lawmummy

Yes, I’m apparently 12 years old. Here’s the latest edition to my running playlist:

I just realized that my playlist got lost when my data went south. If I get the energy over the next few days to update it for the blog, I will.

Wow. Did you see this? Be sure and watch to the end.

I just couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.

So this is all I’m saying about Britney’s train wreck of a VMA performance.

We are both two white girls from the rural South.

One of us had slightly better hair than the other tonight.  I had dirty hair in a ponytail.  She had a bad weave.  Lawmummy 1, Britney 0.

One of us had a bigger ass than the other.  Only mine was safely esconced in a pair of capri pants and not hanging out of a too small bikini-thing.  Edge, only slightly Britney.

Both of us had difficulty holding a conversation or remembering words tonight.  Hers, likely chemically induced.  Mine, dealing with three cranky children over a hot, busy weekend.  Draw.

One of us can dance a little bit better than the other.  Britney had a lifetime of dance lessons.  I, on the other hand, can stand without support.  Lawmummy 2, Britney 1.
Hmm.  Maybe I should consider a comeback album?

Today’s free download on iTunes is Bruce Springsteen’s “Radio Nowhere.”  First new release from Springsteen in 5 years.

Download it now.  For free.  You won’t regret it.

Hey, my random play list is featured over at Separate Sound.  Check it out!

I just found out that my priest’s cellphone ring tone is the intro to "Hell’s Bells."  How can you not go to a church where the priest listens to AC/DC?

This is my theory:  all of the rehab in the world at swanky centers away from the private eye probably isn’t going to cure what ails Britney, Lindsay and the like.  There’s no incentive to get better when everything is done for you.  But what would I know?  I’ve always been a good girl, remember?

Here’s what I think.  You hit them where it counts.  You tell them that all the partying, the drinking, the drugs, it takes a toll on your appearance.

And then you show them this picture of Eddie van Halen from just a few weeks ago.  You ask them how old he is.  And then you tell them that he’s 52.

Yeah, it’s enough to make me embrace some clean living.

As in the Dixie Chicks. I have always been a fan of the Dixie Chicks - even to the point of going to a concert, which this oft-weary mother of two (and one on the way) never does anymore. And, following Natalie Maines’ comments about the war, I was proud to continue to be a fan. We should always remember that part of what makes this country so great is being able to say what you think. And I, for one, am glad that Natalie had the balls to do it.

There’s a really interesting article in Entertainment Weekly about how Natalie feels now about having said what she did. It’s definitely worth a careful read. I can already imagine how the article will be cherry-picked to imply that she hates country music, when she was very specific about decrying the industry and not the music or its fans.

At the risk of making this a sexist issue, um, I think it is. You don’t see the careers of Sean Penn, Martin Sheen or Ben Affleck under a microscope after their public comments about war or politics. They are usually a sound byte or two on “Entertainment Tonight” or “Access Hollywood” and then all is forgotten - even Kanye West’s controversial comments were fairly quickly dismissed. But when a woman stands up and speaks her mind in a public way, she must defend herself and her actions again and again. Think about Jane Fonda. Or Elizabeth Taylor. Or Natalie Maines.

The thing about the Dixie Chicks is that their comments were fairly benign. They didn’t like the war. They did not support President Bush’s war efforts. Well, as you probably know by now, neither do I - and almost fifty percent of our country’s population. And yet, in the midst of this, ridiculously laughable efforts to quash dissent emerged - like the pathetic call from Rep. Catherine Ceips of SC to force an apology (and a free concert) from the Dixie Chicks. In case you missed it way back when, here is the text of the bill:

H. 3818

STATUS INFORMATION

House Resolution
Sponsors: Rep. Ceips
Document Path: l:\council\bills\bbm\9577sl03.doc

Introduced in the House on March 19, 2003
Adopted by the House on March 19, 2003

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number

My child is a Springsteen fan (imagine giant smile here).

First of all, she always counts in “Born To Run” when Bruce does, which I think is terribly cute.

Now (trying to contain great enthusiasm), she can actually pick Springsteen songs out when playing on my iPod or on the radio. She insisted I stop when flipping stations last night, yelling, “This one! I like this one! Sing-steen!”

Sigh.

I have the coolest three year old ever (and yeah, the blog is very kid-oriented today, suffer through it).

No resolutions this year. Too maddening. I always break them, so I try to think up ones that I won’t break. And then I still break them.

So this year, a little different. I was thinking about all of the good things that I wish for my girls, and for the world, generally, and thought that the Dixie Chicks summed it up kind of nicely in their song, “I Hope” performed during Shelter From The Storm Hurricane Relief telethon. It’s written by the Chicks themselves (Emily Robison, Martie Maguire and Natalie Maines) and Keb Mo (you can visit the Chicks’ web site here to find out where you can download the song; proceeds benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina):

Sunday morning, I heard the preacher say
Thou shall not kill
I don’t wanna hear nothing else, about killing
And that it’s God’s will

Our children are watching us
They put their trust in us
They’re gonna be like us
So let’s learn from our history
And do it differently
I hope
For more love, more joy and laughter
I hope
We’ll have more than we’ll ever need
I hope
We’ll have more happy ever after
I hope
We can all live more fearlessly
And we can lose all the pain and misery
I hope
I hope

Oh Rosie, her man he gets too rough
That all she can say, is he’s a good man
He don’t mean no harm
He was just brought up that way

But our children are watching us
They put their trust in us
They’re gonna be like us
It’s okay for us to disagree
We can work it out lovingly
I hope
More love, more joy and laughter
I hope
You’ll have more than you’ll ever need
I hope
You’ll have more happy ever after
I hope
You can all live more fearlessly
And you can lose all your pain and misery
I hope
I hope

There must be a way to change what’s going on
No I don’t have all the answers
I hope
For more love, more joy and laughter
I hope
You’ll have more than you’ll ever need
I hope
There’ll be more happy ever after
I hope
We can all live more fearlessly
And we can lose all our pain and misery
I hope
I hope
I hope
I hope
I hope

So, I wish for all of you lots of love, joy and laughter for the coming year. Kiss your children (and your pets!) and let them know that you love them.

And to those of you who have families in the military - let’s hope that this is the year that this madness ends and our loved ones come home.

I miss you, T. Be safe.

Peace. And here’s hoping that each of you have a terrific 2006 - may it be the best ever.