Rain Music

My husband left his CD in my car from the weekend. It's a mix of different songs including Townes Van Zandt, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Drive-By Truckers.

One of my favorite songs on the CD is by Ryan Adams - Damn, Sam (I Love a Woman That Rains). It seemed very appropriate for this morning with the rain, and it just has a wonderful melancholy sound that reverberates best with gray skies and damp coolness.

Ryan Adams : Damn, Sam (I Love a Woman That Rains)

As a man I ain't never been much for sunny days
I'm as calm as a fruit stand in New York and maybe as strange
But when the color goes out of my eyes, it's usually the change

But damn, Sam, I love a woman that rains

Clear as a bell, and sound as an old engineer
Clear as a bell, and sound as an old engineer
With talented breezes that blow off your hat with a sneer
As a man I've never been much for talking to
I'm as open as the door in her house that leads to her room
And when the color goes out of my eyes, she's usually too

But damn, Sam, I love a woman that's blue

As a man I ain't never been much for sunny days
I'm as calm as a fruit stand in New York and maybe as strange
But when the color goes out of my eyes, it's usually the change

But damn, Sam, I love a woman that rains

You should be able to listen to the song at Lyrics Mode. I highly recommend it.

Morning Radio Shows

On an hour commute in the morning, sometimes the need for a distraction from focusing on fellow commuters, accidents, license plates, and the weather is solved by listening to the radio. Music can really help pass the time and soften raw nerves. On the other hand, most radio stations play the same thing over and over again and I get tired of it. I also tend to play my CDs over and over again until I get tired of them. When your music selection is limited, then music is not always the answer.

Most mornings I either commute in silence, thinking things over and having preparatory conversations in my head, or I listen to a morning radio show. The only radio show that I listen to is Bob and The Showgram. These guys are rather crazy, but extremely entertaining.

This morning they had mother's read from their children's diaries/journals in order to win a pair of tickets to the upcoming New Kids On The Block concert. The mother who read the funniest entry on the air was the winner. One woman read her 10 year old son's journal that contrasted sharply with the diaries of the 10 and 11 year old girls. He talked about wanting to discover and name a planet that had volcanoes on it the size of continents; the girls talked about boys. The ultimate winner was an entry where the daughter had heard her parents in the bedroom and was confused about what was going on. It was rather funny.

I'm not sure that I would invade the privacy of my child and read their diary/journal entries on the air to get a pair of NKOTB tickets. I was about 9 when the popularity of these guys was in full swing during '89-'90, and I can remember my best friend being in love with them while I could not care less. I have never been a fan of boy bands. I have never really been a "big fan" of any sort. I enjoy music and like to go to concerts, but I was never the type to collect pictures, buy t-shirts, get things signed, send fan mail/e-mail, or read their websites. I support my chosen favorites by occasionally buying their CDs, and that is it.

I am unaffected by the thrill of obsession when it comes to famous people. There are many famous people that I would like to meet, but on most occasions I imagine running into them somewhere and pretending that I have no idea who they are. I want to interact with them, see who they are in person, and not have the giddiness factor intrude. I am a fan of the unfan movement I suppose.

So there you are, famous people, you are safe with me. If I admire you in some way, then I might get excited about meeting you - which means you are probably an author - otherwise, I could take you or leave you.

Coffee

From Toothpaste for Dinner

I enjoy having a cup of coffee on my way to work in the mornings. I have found that I'm not really after the caffeine that many people rely on to get started each day; it does not affect me. The reason that I have a cup of coffee each morning is because I enjoy the way that coffee tastes. Well, to be honest, I enjoy the way coffee tastes once I have fixed it.

Coffee, on its own, is nasty. I have never learned to drink a plain black cup of coffee, and I do not think that I will every try to gain that skill. Why should I? Cream is all that is required to transform bitter nastiness into decadent flavor. Using a flavored coffee increases the decadence and makes it almost sinfully delicious.

This morning I was thinking about how I normally like my coffee. When thinking of coffee along the lines of "I like my coffee like I like my women...", then my original preference for coffee can only be labeled as "Aryan". I like a little coffee with my cream, but no sugar. However, I've been trying to cut back on consuming unnecessary fat where I can. For the past month, my coffee has looked Ethiopian - dark and rich.

I have to admit that I love the novelty of drinking seemingly black coffee, but as I said before, I could never handle plain black coffee. My now Ethiopian coffee is not plain, but sweetened with Splenda's Flavors for Coffee in French Vanilla. This sweetener works for the most part, but it all depends on the strength of the coffee.

I tend to drink my coffee weaker than other people that I know - namely my husband. If the coffee is brewed too strongly, then the sweetener does not work. I have found that blueberry flavored coffee and the sweetener are absolutely delicious. However, I am starting to miss my cream.

This morning, I made a connection between coffee and truth during my commute to work. You might ask: How is that possible? Well, let me explain.

Truth can be good. Truth can be bitter. Truth can be doctored and served according to the recipients taste. Truth is truth, but everyone's truth is different. Each person's truth is a product of their view of what truth is supposed to be.

In my mind, you can replace truth with coffee in that paragraph and it will still be an accurate description. Truth and coffee, accepted and served differently all over the world.

Maybe I'm just being cynical, or perhaps my coffee is bitter this morning.