Tuesday, June 9, 2009

I love My...

It's been a long time since an "I love my" Monday. And, since I was working all day yesterday, I didn't get a chance to blog it out. So, here's a new "I love my" Monday... a day later.

1. I love my mom. As I type, she's going under the knife to have her right knee replaced. She's been struggling with extreme knee pain, difficulty walking, etc. for over a year. Hopefully, today is the beginning of the end of that!

2. I love Apple. My Iphone randomly stopped working yesterday. Straight up, wouldn't work. Don't ask me what was wrong with it, because I don't know. Neither does the applecare representative I spoke with on the phone, or the Apple genius in the Apple retail store. However, as they've done for me in the past, the great folks at the apple store replaced my phone, no questions asked. Awesome.

3. I love Dave Matthews Band... again. Around the beginning of high school, I really started listening to DMB. As a guitar player, I couldn't stop learning and playing their music. It was so intense, different, difficult, and it provided me with just enough of a challenge to be able to always push myself. I went to several live shows. I even joined the fan club, called the Warehouse (which is a song title). In 2000, they were due to release a new album, produced by Steve Lillywhite. However, for whatever reason, this album was scrapped and they started all over. The scrapped album was leaked and became known simply as "the Lillywhite sessions" or just Lillywhite for short. The album they ended up releasing was called "Everyday" and, let's be brutally honest, it sucked. Compared to their previous work, Everyday was no good. I fell away from fandom as a result of a sub-par album and just burning myself out on their older work. That all changed last Tuesday. With the release of "Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King," they are back on top! It's a fantastic album that I cannot stop listening to. Dave himself said, "If this is the last album I ever make, I want it to be the one anybody listens to." Following the death of saxophonist Leroi Moore in August of 2008, the band seemed to really come together and refocus. The result is some damn good music. If you're a DMB fan and haven't picked this album up, shame on you. If you're not a fan, this could be a great place to start.

4. I love chili-cheese dogs. I've always loved chili cheese dogs, but lately that love affair has been rekindled. A new restaurant called "Hot Diggity Dogs" opened up in Auburn and they make good ole, honest hot dogs. They aren't gourmet. There's nothing crazy special about them. They are just good!

5. I love summer. One of my favorite summer memories was when I was about nine or ten. My mom had grilled bbq chicken, and we ate dinner outside on the deck. After dinner I caught fireflies in the back yard until dark (which happened much later in the summer, and made the days feel so much longer!) Summer is different now, but still brings with it a sense of "I can do anything I want." This summer, I'm back and forth between Birmingham and Auburn. I'm landscaping in Birmingham, and doing summer academic camps in Auburn. If the start of the summer is any indication, it'll be a great one. Let's just hope I don't break any bones.


2 comments:

Sarah Armstrong said...

As strange as this may sound, Mark and I have homemade chili cheese dogs for lunch almost every Sunday after church. Good old tater tots also as an accompaniment. Fancy huh? Anytime you get a craving, just let me know and you are welcome to join us! :)

Dranmom said...

I love you, too, boo-boo! Thanks for your care and support, and for decorating my room before I even got there. Yes, I do remember that. . .not much else, though! Hopefully I can cook you some Summer BBQ chicken next time you're home. If not that, then a chili-cheese dog!