DONCHA JUST HATE LISTS?

Me personally, I like to gander at lists. All kinds of lists.

Around this time of the year, inDUSTry types begin asking.
I always comply. Why not?

Music is my life. So here is my personal 100% absolutely
heavily played albums when I'm not programming my
shows.

Top 5 of 2008 in no particular order

1. The Last Shadow Puppets
"The Age Of The Understatement" Domino Records

(London's Alex Turner is creative, embracing, and going to
be a star! This beats Arctic Monkey's in the end)

2. Michael Franti & Spearhead
"All Rebel Rockers" Boo Boo Wax/Anti Records

(Always enjoyed Spearhead, and this is the best of the best of
a mix of Reggae and R&B I've heard all year)

3. Ayreon
"-01011001-" Inside Out/SPV Records

(Arjen Lucassen is brilliant. His space theme operatic lush sounds
just make you swirl. Fantasic music from Holland)

4. Apoptygma Bezerk
"Singles Collection" Metropolis Records

(Hard and melodic Industrial metal goth that bottles the spirit
of that style in an extraordinairy way from Norway)

5. Big Elf
"Cheat The Gallows" Custard Records

(Los Angeles band dials back into the past with the soul of
quite of few known bands and brings it into the current
state of mind. The perfect different kind of rock CD for the now)

*If you would like to send yours, please do and I will
publish in the next post.

CAUGHT IN A ROCK AND NOT SO HOT PLACE

On this August day I dig deep and explore
my most inner thoughts.

Am I a happy person?

NO, not really. I know, because I am on the radio, you probably
think...what's he got to bitch about?

Let's just say, programming and hosting my radio shows are an
escape from reality for me.

You also think I live a glamorous life. Hobnobbing with cel-
ebrities. Going out to clubs. Living the high life. Not so.

I might have in the past, but these days I am one totally boring
person. Yes, I do my radio shows, which is the ultimate excitement
in my life. Other than that I take the wife out occasionally for dinner,
and we take day trips during the week also, while most are working
their 9-5 jobs.

Look, I am semi-retired. Worked many many years for the 'man', and
also self employed. Straddled both worlds.

My wife hates ( I know that's a strong word) that we have to live in
Phoenix, Arizona. There isn't a week in the past 3-years she doesn't
bring it up.

She has been sick on and off, mostly for the better part
of these 3-years.

So, you can understand why she feels the way she does. She
is very vocal about how she never got that sick in Los Angeles.

She wants us to move back so bad.

So do I, but then reality sets in. We can not afford to live there.
The housing is still way out of control. We would suffer when
it comes to anything financial.

I also would not have what I have here on the radio. Los Angeles
programmers have very little balls when it comes to something
different.

So, even though radio is not the complete reason why we are in the
desert, at this stage of my life, I would miss doing what I do on the
radio.

Again though, that is not what stops us from moving back to where
all of our friends are, and the best years of our lives. It is just
simply money!

Here we have virtually no real friends, and our family is so messed
up, that we are are retracting from most of them and their problems.
My wife takes in all their problems that creates stress. I believe that
is the chief reason why she is sick most of the time. She is 5'8" and
is down to 102 pounds.

Not good.

So lately we have at least achieved that. Stay away from them.

Unfortunately that leaves just the two of us almost 24-7. That comes
with some problems, but we are dealing with it.

Will someone offer me a radio gig that I am just able to be me,
like I am right now? It could be in the U.K. or any other country
for all I care.

The wife and I would move in a heartbeat!

AHH, THE PHOENIX DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Cute. Huh?

WOOF!

Ask him how hot and muggy it is currently in the
lovable and at the same time horrible place known
as Phoenix, Arizona?

Woof! Woof!

You are looking at the precocious and handsome
Sebastian.

He can tell you how hot it is here. You can judge by
how much water he consumes in a day!

Woof! Woof! Woof!

Ask my wife what she thinks of living here after 10
years of Los Angeles?

I HATE IT HERE! I HATE IT HERE!!
I HATE F***'N PHOENIX!!!

Okay, gotta go now. Bye.

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND WINDY DAYS

Who is the most rockin' woman of all time?

None other than the Boopster herself!
Betty Boop

"Boop-boop-a-doo"

As I was looking over my fashion page on my website, don't ask
me why I thought of this over 80-year old cartoon character.

Fashionable and sexy. he he
(click on her and will take you to the page)

As the desert hits over 100 degrees everyday here in the Phoenix
area, it's not the heat, but many other things that bring to mind
why I'd rather be back in Los Angeles.

The list would be endless, so I'll spare you.

Hey, speaking of the heat though, the funniest thing is to watch our
dog Sebastian, 7-month old Akida/Shepard mix wearing these little
blue booties on all four paws.

I had never seen them before anywhere! Look my last dog Uncle
Miltie who I had for over 12-years probrably would have dug them,
but back then there was no such thing.

I guess I'm most surprised that Sebastian allows them to be put on
with ease. It protects him from getting his feet scalded by the concrete,
slate, etc.

On a parting note, I finally broke down and joined Facebook.

Don't ask me me why? Maybe a weak moment. An old friend invited me
and I excepted. I then clicked on maybe 5 people that I really know, and
since then I have had at least 1 or 2 requests sent to me every day. As
opposed to Myspace, which I strongly use to network and stay in touch
with very nice people I've met or have known, Facebook is primarily for
real friends that have had something to with my life, large or small.

The weird thing though is all I do on Facebook is answer messages and
update what I'm doing each day. That's it really. I hardly write anyone,
and don't post things on their "Wall".

Do me a favor, do not ask me to join Linkdin! I won't.

Way too much time spent trying to keep up with all of them.

Have a great week, and stay cool in the shade. :-)