A dedication to good friends

Sometimes I don't think I deserve the friends I have, but then I realize I do

It amazes me how much my friends know me better than I know myself at times. I got a package in the mail from my Lauren this week (aka my best friend Lauren, but my Lauren is just easier to say/type) - A mix cd. Remember back in the day when you used to make mixed tapes for friends. It was like that but even better. No list of songs (heck at first I didn't even know it was songs), just a little note on the cd from one Hoochie to another. So I decided to throw it in the stereo and listen to it while I tried to finish up a book for the library (In Defense of Food - I HIGHLY recommend it)

Now Lauren and I have known each other for almost 10 years (10 years this August - Hoochie I think we are getting old :P ) and I can honestly say that I think of her as my sister. She has seen me through a number of life crisis (aka boyfriends, family, career) and she knows too much about me for me to ever let her become my enemy. There goes my career in politics. Anyways, if anyone knew how to make me a mixed cd to make me feel like she was there giving me a big hug and telling me I rock, Lauren is apparently the one to do it because this CD ROCKS! Some old favorites, new favorites, and encouragement all the way.

She Caught the Katy - Blues Brothers
"Crazy bout that hard headed woman
Hard headed woman of mine"

First, I love the Blues Brothers more than a woman should probably admit, but it is one of my top 10 movies ever. I ADORE the movie - whenever I have to clean up around the house, I throw the move in the DVD player and listen to it as I bustle around the house. Whenever I need a break, I can sit down for a second in front of the TV, I know EXACTLY what is going on and there is usually a pretty damn good song coming up withing a few minutes.

Now the reason I love this particular song is for the lyric "Crazy about that hard headed woman, hard headed woman of mine". For anyone who has ever met me, you know I can be stubborn on occasions (it's genetics - all Polish women are stubborn - ask Lauren - heck if you think I'm bad, you should have met my grandmother), so I look forward to some day when some man will be happy to have a hard headed woman like me. I'm a catch, believe you me.

Because I'm Awesome - The Dollyrots
"I don’t need you cause I’m neato and I beat you
Cause I’m awesome
That’s right"

This is a punk band I am not familiar with, but not that I am, I am trying to figure out how I can see them live sometime soon. They remind me a bit of Cowboy Mouth in their 'You're awesome no matter what" type of lyrics to this song. And not taking themselves too seriously - I mean a song with the lyrics "I always tell you how great you smell - It’s cause I’m naturally deodorized" has a bit of humor to it. But the lyrics "I don’t need you cause I’m neato and I beat you - Cause I’m awesome - That’s right" is what I needed to hear tonight (well this whole freaking week really)

Photosynthesis - The Hot Toddies
"Photosynthesis is my favorite chemical reaction
When the plants are growing it gives me so much satisfaction"

So Lauren and I lived together for about 4 years in college, so needless to say we got to know each other's qwerks. I am a morning person and Lauren is a night owl, but since morning people aren't really popular in college, I used to try and stay up late. Needless to say since I was usually up at 6am, once the sun went down, I really wasn't at my best (heck I'm impressed I'm writing this at 10:30 at night and I will probably be writing for a few more hours). The more tired I get the louder I get and usually once midnight rolled around all I wanted was to be in bed (ish). This led Lauren to claim that I was solar powered, which, given my current schedule would be true, except I tend to go to work before the sun is even up, is close enough, especially during the summer. Maybe I do run a bit off of photosynthesis - it would be helpful - just stick me under a grow light in the morning and I would be off like a shot!

Maybe this also explains why I like gardening so much - the plants and I have so much in common.

Motor City Girl - The Badways
"Well she's my motor city girl
and I love her to death"

Apparently this is a local band and I am ordering their CD from CD BABY (a great place to get new music - before they go big label). And they are playing in Detroit and Chicago in the next few moths. They sound like a fun bar band. I love living in the Metro-Detroit area and as much as I want to try living in California for a few years, I think living in the Motor city has really shaped the kind of person I am. I'm not a gear head, but I know my cars. Heck, I'm a contractor for one of the Big 3 (can you even call them that any more? Big 4? Big 2? Whatever). There is a certain mix of Midwestern sensibilities and blue collar grittiness that comes from living and loving Detroit and I have to say I have some of that, maybe not a lot, but some.

The Bad Days - The Flaming Lips
"And all your bad days will end
You have to sleep late when you can
And all your bad days will end"

Sometimes I worry that I only call my friends when I'm in what I will gently refer to as a poopy mood, but I swear I don't do this on purpose and to my friends who read this - I apologize for my bad days as of late. A simple little song reminding me to sleep late when I can (woo hoo for 7:30 this morning) and that bad days will, in fact, end.

Open Road Song - Eve 6
"The night is becokoning although I have nowhere to go but home
Feels good to be alone
With every turn comes a new frame of mind if I could frame my mind
Where would it hang"

I love to drive and I love my cars. From the blue, bondoed Aerostar that got me through and around high school, to Princess Hooch, the Hoochie Hoopdie (a Bonneville that had a booty to rival mine), to the Sable with no name, to my current baby (a Mazda 3 hatchback in bright, but not overly so blue), I have had some awesome automobiles. One of my favorite things to do is take the long way from point A to point B sometimes just for the sake for seeing what I can see. There is nothing that calms me down more than a late night drive on a country road, and there is something special about leaving work on a Friday with the sun still up and the traffic light and fast.

Legand of a Cowgirl - Imani Coppola
"So look out and hide your fans
I'm a woman on fire with huge desire
To be as good as any man

Pack my bags and mount my horse
I'm gonna ride on into the next town
Spend all my money on absolutely nothing
Need no man to pay for anything"

This is one of the ultimate anthems of being a strong, independent woman. We are expected to (and often) succeed in doing it on our own, without a man there to take care of us, and the lyrics of this song totally remind me that, as much as society tells me I an not whole if I'm not dating/engaged/married, I am in fact okay on my own. Not that I wouldn't love to have someone to share stuff with (I secretly yearn for someone to tell stories to - but now I have a blog, but my stories are usually much better in person), but the fact that I can do it for myself instills a certain amount of pride in me as well. Plus this song just has a great rhythm and is one of those songs that will get you pulled over cause it is infectious to drive just a 'little bit' faster to.

Party like a Rock Start - Rock~n~Roll Machines
"I've been working every day now
way more than 9 to 5
I've been cooped up, tied down,
every time I come around,
something else is taking my time"

I am hoping I'm getting the attribution right - but I couldn't find the lyrics online (OMG - the series of tubes have failed me). I may not be partying like a rock star right now, but that whole working more than 9 to 5 thing has been applying as of late. This song actually reminds me of Lauren and Paul's wedding - lots of singing to rock songs, air guitar and head banging to Rush (Paul's fav) and Aerosmith (Lauren's). Wedding with polkas AND Aerosmith are amazing, let me tell you.

HTML - Hot Toddies
"Last night while you were offline,
I Googled your name
And I found out that you're a 40 year old inter tube salesman from Ohio!
WTF?! I thought you were the one for me
But you're just a major loser"

Another album that will be shipping to my house shortly. This song is an anthem for any techy girl who has been misled (or just seriously creeped out) by online dating. Thank GOODNESS for Google, although for common names, even that won't save you sometimes. If you haven't heard what fun I've been having with online dating, please see some of the previous blog posts. Shudder.

The Motor City is Burning - John Lee Hooker
"Oh, the Motor City is burning
And there ain't anything I can do"

Lauren had the privileged of listening to me RANT about a certain mayor of Detroit who is an ASS beyond belief. I feel like Detroit is falling apart (more so than normal) and no one seems to care. Why people choose to support a mayor who lies (I could give a rats ass who he has having sex with, but what he does to cover it up and who that effects and how much it costs, I DO care about) I will never understand. But this is not the place for me to get into that again (I try to avoid brain aneurysms on the weekends). We shall see what Monday brings.

Sweet Librarian - Railroad Jerk
"Swee-eeeet librarian
What good books can you recommend?
Swee-eeeet librarian
Do you think that we could still be friends?"

Aside from the yodeling and banging on a pot with a spoon, I now love this song because it led me to this blog - Bibliosquirrel - TOO EFFIN FUNNY - I need more humor like this woman to read in my 'free' time. Plus every librarian needs a song that makes them feel loved, or at least admired.

The 8 Polish Dishes of Christmas - Veggie Tales
"The seventh Polish Christmas dish I bring to the party, Seven pitted prunes But I don’t like prunes! Trust me. With this food, you’ll need ‘em, son. Six fried chruschikis [a delightful paistry with a thing flaky crust] Five smoked kielbasas [pretty much just meat] Four baked paprikas [a bell pepper stuffed with meat] Three simmered gwumpkies [Cabbage wrapped around meat] Two steamed pierogies [Dough, wrapped around meat] And a boiled potato topped with dill weed."

And people wonder where the Polish booty comes from. I mean really. (and who thought I would be promoting something by the Veggie Tales - double shudder) But all of it is delicious, if a bit hard on the digestive system all at once

Speaking of booties...

Back that Ass Up (explicit version than you very much) - Juvenile
"Girl you looks good, won't you back that ass up
You'se a fine motherfuck, won't you back that ass up"

Pretty much an anthem from college - One that makes me think "What the HELL was I doing with that Sam character" but we are all entitled to our 'moments of learning'. Another moment Lauren was around for - remember the lime graveyard. Poor little limes, all alone on the counter, salt strewn everywhere - good times.

Mustang Sally - Wilson Pickett (?)
"Mustang Sally, just bought a brand new GTO,
... yous ee her comin, you better move on over"

Now this is a completely different version of this song than I have EVER heard (Lauren - where the heck did you get this - is it off an album cause this is one sexy version of the song). Very old and bluesy and just awesome sounding. Ignore the version you know from that movie, cause this one is a billion times better. Funny enough I was thinking of renting a mustang for a few days when I am in SF this summer so I can get a convertible to go crusin along the coast in. It's my birthday, I'll drive with the top down if I want to.

Never Make a Saint of Me - Rolling Stones
"Augustin knew temptation
He loved women, wine and song
And all the special pleasures
Of doing something wrong"

I wish more people remembered that many saints didn't always act so saintly all the time. People are human and they make human mistakes and us other humans need to do our best to forgive them when it is time to forgive. I may not be big into one particular religion or another (although I do love studying them), but I think this is something that you don't need to have religion to believe in. Plus would it really be a CD from Lauren if it didn't bring up those damn Catholics? :P

Hoochie Mama - 2 Live Crew
"Big booty hoes -- up wit it!
Hoochie mamas -- up wit it!"

While the lyrics to this song are rather offensive when you actually read them, but I still find the song hilarious. Neither I or Lauren know how we started calling each other Hooch/Hoochie (she claims I started it, but who knows - there is always mythology behind good nicknames), but those were our nicknames all through college and cross country. May not be professional, but its just so fun to yell "HOOOOOOOCH" from across a room/hallway/field.

Going to California - Led Zeppelin
"Made up my mind to make a new start,
Going to California with an aching in my heart.
Someone told me theres a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair."

I started crying when I heard this song on this CD - not because it makes me sad (I had a dopy grin on my face) but because it seemed like Lauren saying that it was okay if I moved across the country (this may not have been what she meant, but that is the danger of mixed cds - the recipient can interpret them differently than the sender intended). I have always wanted to move out of Michigan for a while - I've lived abroad, but I've had an itching for California for a while. I know Lauren has always hoped I would try out Chicago, but right now I think it feels too much like home. I want to be somewhere where the weather is passable most of the year, where I can do some serious triathlon training, walk to the grocery store, get some sun (while staying away from sharks). Who knows, maybe when I return to the Midwest, it will be to Chicago instead, but right now I just want to try something completely different. It will be weird, knowing that if I want to I can't just drive a few hours and be at Lauren's, but maybe if I live someplace sunnier than Chicago/Detroit, she will visit me more (an ongoing battle) :P

Well I can't believe I spend nearly 2.5 hours writing a blog post, but this was something more than that - it was a thank you to one of the best friends a woman today could have. I love you Lauren and I always will - you can count on me as much as I count on you.