Sweet Pickles

You know who I feel sorry for?

Barack Obama.  Because, when artists and documentarians of the future start making films about his presidency, the soundtrack of contemporary music from his first year in office is going to be ridiculous. 

You know how anytime filmmakers need to set anything within the LBJ Administration, something like Buffalo Springfield's For What It's Worth starts playing in the background?  I mean, imagine it... the voice of the guy who narrates Frontline makes some pronouncement about the historic nature of Obama's election victory while the film shows overhead views of the election-night crowds in Chicago's Grant Park, and then, cue the Jason Mraz! 

Musically, 2009 has been a complete bust so far.  I think 2009 might be the year that new music and Sweet Pickles broke up.  I have thrown less money at iTunes this year than either of my godchildren (a 2nd-grader and kindergartener).  For me (but probably to the obvious delight of my goddaughter), I think the most obvious death knell has been the inexplicable and infuriating recurrence of Miley Cyrus' songs in iTunes' top 10 most downloaded songs (That's it... I'm out, bitches).

As my historic birthday approaches, I realize this must happen to every generation.  I wonder when did it happen for my parents?  There was a time during my childhood when they were still buying LPs and 8-track cassettes, and dancing together around the living room.  I know it continued through the era of disco and well into the heyday of yacht rock.  Looking back at 1984 (the year in which they turned the same age I'll be turning this December), I wonder... at what point did they say "F*ck a bunch of this!"  Who pushed them over the edge, who was their Miley Cyrus?  Was it Ratt?  Laura Branigan?  Rockwell?  Night Ranger?  Corey Hart?  Rick Springfield?  Nena?  And with that, I give you:

The Top 100 Songs of 1984

1. "When Doves Cry".....Prince
2. "What's Love Got To Do With It".....Tina Turner
3. "Jump".....Van Halen
4. "Karma Chameleon".....Culture Club
5. "Like A Virgin".....Madonna
6."Hello".....Lionel Richie
7. "Owner Of A Lonely Heart".....Yes
8. "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)".....Phil Collins
9. "Footloose".....Kenny Loggins
10. "Ghostbusters".....Ray Parker, Jr.
11. "I Just Called To Say I Love You".....Stevie Wonder
12. "Out Of Touch".....Daryl Hall & John Oates
13. "Say Say Say," Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
14. "I Feel For You".....Chaka Khan
15. "Missing You".....John Waite
16. "Let's Hear It For The Boy".....Deniece Williams
17. "Time After Time".....Cyndi Lauper
18. "The Reflex".....Duran Duran
19. "Dancing In The Dark".....Bruce Springsteen
20. "Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)".....Billy Ocean
21. "Talking In Your Sleep".....The Romantics
22. "Hard Habit To Break".....Chicago
23. "Let's Go Crazy".....Prince & The Revolution
24. "Self Control".....Laura Branigan
25. "The Wild Boys".....Duran Duran
26. "Hold Me Now".....Thompson Twins
27. "Jump (For My Love)".....Pointer Sisters
28. ""Joanna".....Kool & The Gang
29. "Break My Stride".....Matthew Wilder
30. "The Glamorous Life".....Sheila E
31. "Somebody's Watching Me".....Rockwell
32. "Running With The Night".....Lionel Richie
33. "Penny Lover".....Lionel Richie
34. "That's All!".....Genesis
35. "Stuck On You".....Lionel Richie
36. "She Bop".....Cyndi Lauper
37. "Oh Sherrie".....Steve Perry
38. "99 Luftballons".....Nena
39. "Drive".....The Cars
40. "Here Comes The Rain Again".....Eurythmics
41. "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues".....Elton John
42. "Twist Of Fate".....Olivia Newton-John
43. "The Heart of Rock & Roll".....Huey Lewis & The News
44. "Automatic".....Pointer Sisters
45. "Girls Just Want To Have Fun".....Cyndi Lauper
46. "No More Lonely Nights".....Paul McCartney
47. "Infatuation".....Rod Stewart
48. "Better Be Good To Me".....Tina Turner
49. "Sunglasses At Night".....Corey Hart
50. "I Can Dream About You".....Dan Hartman
51. "Sister Christian".....Night Ranger
52. "Borderline".....Madonna
53. "Purple Rain".....Prince & The Revolution
54. "Eyes Without A Face".....Billy Idol
55. "State Of Shock".....The Jacksons
56. "The Warrior".....Scandal w/ Patty Smyth
57. "All Through The Night".....Cyndi Lauper
58. "I Want A New Drug".....Huey Lewis & The News
59. "If This Is It".....Huey Lewis & The News
60. "Miss Me Blind".....Culture Club
61. "Sad Songs (Say So Much)".....Elton John
62. "Lucky Star".....Madonna
63. "Almost Paradise".....Mike Reno & Ann Wilson
64. "Cover Me".....Bruce Springsteen
65. "Legs".....ZZ Top
66. "Strut".....Sheena Easton
67. "If Ever You're In My Arms Again".....Peabo Bryson
68. "I Can't Hold Back".....Survivor
69. "To All The Girls I've Loved Before"...Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson
70. "Love Somebody".....Rick Springfield
71. "You Might Think".....The Cars
72. "Adult Education".....Daryl Hall & John Oates
73. "Breakdance".....Irene Cara
74. "They Don't Know".....Tracey Ullman
75. "I'm So Excited".....Pointer Sisters
76. "Got A Hold On Me".....Fleetwood Mac
77. "Pink Houses".....John Cougar Mellencamp
78. "Thriller".....Michael Jackson
79. "Nobody Told Me".....John Lennon
80. "Let The Music Play".....Shannon
81. "Wrapped Around Your Finger".....The Police
82. "Head Over Heels".....The Go-Gos
83. "Cruel Summer".....Bananarama
84. "Think Of Laura".....Christopher Cross
85. "Magic".....The Cars
86. "Breakin'...There's No Stoppin' Us".....Ollie & Jerry
87. "New Moon On Monday".....Duran Duran
88. "Lights Out".....Peter Wolf
89. "Round And Round".....Ratt
90. "The Longest Time".....Billy Joel
91. "The Language Of Love".....Dan Fogelberg
92. "I Still Can't Get Over Loving You".....Ray Parker, Jr.
93. "Dancing In The Streets".....Shalamar
94. "On The Dark Side".....John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
95. "Read 'Em And Weep".....Barry Manilow
96. "Blue Jean".....David Bowie
97. "Desert Moon".....Dennis DeYoung
98. "Doctor! Doctor!".....Thompson Twins
99. "An Innocent Man".....Billy Joel
100. "Some Guys Have All The Luck".....Rod Stewart

Ya know what I love?

Myself!  Am I the most awesome instructor ever, or WHAT?!?!  But my real love is international students.  Today (the first Tuesday or Thursday on which it wasn't flooding during the past six weeks), I took one of my classes downtown to execute their 'Free Hugs' experiment.  Every Tuesday and Thursday, they were always disappointed that we'd have to postpone because of the crappy weather, but in the van on the way downtown this afternoon, I could tell they were all nervous.  Riding shotgun, up front next to the driver, I sounded like my mother... "You'll do fine.  Everyone will love you.  You'll have a great time."  And they did.  They totally got into it, and didn't want to leave when it was time to return to campus.  I told them, "Damn!  Y'all sure do love hugging strangers!"  I was so proud of them!  I can't wait to read their reports.  Check out the rest of the pics (including the "awww-inspiring" action shots) on my Facebook page.  We are the world, bitches!  P.S. - Have I used enough exclamation points in this post?

 

 

Calling All Sluts!

Are y'all ready for this?  Sweet Pickles just confirmed his booking at The Lyric for his 30th birthday party.  On Saturday 12-Dec., it's gonna get krunk!  Start planning now.  For Sweet Pickles' out-of-town readers, start making your travel arrangements today.  For you local sluts,what pair of your luckiest underwear will you wear, what taxi service will you use, where can you score some X, who will you call to bail you out of jail? 

D-Hug's & P-Rut's Music Trivia Game: Question #34

One-Night Stand -
Frenchie (Lil' Kim)
Erin (Stevie Nicks)
A-Ev (Jermaine Stewart)
L-Shep (Elton John)

Booty-Calls -
JustJess (Vanilla Ice, Sade)
M-Shan (Bobby Brown, Sheena Easton)

Homewreckers -
Nobody is currently busting up marriages.

Sex Addicts Anonymous -
Nobody is currently seeking counseling.

Putting the REAL in Venereal -
Yankee Librarian (Dolly Parton, Violent Femmes, Fiona Apple, Nick Lowe, Juice Newton, Styx, Duran Duran)
D-Hug (Duran Duran, After the Fire, Young MC, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Prince, The Clash)
Brad Bagby (Marky Mark, Prince, Human League, Band Aid, Madonna, The Gap Band)
Maribeth (Sugar Hill Gang, Peaches, Cake, Rick Springfield, Scandal)

Riddle me this:

Two girls from what kind of neighborhood go 'round the outside, 'round the outside?

Posted at 10:30 AM in D-Hug's & P-Rut's Music Trivia Game, Music | Permalink | Comments (2) |

One-Night Stand -
Frenchie (Lil' Kim)
Erin (Stevie Nicks)
A-Ev (Jermaine Stewart)
L-Shep (Elton John)

Booty-Calls -
JustJess (Vanilla Ice, Sade)
M-Shan (Bobby Brown, Sheena Easton)

Homewreckers -
Nobody is currently busting up marriages.

Sex Addicts Anonymous -
Nobody is currently seeking counseling.

Putting the REAL in Venereal -
Yankee Librarian (Dolly Parton, Violent Femmes, Fiona Apple, Nick Lowe, Juice Newton, Styx, Duran Duran)
D-Hug (Duran Duran, After the Fire, Young MC, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Prince, The Clash)
Brad Bagby (Marky Mark, Prince, Human League, Band Aid, Madonna, The Gap Band)
Maribeth (Sugar Hill Gang, Peaches, Cake, Rick Springfield, Scandal)

Riddle me this:

Two girls from what kind of neighborhood go 'round the outside, 'round the outside?

Friend-Request Dilemma

A couple of months ago, I received a friend-request on Facebook, from a dude from my high school.  It was one of those that could have gone either way:  accepted, or relegated to the friend-request graveyard (i.e., my in-box of pending requests, where half of the friend-requests I receive go to die a slow death from neglect).  Technically, he didn't meet any of my criteria (you need to hit one to get past the velvet rope and into the exciting online world that is Sweet Pickles' Facebook page):  1.)  Have drunk with me at least once in the past decade.  2.)  Have ever had a photo taken together with me.  3.)  Have met one of my parents.  4.)  Be a student in one of my classes (former student if you're not international). 

I had been friends with the dude's younger sister, and worked a couple of summers with his younger brother.  I knew his parents a little bit, and always enjoyed being around them.  And I can recall having had fun with him at a couple of parties back during the first Clinton Administration.  So, I figured, what the hell, and accepted. 

A couple of weeks ago, he posted a status-update that read:  "Hang the white man from the watermelon tree."  At first glance, I was all WTF?!?!  What on earth could this possibly mean that isn't just totally unacceptable?  Since he had placed this status-update within quotation marks, I wondered if it could be some ill-conceived commentary in which he assumed his readers would catch his meaning without context.  I googled the phrase, to see if it turned up anything that, perhaps, he was trying to be ironic about.  Nada.  For the first time since accepting his original friend-request, I actually went into his FB page to try and figure out what this might be about.  The first thing that jumped out at me was the biker do-rag he had on his head:  a Confederate battle flag kerchief.  A small detail I had never really noticed because of the tiny size of his profile picture.  With THAT little piece of context, I scrambled for the delete button.  I don't like to rush to conclusions, but whatever the hell seemed to be going on, my instinct was telling me that I didn't want to stick around to figure it out.  And my visceral response was that 'hiding' him from appearing in my feed wasn't enough.  This represents my first actual 'de-friending' of an individual for any reason other than confused identities or the clean-up sweep in which I first instituted my criteria. 

Fast forward to last week.  Dude has sent a SECOND friend-request AFTER the de-friending.

Question:  Do I...

A.)  Respond with a reason, detailing my concerns, or

B.)  Just leave this second one in the friend-request graveyard to die a slow death with the rest of them?

P.S. - Have any of you ever heard anything similar to his status-update?  Is this some poem I've never read, or a famous quote I've never heard of, or the punchline of a bad joke from the 19th Century?  Is there something I'm missing here that could possibly put this in a less offensive light?

Sweet Pickles Recommends

My new favorite song has a pretty cool video. Both put me in a good mood. Check it out (if you can make it past the ad)!

My New Favorite Thing

Minestrone!  Sweet Pickles just made a bigass pot of it.  And it was easy!  Preparation and cooking time = less than 15 minutes altogether.  And there's a lot of it, so I'll be able to enjoy some for the next several days.   Considering the ingredients, it strikes me as both low-cal and healthy (the former the more important).  It tasted great, and I am pleasantly surprised by how filling one bowl was!  Now, I need a nap.