Friday, July 01, 2005

MixMania playlist and a movie review.

This afternoon I took the kids to see "Shark Boy and Lava Girl." I shall try to be kind. This was quite possibly the worst movie I've ever seen. If your kids are under ten, it might work. But for kids over ten, well, let me put it this way: "Major suckage alert."

The thing that makes me the maddest about this movie is that its premise had potential. It could have been really good, and it wasn't good. You know how schools tend to take a good idea and by the time they're finished tweaking it, it's horrible?

This film is like that.

Besides, if your kids have seen "Spy Kids part 3" (you know, the stupid one) they've really already seen "Shark Boy and Lava Girl." Same stances and everything. Plus bullies and a poor teacher.

My houseguests are too polite to complain about this film but I could see the incredulous disappointment on their beautiful faces. Well, tomorrow we're going to stay home and watch both "Addams Family" movies. I wonder if I have any Girl Scout cookies left. . . .

It's JULY, and time to post my MixMania playlist. The fabulous Patriside worked long, hard, and overtime getting this together, so please, everyone who signed up, get your mix burned and get it mailed. No more slackers please. It's not fair. (I mailed mine out on Tuesday.)

Songs that remind me of Summer? There is no way I could get them all on one cd this time. I really needed about ten but let's not be silly. I settled for two.

Disc One:

Janis Joplin - Summertime
Phantom Planet - California
The Lettermen - Theme from A Summer Place
Arlo Guthrie - Motorcycle
The Ataris - The Boys of Summer
The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
Jan and Dean - Little Old Lady From Pasadena
Beastie Boys - Fight For Your Right To Party
Blink 182 - Seasons in the Sun
Bobby Vinton - Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
Bryan Adams - Summer of '69
Chad and Jeremy - Sealed With A Kiss
Chad and Jeremy - A Summer Song
Connie Francis - Where The Boys Are
Elvis Presley - Are You Lonesome Tonight (The laughing version)
Enya - Orincoco Flow
Joey Ramone - What A Wonderful World
Gordon Lightfoot - Summertime Dream
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John - Summer Nights
Grease cast - We Go Together
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Over The Rainbow
Jan and Dean - Dead Man's Curve
Jay McShann - Once Upon A Time

Disc Two:

Ventures - Wipeout
Louden Wainwright - Dead Skunk
Louis Armstrong - La Vie En Rose
3 Dog Night - Summer in the City
Mocedades - Eres Tu
Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime
Neil Sedaka - Laughter in the Rain
Pat Boone - Love Letters in the Sand (go ahead and laugh; I know you want to!)
Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al
Polaris - Summerbaby
Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters
Ray Stevens - Mississippi Squirrel Revival
REM - Imitation of Life
Ricky Martin - La Vida Loca
Rush - Summertime Blues
Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze
Sheryl Crow - Soak Up The Sun
Johnny Rivers - Summer Rain
Sly and the Family Stone - Hot Fun in the Summertime
The Beach Boys - Surfing USA
Tom Lehrer - Poisoning Pigeons in the Park
Uncle Kracker - Drift Away
Weezer - Island in the Sun

Some of these songs are from my long-ago youth, and others are fairly recent. And some are just downright obscure and weird.

Now let's have another round of applause for Patriside, for drawing us closer to each other with music. As incredibly busy as he is, he found the time to coordinate this for us. You rock, Jim.

Also, don't forget to mail any extra DVD's or cd's to Jim, so he can forward them to the troops. Yet another stellar idea from Patriside.

Is there any popcorn that can rival movie popcorn? I hadn't had any movie popcorn in years, but I had some today. My sweet kids shared theirs with me. Don't you wish they were visiting you? Well, haha. They're mine.

They'll be mine for another few days, and then I suppose I'll have to return them to their parents. Always a catch. . . .

Maybe their parents will forget to come for them. Maybe their parents will forget who borrowed them. Maybe, maybe, maybe. . . . oh heck. Their parents are probably lonesome as all get-out without them, and counting down till they get them back. I would, if they were mine.

Three kids ages 14, 12, and almost 11 who can sit perfectly still and read quietly for almost four hours straight without a word of complaint or whining whilst occasionally participating in a college class, which, tonight, included an hour and a half of absolutely silent testing? You find me any other kid who can do that graciously and productively. I dare you.

Have I mentioned that I absolutely adore these kids? Do I have to mention it?

Because I can give you details if you need them.