It's the Final Countdown (do do do do do)

I have exactly 2 hours and 41 minutes until I leave work for Seattle! I've never been, and the sole purpose of going there is to shop (oh yeah, and so my mom can say hi to her employees) so I'm STOKED! But I can't focus here . . . and I'm bored. So somebody post something!!!

Some cool stuff

Smashing Pumpkins - Despite my Dad's retirement ramblings...Billy Corgan is one of the great songwriters. I love his voice. I really like the industrial side of the Pumpkins that emerged after Mellon Collie. that's when their ratings plummeted but I really like this album and Machina. The electricity running to all their new digital toys also runs through their music as well. Oh, how shocking...

Muse - This is a powerful album. There was a disappointing review on it at www.pitchforkmedia.com. They said something about liking Muse required believing that the world will be ruled by robots in the future. Uhhhh and the music? The intense guitar distortion is very Muse-ish and I love it. The intense vocals are a highlight. And the lone-ranger-esque beat on Knights of Cydonia is one-of-a-kind. Awesome. Map of the Problematique is unreal. And the piano riff on Starlight.

Keane - not as catchy onthe surface as the debut. These guys are better than Coldplay though. Not as overplayed and just...well...deeper. Not a stand-alone single on the album it seems. I need to give it some more listens.

The Format - How in the world do you classify this music? Awesome. I really enjoy the poppy, harmonic nature of track 3 (Nuckolls hasn't got me the track names yet.) The driving beat of this song is...almost...Jamiroquai-ish? Wow! Really cool Arcade Fire-ish singing exchange in the background (about 2:30) toward the end.

Mew - Graywhale is finally selling this CD. The others are still imports. My gosh guys...I really like this stuff. I finally realized why I like them so much. They seem to be a modern junction of Tears for Fears and Radiohead. Very anthem-like productions. Soaring melodies (Zookeeper's Boy) and a different kind of musical intensity (Apocalypso). Music like this should resonate with someone who loves the Format so much! A-hem....you "Nuckoll" head.

Tool - brooding music. They preserve th long song...the jam session...the instrumental marathons. I love these guys. This album doesn't have a parental advisory. I would still like more of them...but I hesitate due to the album art on Aenima. Mercy. "Vicarious" is really good. Love the upper register whine at the end. Cool melodic idea there.

Rocking Out At Work

I am listening to the Jake & Toni Winder Mix and it is interesting. Especially at work. I am getting some wierd looks.."what is that psycadellic music coming from your cube?" I can't tell you exactly what I am listening to as it's in this gay computer that won't say the album with Real Player..but I will let you know what I think of Winder's mix. I wish my car had my mp3 player in it. This weekend.. maybe??? So far I like SOME of what I have heard, some I dont.. I think it was Perfect Circle or Dredg that I don't care for.

My Opinion

Here is my thoughts and opinion on the matter of the woman working verses staying home. Again just my opinion. I think wherever your priority is.. there you are. I think the mother should be home with the children. I think it's best for them.. no I know it's best for them. Can you really truly trust anyone but yourself with your kids. There have been so many babysitters, aunts, uncles, even grandmas who have lost thier tempers and abused, or sexually abused kids. The world is a creepy place.
I believe in the "traditional family" where the father works, the mother takes care of the kids, the house, and makes dinner. I believe that that is what the Lord prefers. Are there special case... sure. That is what I want and have always pictured for MY life. I Grew up with the opposite, didnt like it much. Single mother.. working working working. I didn't feel like I was a priority.
Why do I work then? Well I am just plain scared. And insecure. I find confidence in it. Selfish confidence. I am scared of being viewed as a "stay at home mom" like its bad thing. They sit home and do nothing, barefoot and pregnant, right. So my measley 15-20 hours a week keeps me out of that stereotype. Hypicritical, yes.

Carroll's Are Carefully Carousing

So we had a nice visit with Take and Joni this evening. What nice people. We are so grateful for friends that are Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.

Ask take about his "narrow" music taste. He he he. Joni was very gracious to accept numerous musical suggestions from the Geraldonator. She went home with the Fray, Erasure, Stars, Editors, Lovedrug, Embrace, Abandoned Pools, Dredg and others. Take was...well...disenchanted with the Dairy's musical selections. OK, not unhappy...but cautious. You see, Take has so cemented his rigid stance against adult contemporary music that the SECOND he admits to being a closet Phil Collins fan...he will find himself so enveloped in scrutiny from the masses that he will have to give up the ghost.

Its okay Take....we'll take you how you are.

-Geraldonator...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

My response to Poopside Homes

Sent to the Customer Relations department today:

I am not sure if I made myself totally clear. The issue is NOT that workers are in my yard or that there is trash there each day. Even the water usage thing takes a back seat to the insulation problem. You mentioned in your message that the construction debris is sometimes from the wind blowing when the insulation is being blown into the home. There was a large pile of that stuff on the ground earlier that evening when I came home that day. It was between the houses...quite sheltered from the wind. This was not just the remnants of blowing it into the attic. This was a large pile that ended up in my yard.

Forget the rest of the stuff...my concern is that I spent almost 5 hours on a Sunday afternoon tearing out my flowerbed because of the sloppiness of the subcontractors. The fiberglass insulation does not just come out of a flowerbed. it is shredded into fine pieces that cannot be raked out of the dirt or grass. I should not have had to do that, [name]. I talked to a general contractor for Holmes Homes today about this. He said his subcontractors could be removed from the neighborhood in which they work (Daybreak in South Jordan, in this case) if something like that had happened.

From what I have read, this type of insulation is hazardous to human health. Most insulations (according to OSHA) require carcinogen warnings. I am wondering why subcontractors would just let this noxious stuff blow into someone's yard. That careless behavior on the part of subcontractors did two things: 1) it wasted nearly five hours of my time on my weekend and 2) it exposed me to something that could potentially harm me. If I am not mistaken, the installers of this stuff wear ventilators and post warning signons on the front of the home before installing it to warn the public.

So my question is NOT why the workers keep walking on my new lawn, using my water, and letting their trash blow into my yard. My question is why I had to do an extensive cleanup after your subcontractors.

I really respect you, [name], and what you do. You are a very kind person. I am not directing this venom at you personally. I have spoken with 3 other families in this part of the neighborhood and none of them have reported difficulties like this. Every single one of these families told me to contact Woodside and complain. I have done this and the answer seems to be, "OK we'll tell them to stop." I do not believe this to be sufficient for the extent of our problems.

I really appreciate your help. I will be anxious to talk to [name] if that is the next step. I hope I am not becoming the most hated client of Woodside homes. I just really feel strongly about the things I have shared with you.

Thank you again.

The Unknown Soldier

Does anybody else miss him? I need someone besides me writing political posts!!!

Strange counsel

I was surfing the LDS website and I found an address on marriage by Spencer W. Kimball in 1976. This paragraph in particular stood out to me:

". . . Young wives are often demanding that all the luxuries formerly enjoyed in the prosperous homes of their successful fathers be continued in their own homes. Some of them are quite willing to help earn that lavish living by continuing employment after marriage. They consequently leave the home, where their duty lies, to pursue professional or business pursuits, thus establishing an economy that becomes stabilized so that it becomes very difficult to yield toward the normal family life. Through both spouses’ working, competition rather than cooperation enters the family. Two weary workers return home with taut nerves, individual pride, increased independence, and then misunderstandings arise. Little frictions pyramid into monumental ones."

I was pretty shocked. What do they mean? That women are not supposed to work? I can understand this concept when a child has been born, but before? Are we to be confined to the home, baking and cleaning? Is a female working really the cause of such contention in marriage? Someone please explain this to me!

Look at my insulated lawn!

Wow. The subcontractors out here don't give a $#@! about our property. I have loose insulation and other trash ALL OVER MY LAWN! I just love Woodside Homes!