cheesecake and coke now” except that Monday never comes.

I don’t mind exercising and after a few weeks, the food cravings are significantly diminished. It’s just getting over that hump and being consistent. If I don’t work out, I don’t feel like eating well. If I don’t eat well, I don’t feel like working out.

So, it’s long since the time I needed to be getting my butt in gear. I’m hitting the three zero mile marker this year and when I do, I want to be in the best shape ever.

Plus, I’m seriously limited in my clothes selection right now.

Actors Actors Everywhere

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I would put an almost-relevant picture here but I’m too lazy to find one and post it. So please imagine a picture of Christopher Walken in a grass skirt selling hot dogs in a corn field. I think that will give the appropiate feel for this post.You’ll notice on the righthand side there’s a list of actors’ and showbiz types’ blogs that I read. At this point acting is a fun thing for me to do, but there are those who do it fo’ reals. It pays the bills. Puts food on the table. Buys toilet paper so they can wipe their ass. Allows for medication because mom is still asking when you’re going to get a real job.

One such working actor in MA, krt, has apparently “read” my blog. I’m not sure what that means but I just want to go on record and apologize for the time he spent reading all the inane drippings contained herein upon these cyberpages of poop.

Dang, it’s been awhile since I said “poop” and it feels good.

SETC Recap

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I was in Atlanta from Wednesday through Sunday. We had a blast. I saw a lot of good theatre. I’m still mostly theatre illiterate and I really enjoy any opportunity to see good theatre. With the best community theatre shows from 7 other states in attendance, I was in for a treat.

The first one I saw was Tennessee’s Escanaba In Da Moonlight by Jeff Daniels. It was hilarious. The set was great and these southern actors had the upper Michigan accent nailed. I thought I was gonna die during the slow motion fart.

I also saw a broadway caliber show from the Manatee Players out of Florida. They did a version of Sweeney Todd that was amazing. I wish I had been a little more familiar with the show, since it had to be cut to no more than 60 minutes in length. But regardless, the poor stage at Spelman college just wasn’t big enough for this production. Apparently, they have something like a $900,000 a year budget. And they are building a 12 million dollar facility. I wish I could say that they bought a win, but aside from a few technical snafus, this show was smooth and the cast was outstanding.

These two shows won and will continue to nationals. There were other smaller, simpler shows that were still very strong. At MTA, I would have been shocked if we had not won. I imagine this comes from my inexperience of attending MTA and not coming away disappointed or upset for the last 20 years. I don’t mean to sound like a cocky jackass, but we had a really good show and I saw all the rest, and while good, they just weren’t quite as tight as ours. But at SETC, out of seven shows that were our competition, I could only say with confidence that I thought we were better than one show.

With all that said, we came in runner-up, which is 3rd place. If one of the other two shows drops out, we would go in their place. Best of luck to Tennessee and Florida, bring it home to the south. Yeehaw! Also, two of my friends and castmates won Outstanding Performance: Madeline Golden (Vera) and Krista Vowell (June). The awards were well deserved. One adjudicator told Madeline that she was the best Vera he’d ever seen. He also told Marcus Vowell that his Stanley was the strongest he’d seen. Another adjudicator told Krista that if he ever wanted to know how to feel about what was going on at that point in the show, he would look to June since she embodied the spirit of each moment. Starkville’s got mad talent, yo!

Otherwise, I ate a lot, managed to swing one ball game at the SEC Championship (where my Bulldogs lost), saw Andie MacDowell, went to an improv jam and hung out with my wifey and my SCT family. It was a great time.

South Eastern Theatre Conference and PodCamp Atlanta

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Since SCT won at the Mississippi Theatre Association festival, we’re headed to Atlanta for SETC next week. We will compete against 9 or 10 other states. It oughta be a good time. We leave on Wednesday. It’ll be my first big theatre dealie to go to and I’m excited. I hope to hit a few workshops and what not.

The following weekend I will return to Atlanta for PodCamp Atlanta. I have been asked to be on a panel for video blogging. There will be a handful of us on the panel from what I gather and it’ll be a Q and A type thing. James and I will go to hang out and meet people. So Good Commitment will be in the house. w00t. That oughta be a good time as well.

I’m not doing Lab Rats this semester. I don’t really have time and also I’m not taking a class so technically I’m not supposed to be a member. I’m enjoying what I’m doing now but I do miss my friends and doing the ‘prov. I went to the Lab Rats show tonight for the first time as a spectator. Well, sort of, I did kinda go as crew since I video taped the show. Everyone did great and they have a talented new crop of performers.

Joe Rogan vs. Carlos Mencia

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lovingyou.jpgI found Joe Rogans’ website a while back and was truly impressed with the guy. He’s smart, funny and has interesting views on life. If you’re like me and your previous exposure to him was only Fear Factor, I encourage you to check out his website.

I find the latest goings on with him very interesting. It’s comics-in-Hollywood drama. Basically Joe called Carlos Mencia out for stealing other comics’ material. Something that apparently had been going on for some time but nobody was willing to step up and call Carlos out, until last weekend. And now Joe’s dealing with the fall out from calling BS on a “successful” comic in the spotlight.

Joe Calls Carlos Out (with video)
Joe Banned From the Comedy Store
Joe’s Agent Drops Him

Irony: Mencia claims copyright infringement so that YouTube will take down the video. There are mirrors on Joe’s blog. Article

Coffee and Steak

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I feel similiarly about coffee and steak though they are not similar to each other. One is an acquired taste and the other, in my opinion, the pinker the better. Of course not every one makes their coffee with Frankenberry cereal.

But seriously, I think if you have to add something to coffee or steak to make it palatable, it’s not good coffee. Or steak. Everytime I order steak at a restaurant, the server brings it out and asks “Would you like any steak sauce?” I answer “I hope not.” Now marinade is a good thing. It’s very important and every chef has their own steak marinade secrets. It’s a slap in the face to the chef if you slather every meaty bite with A-1.

And coffee? Why drink it if you have to dilute it with sugar and cream? Learn to enjoy the flavor of ‘bitter,’ people. Come on. I’m not a big coffee drinker, I’ll pour myself about a half a cup at work and drink maybe half of that. I’ll drink the coffee at home and at work but most other places, even the fancy expensive places, straight, black coffee is terrible. Sugar and cream just mask the burnt, chemical taste. I can’t drink the stuff. I’ll enjoy a frou-frou coffee drink from time to time. But gimme my coffee black. Don’t pansy it up because you can’t make a decent cup.

A Rant by Krista Vowell

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A friend and “sister” of mine just sent this out via email. I agree and feel the same way many times. Republished with permission.

Forgive me. You all don’t have to read this entire thing-or any of it-but I HAVE HAD IT and I have to vent.

A few minutes ago, I was in the University Florist. Small, confined space. Trixie Co-Ed walks in with her cell phone plastered to her ear. The person asks if she needs help. She never misses a beat with cell phone partner while answering “in a minute”. She’s looking around the store, gabbing away full voice.

“I don’t know, but she is a skank. She’s got an std or something, I know it.”
“Well, he kissed me on New Year’s Eve, but I told him he’s just got to get his shit together”.
“Oh, how cute-can you wrap this?”
“I’m trying to think of something for you to take, have you done Zicam yet?”.

And on and on. I left the Florist because I felt an urge creeping up from my ankles to take her telephone from her, tell her cell phone partner that Trixie has to be going now, and proceed to educate this little simpleton in basic human being etiquette.

I DO NOT care if Billy Joe kissed Bobbie Sue on prom night. It is none of my business. NOR, do I care that Elvira Mae has an unfortunate crotch condition. I have had it.

I have had it with ubiquitous cell phone conversations as loud as you please in public places. I have had it with fast food service being absolutely abysmal. I have had it with WalMart checkers treating me like they are doing me some huge favor and refusing to simply crack a smile or, God forbid, be friendly when checking me out. I have had it with screaming, ill mannered children in public whose parents “don’t believe” in spanking and “do believe” in allowing their children to “express themselves”. I have had it with people assuming I know who they are when they call me on the telephone and don’t bother saying, “Hi, this is…” but simply launch into what they need me to do for them.

Where are our manners? Where is our dignity? Where is our common sense, decency and courtesy?

Someone, anyone please tell me that this world is not going to hell in a handbasket. I am feeling like a crotchety old lady sitting on my porch yelling at the young whippersnappers to get off my lawn!

Generally, I am a very happy and well balanced person. Just so you know.