Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Music Monday – Pat Benatar

June 29, 2015

Today is Music Monday and I want to talk about an album that had almost passed out of memory – almost. I think about it every summer because in the summer of 1981, after high school graduation, I listened to it a lot running around town. It’s Pat Benatar’s “In the Heat of the Night” and I like just about every song on it. It is a very good mix of lively and mellow so it’s also balanced. All these songs remind me of sultry summer days and nights, driving on the main drag in our small town. I often couldn’t sleep and sometimes I was bored and couldn’t sleep so I’d drive around. So, here are my thoughts on this awesome album.

1. Heartbreaker – Always reminds me of this one pep rally at school and the pom pom squad danced to this song. There was a lot of cheering until the rocker/partying people made everyone shut up. So it was weird just watching the girls do their thing and listening to the music – school days huh? Not a favorite but it’s good.

2. I Need A Lover – Love this one! It was originally done by John Cougar which is also a good version. I’ve always belted this one out in the car.

3. If You Think You Know How To Love Me – This was originally done by a British group called Smokie and I vaguely remember watching them on Top of the Pops way back when. And while the Smokie version was more popular than Benatar’s, hers is still memorable. It was also written by the duo of Chinn and Chapman who wrote a lot of songs for The Sweet. Huh. It’s a slower paced song and the words kind of remind me of Bonny and Clyde since it’s about two people who live a wilder kind of life.

4. In the Heat of the Night – Another Smokie cover but Benatar’s version is much better – not so 70’s. She slowed it down to a more melancholy song. I was trying to find the complete lyrics, but could only find partial lyrics – huh, that’s interesting. Anywho, I live in a small town so the lyrics fit that time of my life of wondering what was out there beyond, what my life was going to be. We think we know what we want, but are always second guessing it, or living a life that really doesn’t fit. It does take a while to figure this out and I think, at 50, I’m finally getting there. (Oooh – found the complete lyrcis! Go here. You’re welcome.)

5. My Clone Sleeps Alone – I really like this fun song! Pat Benatar wrote it and I think it sums up the feelings of Brave New World which we all felt we were on the verge of back in 1980/81. Of course we also thought we’d be in flying cars like the Jetsons but we know how disappointing that’s been. In this song, clones are perfect they do everything they are supposed to do except that they aren’t really alive. There’s no emotion, no loving, no living. And these lines: “She’s programmed to work hard, she’s never profane, she won’t gone insane, not ever” kind of reminds me of some of these mommy blogs. :-) None of us is perfect but holy crap don’t we try sometimes?

One observation, this song sounds like Kate Bush who wrote and sang Wuthering Heights, which Benatar would later cover on her next album. A lot of similarities.

6. We Live For Love – My favorite song on the album! The music is what drew me in to begin with – the music, the words – all of it. The words though – a summer crush with a longing for more for both. Sometimes though a crush is just that – unrequited love – but the memories of that time are cherished forever. Had a few of those.

7. Rated X – Interesting song written by Nick Gilder (who also wrote and sang Hot Child in the City). About a porn star who outwardly seems like she’s got it all, but really doesn’t. She wonders how she got to this place which is really cold and lonely even though outwardly she seems to have the lush life. Back in the late 70’s and early to mid 80’s a lot of people lived this kind of lifestyle so I think it could be a commentary of that culture as well.

8. Don’t Let It Show – First of all – holy crap! – this was an Alan Parsons Project song first?! I can honestly say I’ve never heard that version. That said, I do like this song. It’s a break-up song and like all break-up songs it’s sad and melancholy but also with a strength to it as well. Life will go on and the pain will subide although with some relationships it all just fades into a sweet memory through the years. Le sigh.

9. No You Don’t – Okay, it’s another cover! This one was originally done by The Sweet and Pat Benatar’s version is essentially the same. However, one thing to note if you listen to the words, it can play equally from the perspective of a guy or a gal. Interesting. This is an argument and the intensity shows in the lyrics and the music. You can just see the two people face to face yelling at each other. The guitar bridge in the middle of the song is also quite excellent. Overall just a great song whichever version you listen to.

10. So Sincere – This is not a cover – it’s an original written partly by Pat Benatar! It’s not my favorite but I like it and I think it wraps the album up nicely. Musically, it starts out slow but then it picks up the pace. It’s a song about a guy who doesn’t want his girlfriend to leave. He gives out a lot of lines (and tears) in an effort to convince her and begs and pleads. She isn’t convinced. Actually it reminds me of the Ellen and Jeffrey story in thirtysomething. He definitely resembles this song.

So, that’s my take on this album and since this post is almost a month old (I wrote it right after my last post about a Sunday drive) it’s time to publish. If you haven’t listened to this album in awhile give it a whirl. And if you’ve never listened to it – give it a whirl. :-)

2 comments
A Sunday Drive

June 7, 2015

I decided early on this morning that I needed to get out – alone. I have not been sleeping well this week and eating terribly sugary food to boot. So, time for a change. I read another chapter of Nourished and then headed out. The plan was to go to Hastings to pick up the newest issue of Victoria magazine, but instead, I ended up driving around. It’s a throwback to when I’d grated high school and I used to go out on Sunday mornings and just drive around town in my red Chevelle and blasting the music du jour. Well, MY music du jour. :-) And as I was driving around this morning, memories were released and I believe demons were getting exorcised in a way too. The years between 1981 and 1984 were the most tumultuous of my life. I think I’ve talked before about how I’m still trying to piece together a timeline of those 3 years. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized just what a mess it all was… Let’s get back to driving.

I went to Braum’s and picked up an iced coffee and a carrot muffin (my stomach was growling) and then drove to the park to watch ducks and the light dancing across the pond. It was beautiful. I got tired of listening to my 80’s collection (because it kept repeating when it should have been randomizing), and I popped in Pat Benatar’s In the Heat of the Night. The time of day, the weather, and the music, all came together to remind me of those days so long ago. And I thought of a myriad of things like racing guys on this one stretch of road downtown (badass or idiot – you decide). Of driving down the old highway at midnight – it was almost always in my repertoire. I almost went down that road today, but it scared me a little because I haven’t been that way in a long time and it’s an older road with twists and turns and the road is crappier. Ah, I used to be somewhat fearless. But kind of not. Maybe that’s how it is when you’re between 18 and 20. Fearless but in a way that you’re almost seeing how far you can go before you really are afraid.

So, after my drive around town with Pat, I headed home feeling less stressed and with ideas for how to nourish myself further. That’s got to be my goal this summer – nourishing my spirit. And if driving around town on a Sunday morning and stopping by the park is a part of it then maybe I’ll make that a new ritual. I’ve been looking for one for a long time.

No comments
What I am doing these days

June 4, 2015

Okay, here I go again. I’m going to pull a blog meme I guess. Le sigh. It is an easy way to do an update and right now easy is the word. There was this wonderful priest at our church a long time ago and he always ended his sermons with “slow and easy”. At his funeral those were the words we echoed back to him – not a dry eye in the house. Rest in peace Fr. Cunningham and thank you for all your wisdom.

I am reading – What I read in May: Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh; Laurel’s Kitchen by Laurel Robertson; 5 Secrets to Successful Homeschooling by Pam Patnode; Bebe Day By Day by Pamela Druckerman; Over the Hills and Far Away by Elizabeth Hammill; Nourished by Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph.

I am watching – thirtysomething – big surprise there eh? I am watching all of the episodes straight through and am up to the last 7 episodes of season 3 so by the end of this month I should be finished. Then I’m going to either start on My So-Called life or seasons 1 and 2 of The Waltons that I bought used for cheap.

I am listening to – My summer favorites: Debussy for Daydreaming, 80’s Summer Mix (my own), Make it Big – Wham, Vacation – Go-Go’s, Rio – Duran Duran, Madonna (first album), and Carly Simon’s Reflections for cool weekend mornings.

Looking out my window – Green – lots of green. We had a double edged sword here in OK in May. Lots of rain that ended the drought – yay! Lots of rain that ruined lives and property – boo. All in all I’ll take the rain – it means a less hot summer, more beauty to look at, and water for nature to thrive on.

What I am wearing – I always think this is silly – like anyone really gives a crap, but….I bought a caftan! You know, like from the 70’s? See, I saw them at Walmart and I thought, hey, those actually look nice! I also remembered a friend of mine whose mother would sit out on the back porch in summer in a housedress (another word for fancy robe), smoking a cigarette, and having a drink at the end of the day. Well, now I’m older I can do a take on that. So, I bought the caftan and it fits and is comfortable and I love it (I may go back for another one)! However, the cigarettes not so much (although a Marlboro sounds ok now and then) and my drink? An iced coffee or a bottle of soda (gotta be a bottle). All thinks retro.

Homeschooling – All is well and I’m feeling in a better groove than I was this time last year. We had a shakeup that made me question a lot of things. It took almost a year to think on, read about, and decide how I feel about it, why I do it, what it means to our family, and what direction we should take. This year? I’m rockin’ and rollin’ again and feel really good about what I’m doing. I’ve pulled out Sonlight’s Core 5 for Becky and Katie – it will be the last time I do this core so it’s going to be rather bittersweet.

Housekeeping – It’s time to declutter again, which means I may need to Flylady a little bit. I know how it works, so it should be easy. Also, last fall, I made a huge list of have to do, should do, want to do, and dreams. My to-do’s serve to remind me of household projects I need to get done. I’ve crossed off several, but need to dedicate certain ones to a month now and…well…get them done. I love lists – they keep me on track and serve as reminders of the direction of my day. My older brother prefers list apps, but I’ll take paper every time.

Kids – Growing! Katie has grown taller than her older sister Maggie by two inches! Joe is towering over me now as well and reveling in that. They are growing in maturity and knowledge as well. I went back to taking one of them with me on grocery shopping day. It has expanded to sometimes going out to eat as well. They are just a lot of fun to be with. Now, when I take all of them to a store? Yeah, not so fun.

Personal – I would like to learn how to use the camera my younger brother gave me – my kids all know how it works but I have yet to really get creative with it. Also, reading books on different subjects in the liberal arts – kind of a DIY college education. I’ll end with this quote from Ray Bradbury which gave me the idea for this:

“I spent three days a week for ten years educating myself in the public library, and it’s better than college. People should educate themselves – you can get a complete education for no money. At the end of ten years I had read every book in the library and I’d written a thousand stories.”

Well said Mr. Bradbury!

No comments
Happiness Is…

June 3, 2015

Happiness is…getting some cleaning out of the way first thing in the morning. My kitchen and bathroom were smiling at me all day.

Happiness is…a great day of school. Yes, we’re still schooling – we have a year round schedule and won’t be off until July. Except for that week when older son comes home for a visit.

Happiness is…only 2 weeks until older son visits!

Happiness is…instead of finishing schoolwork after doing errands, having tea and cookies and conversation with kids. Some of that conversation was about self-defense, learning, and other things. Hmmm – maybe we finished school after all.

Happiness is…making plans and booklists for the new school year starting in September. Soon it will be school supply season too.

Happiness is..Katie making shorts from a pair of ripped jeans. She had them done within an hour and she hemmed them up by hand to boot!

Happiness is…buying some Philosophy Fresh Cream lotion on Sephora and getting a bunch of freebies because of a backlog of points. Can’t wait for that package!!

Happiness is…a menu plan so that there’s not the “what am I making” trauma when you’re already busy.

Happiness is…going through the Braums drive-thru and getting an iced mocha while on errands. It’s getting hot outside now so it was a great pick me up.

Happiness is…picking a few things up from the library for school and remembering that the used bookstore was open.

Happiness is…picking out books for me because I have an Amazon gift card burning a hole in my wallet.

Happiness is…getting laundry done..oh, wait, that didn’t happen today. Hmm.. oh yeah! Happiness is – not getting laundry done and feeling no guilt about it.

Happiness is…that great feeling of satisfaction after a day lived to the fullest.

Hope you found some happiness of your own today. :-)

2 comments

» 2015 » June » Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Music Monday – Pat Benatar

June 29, 2015

A Sunday Drive

June 7, 2015

What I am doing these days

June 4, 2015

Happiness Is…

June 3, 2015

About Me

Recent Posts

Archives