Favorite things...

Music:

Favorite 90's
 
 

• Barenaked Ladies - one of the best bands of the 90's and beyond. In fact, I have them on the CD player/ computer while I write this text block. They made it big real quick in Canada, but hasn't quite caught on like wildfire in the states. The lyrics are great and needs to be listened to more than once. They have fast funky beats and slow ballads. The live shows are great, spontaneity rules! Check them out!
• Garbage - they have a newer album Version 2.0 and a rocking website. Their self-titled album packs quite a punch, along with the Romeo and Juliet's soundtrack - " I will die for you..." makes for a rocking good time. I hope they surface on the rock scene again.
• No Doubt - Even though they aren't pooh-poohing the ska sound, the rock group No Doubt mixes a great blend on traditional rock instruments with a small horn section. The energy No Doubt pours into their music is insanely great. No Doubt only has one album out and I look forward to their sophomore big release album.
• Delirium and Forest For The Trees - can't say new age -- can't say rock either. These two groups use a great blend of sampling and original music to make a soothing yet tantalizing sounds that go beyond your ears.

80's Favorites:
 
 

• Eurthymics - Annie Lenox and David Stewart haven't been making music either for a few years now, however the music is haunting and will stand the test of time. In addition to the many albums they put out, Annie has two solos and who knows when she will put out another. - newsflash 1999 - a little reunion tour going on....
• Kate Bush - Once a dominant force in women's music, almost a female Pink Floyd (there was a connection with them for a bit), Kate is awesome. I haven't her anything much what so-ever. I hope you find out more about her in your travels. Her voice could go from warm and silky to fingernail to blackboard screechy, and that's great! The tales in her songs are unique and filled with angst and the singing, pure emotion.
• Swingout Sister - A duo from England I believe. Their heavybeat and jazz influenced music has a great sound. More easily listening than rock. I know of only 2 or 3 albums released before the break-up. But wait - they have another....I think....

70's:

KISS

- need I say more? (yes, I have the action figures)

I like tootling around in my well-used Toyota MR-2. It gets 30+ mpg and what it lacks in horsepower, makes up in handling. It needs a bunch of work, but no rust! I recommend one or even two. If you keep up on maintenance, your MR2 should last at least 150K. There are two body styles for the MR2. When MR2 was new, Toyota over-priced the next generation right off the market.
 
 

Like an MG or Triumph owner, I own a more practical vehicle living in rural America. I once owned a old style Ford F-150 Pick-up and recently traded for the new radical 1997 F-150 style pick-up. I have mixed feelings about the change. It feels like a very large car and handles very well. I like the third door on the extra cab model and this is the first 4WD truck I have had. (There should be a law against selling 2WD trucks in New England) The flip side is the bare bones interior and bone-jarring ride is gone. I may in a few years, stiffen the suspension a bit on the new truck I will stick with my 5 speed even with the greatly diminished towing capacity, so I can have better control of the truck. With the off-road package, the huge tires make the brakes have awfully long stopping distances, even when empty. Be an overly defensive driver when driving the Ford.

Housebuilding

I built my own house, with my hands and help. Until I move away, I will always be building on the house. It is very livable, no barewires and loose insulation.

Geek-Talk
 
 

Apple Macintosh computer is my everyday computer. Now with the Macintosh Operating System (MacOS) is becoming available for the Intel Computer. Having a version of UNIX as it's core operating system, will make the MacOS surpass Windows if they can convince enough folks to change over to the best GUI operating system on the planet.

I like Be, inc., and Gassé, but they need more than 25 engineers working on it. They are also working on a operating system for the Intel chip as well. I wish them luck! They need a major software company to make a word processor and spreadsheet, etc., that will run on their ultra-fast operating system. If you are professionally involved with that..please go help them... I swear I'll learn Linux, really I will! (someday)  It's too bad the company with the biggest advertising budget always wins, even though the product might stink.

A Morris dancer fellow and my father, got me interested in building a 19 foot sailboat with the hull made of plywood! There is a small book of plans, some very odd, to "..heh, why didn't I think of that design..." Each plan takes a traditional design and gives it a new perspective. I would say these boats are what I like to call, 'comfort food'; they aren't drop-dead sleek, or lightning fast, but they sure are practical! ..and my favorite, you can hook up a motor if the wind is totally gone AND many of the boats use water for ballast, saving you the extra weight when trailering. I don't own a garage and might buy one of those tent garages that last only a few years. I can't afford to build a real garage and the property is too small to warrant it.

I finally got the yard out of the 'looks like a construction site', to a usable state of mind. For a few years, I kind of made do and set-up some pretty ugly raised flower and veggie beds, without much yield. I couldn't see dumping thousands of gallons on food I could still buy inexpensively at the market. The next year I just grew small sugar pumpkins and squash, not a great year for it. I live on a sand bar and water just doesn't like to stick around.

1999 - I am growing lots of annuals - many mutated morning glory flowers (like almost all white ones)  - I have a few squash plants, many of the crops aren't doing so well in the heat.  The flowers are doing Ok - not gangbusters as in 1998. We are suffering from a draught, but not at drastic measures yet.

I have been batting around designs, and would like to incorporate more water and low maintenance factors, like brick walkways and the like. Because I live in a tight kid-filled neighborhood where the occasional pot-bellied pig walks through the backyard, a fence was in order. It wasn't  for the whole perimeter, just the where the water and the $$$ flowers will be, which I did, I fenced in the patio.  Looks SCHWEET!

I have a mailbox, which being a new house, after 4 years, I have just set it in the ground. I painted it white with purple and blue cow spots on it - I have had many complements, but the paint, she scratches easy.....

I recently took a welding course and loved it! Although the class was for how to make different types of welds with different types of equipment, I did weld scraps together to make 'art'. I have one piece stuck in the backyard right now! I'd like to get a MIG or TIG welding kit. After using those types - using an Arc or a Oxy Acetylene set-ups seem slow and old fashioned. However, each type may not work in other situations.