What I'm Listening To Now - Mediascape/ February Bed Rest Edition

So here is the thing: my hormones are completely unleashed. I laugh until my sides hurt and I cry at absolutely nothing. In fact, I had to make a new iPod designation, two stars, to say 1) I know this is good and I like it and 2) it's much too sad to listen to right now.

Obviously, you can see the importance of listening to upbeat songs. So my favorites from this month's playlist:

My Sharona -- The Knacks

Crossing The Valley --Huong Thanh (I don't know why I adore this Vietnamese song, it just gets under my skin in the most pleasant way. I'm trying to learn the words)

Jealous Guy -- John Lennon (a two-star, but I still love it)

California Love -- 2 Pac (ft Dr Dre)

She Caught The Katy (And Left Me A Mule To Ride)-- Taj Mahal

Electric Feel -- MGMT


I think everyone should listen to Marc Maron's interview with Gallagher (yes, that Gallagher) on his wonderful podcast WTF. There is so much crazy packed into this interview I don't want to spoil any of it for you. Just listen to it.

(from WTF)

Judge John Hodgman's podcast is picking up steam, and I always enjoy the way he judges situations.

I keep hoping that one of my very favorite comedians, Paul F. Tompkins, will overcome the recent slugginess of his podcast, The Pod F. Tompkast, to recover its original glory. His impressions of Dame Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ice-T should be in play a bit more.


I'm taking the Bed Rest situation to finally get a hold on Infinite Jest, so that's what I'm reading. I find if I do a couple of books at the same time one will take over. And I don't want to do that to Infinite Jest. But I'm also reading Taming Democracy by Terry Bouton for a project.

And that is that. I'll probably have a totally different mediascape next week.

Challenge to America: Let's Create!

'Cause we can do better than snowmen, right?

Oh My Word. So Much To Catch Up On

First of all, I know that everyone loves a picture, but my camera needs some corrections before I can get snapping again, so apologies.

I spent an unexpectedly long time in England over Christmas due to the three inches of snow they got that closed Heathrow down for a week. They were clearing snow from the runways with hair dryers and a pushbroom. But I paid a very important visit to my family there after the passing of my beloved great-uncle David. It was also a slightly stinky visit as the airline lost my bag and I wound up wearing the same clothes for ten days. I did get back home in time for thirty minutes of Christmas with Christian in the car, but it was Boxing Day by the time we got home.

It snowed twenty inches on the East Coast the next day, so if I hadn't been on that Christmas Day flight I wouldn't have gotten home for ages.

It was a hard trip, in part because I was four months pregnant already.

And now, at twenty weeks, the docs have found some placental separation. It was quite scary for a while, but not its starting to look better, like it will heal itself. The baby is certainly doing fine -- flipping around and kicking and such -- but I'm on strict bedrest until the separation mends itself. And, as we have found out, bed rest is hard! Not only does it hurt your hips and joints, its hard to be dependent on other people. But I suppose its a good test of being humble and accepting all the love thats out there for me. Even at twenty weeks, though, I don't look pregnant. I've barely gained five pounds despite eating like a trucker. I suppose my baby belly will come soon enough -- I'm looking forward to it. Baby should be here in June as long as all goes according to plan (which it probably won't).

So I am on bed rest, the cats adore sleeping curled up next to me, and the weather is doing nasty things outside: snowing and sleeting. We're supposed to get something like 21 inches by the end of this storm. I wonder if our deck will hold up -- the snow was already up to the rails.

But we also have a special treat because our friends and their one-year old are visiting, so we are all snowed in together! Cue hot cider, lots of games, snowshoe trips for them and fires in the woodstove. So cozy, right? Plus, Duke is playing Maryland tonight and I'm looking forward to us crushing them again. Fear the Terp? Yeah, right.

I think that is the insta-summary. Hopefully I'll get the camera going soon and we'll be back to normal.